To Anyone Starting Graduate School,
I’m sure that saying that you feel nervous and excited about graduate school is an understatement.
However, maybe your complex emotions just make relishing this moment even more important. I think every person who has previously gone through grad school can agree that all your feelings are totally valid. Although you may feel pressure to rush through your time in graduate school, I hope that as you read this, you’ll commit yourself fully enjoying this special time before you enter the workforce.
Maybe you never thought that you’d be here because school never felt like your forté.
In fact, maybe you felt miserable throughout grade school and even your undergraduate program (I know I did). However, graduate school is about so much more than the grades you earn — it’s about the people you meet along the way, people who could stay in your life forever. Who am I to say all of these seemingly wise things you might ask? Really, I’m just an outsider looking in at the moment, just waiting to experience what all the fuss is about. But if it’s any consolation, I know that experiences are what you make of them, and I think that’s what makes the unknown that much more exciting!
You may also doubt yourself and wonder what you’ll do with your advanced degree.
Sometimes, your indecisiveness may really get to you. However, there are so many resources out there to help you decide on your future career. A simple google search really brings you a long way. Another way to decide on a future career pre-grad school might be to remember which classes you most liked or which professor(s) you clicked with. Furthermore, if you were blessed with a great academic advisor during undergrad, I’m sure that they can also be a great aide in your career decision! If you feel uncertain, right now is definitely a prime time to reach out to others so that they can help you out!
Because of the world we live in right now, you may also feel like you’re in a bit of a funk.
Whether you just finished your Bachelor’s degree or decided to go back to school after some time in the workforce, the idea of starting grad school right now might feel more than a little nerve-wracking. However, the semester that lies ahead is the perfect chance to dive into something new and unexpected! Grad school is a new setting and a chance to shine. Besides, we all get to go through it together.
I don’t know about you, but a great opportunity I’ve seen a lot is the chance to be a paid Teaching/Graduate Assistant! You might’ve been lucky enough to do that in undergrad, and I think that’s amazing! Another fantastic thing about grad school is the ability to hone in on any specialty of any major, even more so than you were able to do in undergraduate school! I think the specificity of grad school could pave the way for part-time internships or jobs.
Regardless of how you feel as you begin this new journey in graduate school, I hope that you’ll take this with you: I know that you will go out and do great things, and I wish you luck!
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I read through several dissertation samples to find new ideas for my essay.