Six Wellness Tips for Grad Students
Grad school is a different beast. So when I started my journey to acquire a master's in nutrition and herbal medicine, I didn't know what to expect.
I had a bad undergrad experience where I was burned out and depressed the majority of the time. This time I wanted to have a way more positive experience. In order to do that, I decided to put my wellness first. After my first trimester, I got in the groove of things but I knew that I could do much better health-wise.
Today I'll be sharing those lessons with you. Here are 6 wellness tips for new graduate students.
Take it easy at first
Don't take multiple classes due to excitement. Take the minimum or be part-time to see how much you can manage. Even though grad school credits tend to be lower than undergrad doesn't mean the classes are easier. Give yourself some time to slowly adjust to the workload that's expected of you. I was overly enthusiastic my first trimester of school and unfortunately had to balance a final project in one class, a midterm in another, and 2 new classes starting in one week. I learned my lesson and reduced summer classes significantly.
Dedicate time and a space to study
Make you have a set time and place to study, post, write, and more. Having a dedicated time and space will keep you consistent, regimented, and focused. Now, listening to your textbook while on the treadmill is every once in a while. But constantly, bringing schoolwork to dinner, gatherings, bedtime, etc is a problem. Try not to let school spill into other parts of your life. If it is, you may need to consider your reducing your workload.
Set boundaries with others
The previous tip is a boundary you create with yourself. But what about boundaries with others. If you are currently around people such as roommates or family members, let them know when you need your time and space for study. For example, I live with my family and my study time and place are in the kitchen, which is a high-traffic area. I let them know when I need quiet time for a test or the kitchen space for labs ahead of schedule. That way, they can adjust accordingly. Sometimes, I may need to move but that's also something that's communicated.
Find your community
If it wasn't for my friends and family, supporting me and keeping me accountable, Idk where I would be. The community can be great for two things: acquiring and understanding your studies and accountability.
Joining study groups for harder classes can help you understand the material better than when you study alone. It also gives you a sense of connection and camaraderie with your peers that is having similar experiences. In order to grasp the material for Physiology last semester, I joined a study group. They helped me so much.
Accountability. If you help in the productive side of things, find a peer or group that can keep you accountable. Accountability can be someone checking in to see how far you are in schoolwork or it can look like a consistent body doubling or coworking session.
According to ADDitudemag.com, body doubling is someone who sits with a person as they complete tasks they find difficult to do alone. While I learned about body doubling being a part of the ADHD community, it really can help everyone. If you don't have a body doubling buddy or coworking group, a great site to visit is focusmate.com. This is a site where you can virtually have a coworking session with someone who needs to get work done as much as you do.
Get Accommodations
Sometimes, physical and mental health barriers that can put you at a disadvantage in college. But requesting accommodations can equal the playing field and alleviate excess stress. Accommodations are mentioned and protected under title II and title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (student Caffe). College accommodations can look like an extended time for assignments, separate testing rooms, a note-taker, and more. Head to your student services department at your college for more information.
Rest and Play
Last but definitely not least, please remember to incorporate rest and play ONLY. Focusing only on school and/or work can lead to extreme burnout. Just like you designate time to study. Designate time to truly rest and time to play. Contrary to popular belief, rest and play is also productive. It allows your body and mind to restore themselves.
Think of this as a beginner video of how to survive grad school. Don't let grad school give you burnout, put yourself first with these grad school health tips. If you have some tips to share, please share them below!