As the sun begins to stay out longer, you may feel the itch of being outside to enjoy the nice weather and ditch your seclusion inside! UCR offers many indoor places to study, but what about outside? And how do I avoid high-traffic areas if I am trying to stay focused? Well, we have some...
Many of us have our own writing methods. Some of us lock ourselves in our rooms for several hours and crank out our first draft. Others write for one hour, stop, rest for another hour, and repeat this process until the first draft appears. But, regardless of your process, getting the initial draft out is...
The journey towards and achievement of a graduate degree is a significant life milestone, but it should never come at the expense of your health. As graduate students, we typically have sedentary lifestyles, hunched over a desk or lab bench like with many professions nowadays. We might also take shortcuts in our diet and nutrition...
During my first quarter here at UCR, along with several other students, I was asked by one of my professors to give a class presentation on a set of readings for one of the designated weeks of the course. The presentation was on a theoretical textbook, around 250-300 pages, and my presentation had to be...
We won’t sugarcoat it: the academic job market can be rough! In recent years, however, the relative scarcity of academic jobs has opened up many other, equally edifying job prospects for us PhDs. This quarter’s Career Pathways Week will be themed “Beyond Academia,” and will explore the many burgeoning “alt-ac” career opportunities available to us...
When I look back on all my English teachers, I notice a few who taught me some valuable things related to writing (and sometimes maybe about life). Most of my English teachers were always interesting characters. During my high school years, I recall one of them – a short woman with a strong character –...
As we make our way out of fall and into winter, we all need to take some well-earned rest! Relaxing during downtime is essential to keep productivity up (i.e., not getting burned out from the constant work stream). Burnout can sneak up on you, so you must care for yourself. If you can, visit your...
The quarter system can be challenging and goes by so quickly! With office hours, constant grading, and planning classes or lab/discussion sections, there needs to be more room to reflect on your pedagogical practices and teaching persona. Despite the limited time and stress the quarter can create, reflecting on your teaching, how you would like...
I had the pleasure of organizing and participating in this year’s Career Pathways Week for my first time as a Consultant for the Graduate Student Resource Center. What a privilege to attend this four-day-long professional development program as part of my job ! This quarter, the focus was on pursuing academic jobs, specifically tenure-track positions...
How are good writers made? Are they born with their writing ability, or is it a skill developed through years of practice? Many less confident writers express this feeling that they are just bad at writing and will always struggle with it compared to their peers, who seem naturally good at it. The truth about...
For the past few weeks, most of us graduate students at UC Riverside have probably been on the grind . Day in and day out, we have been in the books. And, as we go on, perhaps we have discovered that our mental stamina has taken a toll. via GIPHY [ Image Description : Cartoon...
Are you thinking about continuing in academia after graduating? Do you feel uncertain about the prospects of entering the academic job market? Would you like to hear people sharing their experiences from moving into academia? If so, you are in luck. For this quarter, we have Career Pathways Week – an entire week dedicated to...
It’s October, which calls for cooler weather, longer nights, and seasonal foods. But with all the fun that spooky season can be, this time of the quarter can be busy and stressful. As such, here are ten things you can do for the spooky season to reduce stress, build community, and get in the festive...
This summer, I got the opportunity to join a writer’s group with the UCR Latino and Latin American Studies Research Center. The group consisted of Ph.D. students, Ph.D. graduates, local professors, and others working in the area who were doing some form of writing. It was quite a wonderful experience. We met every Friday from...
Can you believe fall quarter is already here? It seems like just a moment ago, we were in the middle of the summer heat. It’s subtle, but the change of seasons is in the air, and fall is here in California – cooler nights, milder days, and soon some of the leaves will change color...
Prioritize your physical and mental health this year for success in graduate school and beyond by intentionally scheduling time to have fun, relax, and enjoy good company.
For most graduate students, summers can be hard. This article discusses strategies that can help grad students balance being productive while also enjoying their summer break to prevent and treat burnout.
Staying productive in your writing during the summer can be challenging. This week’s blog has advice on how to enjoy your summer and make progress on your research and writing.
