I finished my first semester of graduate school last week, and needless to say, it has been a wild, yet amazing ride! While earning your graduate degree is stressful, it is also definitely rewarding both during and after the process. What did I learn? Well, golly - I am glad you asked! I am here to tell you three things I learned during my first semester of pursuing my M.S. degree at West Virginia University.
Do Not Be Afraid to Ask For Help
For whatever reason, students in my graduate degree program carry a stigma to not ask for help from other students, respected faculty members, or even professionals in the marketing field. I get we can all be a little socially awkward and believe we are true experts since we are all at least 22+ years old, but I think that Aristotle put it best:
"But he who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god: he is no part of a state. A social instinct is implanted in all men by nature, and yet he who first founded the state was the greatest of benefactors."
Oh gosh, sorry if that one called you out a little, but if you think you are going to get through your graduate education alone...honey, you have a big storm coming. You might not personally like every single person in your program that you come across, but regardless, they are great connections to have outside of the classroom. So, with that being said, don't be afraid to collaborate and invest in your program's community.
Do NOT Neglect Your Well-Being
If you're like me, during undergrad, I did not have many issues with this. I felt like I had a grip on my education (spoiler: I didn't then either...shoutout to the Lord), but when I started my graduate program, everything changed from my learning and physical environments to my career placement, etc. Toward the second half the semester, neglect for my emotional well-being started to take a toll on other aspects of my life. Please remember to sleep, eat well and make time for God, family and friends. As important as your graduate degree may seem, it is never more important than your mental and emotional health.
Make Time For God
Personally, this really should be the most important lesson I learned this semester. Growing up in the faith my entire life, I have never seen a second without God, however, I don't spend as much time with Him as I know I should be. A lot of people find ways to calm the stress of graduate school through a multitude of things (good and...eh, bad), and finding rest in the Lord and His promises never fail to keep me going when I am in the valley. Always remember Matthew 11:28:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Photo credit: West Virginia University (2019)