blogs

Starting 2016 Off Strong: Self-Care in the New Year

Published: 8 January 2016
Written by Stephanie Grogan
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Categories: blogs
Tags: graduate school, new year, self-care

It’s January, which means for most of us, that it’s time to take down the holiday decorations and get back to the grind. For me—and I’m sure for a lot of you, too—it feels like I never had a break from the grind. With work, classes, and the holidays all placing demands on my time and attention, I’ve felt a little overwhelmed, like I’ve been trying to keep afloat…

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Intro To Series on How to Pick Your Defense Committee

Published: 29 December 2015
Written by Ryan
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Categories: blogs
Tags: defense committee, dissertation, grad school advice, phd

Choosing the right defense committee can potentially be the difference between a smooth transition of receiving your doctoral degree or dodging bullets in an all-out civil war. Hyperbole aside, I’ve been particularly lucky with picking my defense committee members. However, I’ve had colleagues who have struggled, so it’s easy to be on either side of this tough choice. As a new blogger to this site,…

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Introducing Stephanie and Her Road Map to Grad School

Published: 4 December 2015
Written by Stephanie Grogan
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Categories: blogs
Tags: first-year grad student, graduate school, self-care, stress

My name is Stephanie, and I’m working on my Masters of Science in Counseling (LPC) at SMU. I’ve taken a somewhat indirect path to graduate school. In fact, my undergraduate degree is in Writing & Rhetoric. I was especially interested in editing and creative nonfiction, but I often felt like I was on a road trip without a map–like I wasn’t moving towards a meaningful destination. I finally had…

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3 Holiday Tips for Graduate Students

Published: 24 November 2015
Written by Rene M. Paulson
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Categories: blogs
Tags: adapt to changes, cheap food, grad school advice, graduate holiday, graduate school, Rene Paulson

Is Thanksgiving really only two days away?! If this is your first semester as a graduate student, you are in for a treat or two with the holidays coming up. Not knowing what to expect, you might be feeling nervous, excited, anxious, or a combination of these and other emotions. On the other hand, you might be as cool as a cucumber. Either way, your holidays as a graduate…

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Welcome to the PhDStudent Blogosphere, Ryan!

Published: 6 November 2015
Written by Ryan
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Categories: blogs
Tags: adjusting to grad school, family life, graduate school, parenting, time

My name is Ryan, and I am currently in my final year of graduate school in the Public Policy and Political Economy doctoral program at the University of Texas at Dallas. My policy focus is on international development with an area specialty in Latin America and the Caribbean issues. However, I do find myself looking to Africa to see what development trends seem to be working there. I am fascinated…

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9 Reasons Why I Miss Being in Grad School

Published: 15 June 2015
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: grad school advice, graduate school, graduation, social changes

It’s now been two years since I walked across the stage, shook the administrators’ hands, and received my doctorate degree. I remember thinking, “Yes, I did it!” Things were looking up for me, I had a job lined up, I was a new mom, and finally free from school and all the unpleasant things associated with it (like sitting in seminar meetings). Two years later, I have a much different…

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Why You Shouldn’t Email Your Advisor Back Right Away

Published: 15 May 2015
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: advisor email, family life, grad school advice, job advice, time

Grad students have a hard time keeping the lines between school and home separate. When your advisor finally emails you back, it feels like you need to be ready no matter what you’re doing. However, given what we know about work-nonwork conflict, grad students should proceed with caution. How Work-Nonwork Conflict Can Be a Downer Allowing work-related activities to creep into your home life can lead to more stress…

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3 Things You Can Do to Boost Your Academic Performance

Published: 1 May 2015
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: graduate school, planning, professional development, study tips

Grad students are plagued by self-doubt and wonder if they’ll make it through the week—let alone the semester. When everyone else seems to be doing well, it’s easy to believe that you’re the only one struggling. In reality, these feelings get to everyone whether they’ll admit it or not. Research shows us, however, that there are simple things that you can do to improve study habits, grades, and even motivation…

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Time Management: How Your Scheduling Style Affects Well-Being

Published: 17 April 2015
Written by Sara
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Categories: blogs
Tags: graduate school, health, planning, schedule, time

Grad school will test your time management skills. You won’t be able to graduate without successfully scheduling and completing events. But did you know that your preference for planning your day can have long-lasting implications on your psychological well-being? Scheduling Style: Clock-Timers vs. Event-Timers Are you the kind of person who wakes up when you feel like waking up? Or do you wake up when your alarm tells you…

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8 Dos and Don’ts About Note-Taking in Grad School

Published: 7 April 2015
Written by Rene M. Paulson
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Categories: blogs
Tags: grad school advice, graduate school, note-taking, planning, Rene Paulson

In a previous post, I wrote about a few general strategies to use while taking notes in graduate school.  Those methods included digitally and manually taking notes and the pros and cons of each.  With this second post, I wanted to provide a short list of tips for taking notes while in grad school.  These will help you hone your note-taking skills and become more organized with your…

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