It feels like a lifetime since my last blog post! In re-reading that post, I remember feeling overwhelmed by how much of an adjustment it was to get into student mode. Now, here I am. I feel settled in my program and settled in as a student. I have found my routine and am really enjoying writing, research and classes.
It’s my second semester in the PhD program in the Department of Sociology. I’m doing three courses again this semester, including a couple of electives. I am pushing myself outside my comfort zone a little and taking on some new topics that I have no experience in. For example, I’m taking Sociology of Occupational Heath. My only experience in this area was as a worker. Now, it’s interesting to think about the same issues that I faced as a worker from a sociological perspective. This is what I love about school, taking something that seems familiar and turning it around, unpacking it and seeing what’s inside. So with one semester down, what have I learned about life as a grad student?
One of the lessons I learned from last semester was how to manage my time and build in an internal accountability. Yes, I have deadlines for assignments, but I found that I need to divide the work into smaller chunks and set my own deadlines. It was also really helpful to work with classmates for accountability. We often trade work and provide feedback to each other. I am grateful to have a supportive and funny cohort. I can always count on laughter in the grad room when things start to get overwhelming.
Another thing I learned from last semester is to try to have a life outside of school. I live a sort of hybrid life. Half of the year my partner is away working, so during that time, I’m on my own. The other half of the year, I have family responsibilities to balance with school. When I am on my own, it’s really easy to get caught up in school work and let some other areas of life go. While it is great to have so much time to devote to school, I need to ensure I don’t neglect other areas of my life. So I’m making sure I get to the gym, read books that are not for school, see my family and friends and discuss non-school stuff.
The last thing I want to write about is risk. It is scary, but grad school should be about taking some risks. We are here to learn, to stretch and grow. And we can’t do that without taking a risk. It is important to step outside our comfort zones. We need to get up and do presentations and be prepared to take questions on our work. We need to be able to admit when we don’t know how to do something, so we can figure out how to do it. We need to be open to sharing ideas and not be afraid of sounding stupid. We need to explore new topics that are unfamiliar. Sometimes it does feel as though we are on a track just heading to the final goal. However, I think there is also time to stretch out a little and try something new.
Finally, as a Newfoundlander, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the weather. This has been a hard winter and as I write this, we are just back from two storm days in a row. While it is difficult not to delight in a snow day, it can also be really inconvenient. I was supposed to lead a seminar this week and was well prepared, but unfortunately class was cancelled. So now I have another week to stress about that. That being said, I am one of those storm preppers who invade the grocery stores. I enjoyed cooking up a “feed” and I actually got a lot of school work done. I’ll take the weather as it comes and enjoy the moment. Pretty soon I’ll be complaining it’s too hot.
Enjoy Reading Week (midterm break). Relax, do something fun and get some work done!
Until next time…
~Amy