The transition from college to graduate school is different for everyone, but there are a few tips that I learned in my first year that I believe can help anyone!
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Use the Resources Available to You
MBKU has a large variety of resources available for students that make learning and adjusting as easy as possible. Personally, I reached out to many professors and TAs for extra help in my classes throughout the year. I Found this to be the most helpful in our lab courses where practice and technique is essential! Additionally, our campus hosts many clubs and activities packed with fun experiences. Clubs such as Lion’s Club and SVOSH give you opportunities to practice what you learn by volunteering and AOSA always has some fun tricks up their sleeves such as the Student Bowl! Using these resources as much as possible really helped me grow academically and socially in my first year!
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Try New Things
Professional graduate school is unlike any educational experience you’ve had so far. There will be plenty of new things you will experience in your first year, both exciting and scary! Having an open mind and curiosity to try new things can greatly help maximize your success. One thing that I ran into my first year was finding which learning strategies worked best for me in optometry school. During college, I had success with going to lectures and late-night cram sessions. I quickly found this was not going to be my path in optometry school, and with the help of Dr. Tawa’s Effective Learning Strategies course I tried new learning strategies. Eventually, I found a method that worked well for me centered around practice and a “block studying schedule” for longer study sessions in the library. The benefit of trying new things is not limited to academics either. Get outside your comfort zone to find new hobbies and extracurriculars. This can be as simple as eating lunch with older students or learning how to play pickleball. Activities such as these can help your first year become smooth and successful.
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Find a Routine
Graduate school schedules can be daunting at times, and I found routines to be incredibly helpful in managing my tasks efficiently. I mapped out my personal schedule each quarter complete with classes, time for cooking/chores, extra lab practice time, and even late-night study sessions. This helped me plan my weeks and find my ideal pockets of productive time that I could thrive in. Whether you prefer early morning coffee shop vibes or after-hours library studying, having a set routine can make the volume of information you will learn more easily digested.
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Have Fun!
By far, the most important strategy for success in your first year is to have fun! Graduate school is filled with so many interesting and exciting experiences that will challenge you in more ways than one. I had so much fun with my cohort this year and cannot wait to make more memories here at MBKU. Don’t forget to take a deep breath and have fun! I promise you will find success with a smile on your face!
Best of Luck,
Alec Faith, SCCO Class of 2028