Graduate School Advice
Time management is key. That makes the difference between barely keeping up and thriving. Having good time management skills will make the graduate school experience that much better. You will still be stressed, but not regarding deadlines.
Time Management Tips
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Have a physical or digital agenda/planner and write out when you need to do all of the readings, assignments, quizzes, and exams from the syllabi at the beginning of a semester. This allows your brain to start to be familiar with what is coming up and you can always reference it when need be.
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Before going to bed, write down a to-do list for the next day.
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Create reminders on your phone.
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As soon as something is assigned, at least start it. Start by putting 15 minutes of work into it. Having this 15 minute rule does work! It allows you to get into the groove of doing the school work. If you absolutely are not getting anything done after that 15 minutes is up, then go do something else for a bit. At least you did 15 min!
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DO NOT CRAM!!! Study and do homework each day so that you do not overwhelm yourself.
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DO NOT MULTITASK!
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Utilize the Pomodoro technique which is to work for 25 minutes and take a 5 minute break. Keep repeating that until you are done for the day.
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Homework and studying is quite stimulating so I personally don’t do any schoolwork after 9 pm because then I have a hard time sleeping and I know that my brain does not receive information well late at night. So maybe this is a good rule to give yourself time to decompress in the evening.
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You can’t always do everything so prioritize!
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*Disclaimer: These are my (Bella Brown-Quigley, B. S.) personal tips that I use in graduate school.
1. Make sure you are getting enough sleep. I cannot stress this enough. Sleep is important for your brain to form memories and connections. Instead of staying up late to finish an assignment or study, go to bed and wake up relatively early like 6 or 7 am.
2. Again, avoid cramming. Study a subject even 15 minutes a day. Space in-between study sessions helps your brain solidify those connections.
3. When doing schoolwork, make sure to take mental breaks and snack breaks. Your body needs nutrition when studying. If you are feeling tired while studying, drink a glass of water or go on a short walk.
4. Schedule time for yourself to relax. You need to implement self-care into your grad school routine to avoid burnout. Personally, I don't do any schoolwork past 9 pm. I allow my brain to unwind before I go to sleep.
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*Disclaimer: These are my (Bella Brown-Quigley, B. S.) personal tips that I use in graduate school.