5 Tips for Surviving Grad School

Today I am sharing tips for surviving grad school. Sometimes it can be difficult to want to work on my grad school coursework after a long day of work, but it will all pay off in the end. Anyway, without further ado – my tips for surviving grad school.

Tips for Surviving Grad School

1. Don’t get behind on your work // This is necessary in any college level course but even more essential in grad school because most of the time grad students don’t just have school to focus on, a lot also have full time jobs and various other things to tend to. I am currently taking all of my grad school courses online, but I still have assignments due at the end of each week so I try to constantly be on top of things so I am not scrambling to get work done on the day its due.
2. Know your study methods // By this point in your life, you should know what study methods work for you and which don’t so stick to what you know and what works for you. I know that I study or read best at home and not in public places so that’s where I will continue to do my work at.
3. Focus on what you’re learning more than your grades // Of course that’s easier said than done but grad school courses are exceptionally harder than undergrad courses so try not to focus too much on your grade but more on all the information being taught and working to retain that information. You may experience a B or two in your grad school courses but that doesn’t make you a failure, it makes you human. Don’t let a B get you down. It’s all about the experiences and growing in your field.
4. Time management is key // This is true for any college student, but definitely even more so in grad school since you probably have a full time job and lots of other obligations to tend to. Utilize Google Calendar or a paper planner to schedule your life and make sure to plan your time accordingly so that you aren’t ultra stressed.
5. Make time for a social life // While you may feel in over your head and that you can’t ever relax, you need to make time for a little fun…Ever heard the motto work hard, play hard? Yeah, do that. A little fun never hurts. Especially after a long week of work and school. Plus, you’ll come back to your work feeling refreshed and ready because you took a break from it all.

Are you currently in grad school? Let me know if you have any additional tips for surviving grad school! I’d love to hear them.