Welcome Back!

I hope everybody had a great holiday, & happy new year. Wish you all a great semester ahead. Today is the first day of class, and I am sure everyone is running around finalilzing his/her classes. It is good thing that the last day to drop/add a course is Jan. 21, and we have this period to change our mind if the need arises. I always consult my advisor for the courses that I want take. While he definitely lets me know the relevant courses important for my field, but on occasions I have shared with him a course that have always interested me, but may not have look that important from his perspective. Becuase of my interest, he has agreed & given his consent. Since one can literally sit in any class the first week of semester, and check the professor as well as the course content, it is great idea to explore the courses that you always wanted to take this week without any pressure & with the option to drop it in case you don't like it. So this is the week to do that!

Projects...Papers...Finals..
When will it all end? Just wanted to wish everyone the best with their last assignments as we close out the semester. For those who are graduating, congrats! To everyone else, enjoy the break and much needed rest.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is much needed break after continuous class, assignments, & projects. I know how much everyone is looking forward to it. Have a great time on this Thanksgiving & don't think about work while you are relishing your turkey. Such type of break indeed helps to avoid any burnt-out in grad school , & it is great idea to take mind off from study, research for a while. Have a great time!

On the horizon...

During the Spring semester the Graduate Life Fellows along with the Graduate School plan to host several opportunities to connect with fellow graduate students across disciplines. Let us know if you have any suggestions for programs you'd like to see happen. Be on the look out for events occurring during Graduate Education Week, March 21-27! For more information, contact any one of your GLFs as well as the Graduate School.

Step-by-step approach key to big research!

As a graduate student, I notice how important it is to have a balanced research goal. It used to be the case when I approach a research problem, I try to solve it in its entirety, & then get bogged down with its enormity & waste a lot of time. Now I have learnt that it is important to dissect one big problem into smaller ones, and do step by step. The target should always be decent and acheivable. Gradually, these small successes will contribute it to make a big one & complete the mosaic. Also, it is more convenient to publish results in conference step-wise whenever you have a result. It also helps to get the feedback and improve on anything. Finally, the gradual step entitles you more understanding of the big problem, and according you will target it.

Look for more ways to volunteer this spring semester!

As you plan your classes for Spring semester keep some time open to volunteer with the Graduate School and Graduate Life Fellows. While we are planning many social and professional events, we always make time to give back to the community. 

We are planning another visit to Second Harvest Food Bank. Last time we got our fill of sweet potatoes! It is amazing how many people we can help in one Saturday!

 

Not only is it a great way to boost your resume and good karma, you can also meet other graduate students and make connections. 

So plan to join us next semester! We look forward to seeing everyone out there giving back!

The holiday season is approaching....which means: limited time to finish projects, papers, and prepare for final exams. Sometimes I fall victim to the procrastination bug. Or, right around this time I begin to feel like I am running out of steam. Either way, I'm looking forward to the breaks coming up for some much neede rest and relaxation. How are you managing your time and commitments?