Navigating Grad School and Work: Managing Time, Priorities, and Stress

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Grad School vs. Undergrad

Now that you're in grad school, what do you think will be the biggest shift in your approach to managing your time and responsibilities compared to your undergrad years?

I would say staying on task, completing assignments earlier than anticipated, sticking to a strict schedule when it comes to anything academic related would be my biggest shift. I would say when I was in undergrad, I prioritized my assignments but not over my social life.

They were on the back burner if I am being honest and as I got into my junior and senior year I regretted not paying attention enough in my courses and regretted slacking so much. This kind of evolves into both questions, this one and the next.

Time Management

Starting grad school while balancing other responsibilities can be challenging. How are you approaching time management to ensure you can stay on top of both your academic responsibilities and your work commitments?

Yes it can be very challenging, I have a pretty outlined schedule for my job which helps a lot with my academics. My routine is the same day to day for the most part, and adding school into it wasn’t that difficult. If I’m being honest I feel like the hardest part will be continuing to socialize with others and making plans with friends. 

Prioritization

How do you plan to prioritize your tasks and manage your schedule effectively, especially when both academic deadlines and personal goals come into play.

I would say by being consistent and motivated, make sure I stay ahead of the game. As I’ve gotten older I’ve prioritized myself a lot and going to school is at least for me a personal goal. To educate myself and increase my knowledge. 

Managing Stress

Grad school can be intense. What strategies do you have in place to handle stress?

Sometimes taking breaks helps a lot and sitting outside or going for a quick walk, taking a step back and asking for help. I want to say I’ve never been very good at papers or discussions because I would say I’m not very developed in expressing myself or my knowledge on paper. So this makes my stress increase during school but that’s something I can work on! 

Support Systems

What kinds of support or resources do you either have in place or anticipate needing, and how do you plan to leverage them to stay on track with your goals?

My graduate school and professors are very supportive to my knowledge (as of right now). My colleagues are very helpful and supportive with my journey as well. I have all the resources I need, thankfully!