Grad School: First Impressions & Thoughts

When people ask me on my birthday if I feel any difference in terms of maturity, wisdom or desperation I usually answer no. But if someone were to ask me if I feel differently now that I'm in graduate school I would say definitely, yes.

I am still transitioning between undergraduate mode to graduate mode but I'd like to recap a little about my thoughts so far. In my classes our professors treat us more like colleagues rather than just another student. I felt that way in some of my undergraduate courses because of their large size but now my class sizes are much smaller. We have a nice little grad community going in our department and we are planning a potluck to get to know each other better. The nice thing about smaller classes is that you make friends easily and learn to help each other out, whether it's with homework, a hard concept, or general advice. 

The material that is taught is much harder and goes into much further detail than any courses I took previously. You know in school when you're taught something and you think "When am I ever going to use this again?" Well those things do come up again, I assure you. It is the culmination of all I have learned in life, being tied together and integrated into school. Grad school is more about application of knowledge rather than memorization, it's about learning how to think, opening your mind, and reaching your potential.

We are treated as mature adults and expected to act professionally. If you want to be successful procrastination simply won't fly. It's not about memorizing material for a test and moving on, what you're learning is directly related to your future career. It could affect a client, patient, or your work somewhere down the line so it's important to take it seriously.

There are many opportunities but you have to go for them proactively. They are not handed to you on a silver platter and there aren't as many people around to guide you. You sort of have to make your own path. I'm very excited to start researching because it is actually worth something. The research you do could positively impact someone or some field.

I have made some resolutions so far that have been a great help to my focus and productivity: 

-to refrain from using my phone (even checking the time) during class sessions

-to only check Facebook once per day

-no procrastination

-try to eat healthy and exercise

-get enough sleep

I'm so happy to be studying human nutrition and focusing my energy on that, instead of being too caught up in other subjects or extracurriculars. I hope to be more responsible and to use this time to grow and be the best student and researcher I can be.