It is amazing how many documents we need to learn how to write and submit as we begin applying for potential teaching positions. When you apply, one document you will likely submit (along with a long resume) is called a teaching philosophy statement (TPS). This piece of writing should not necessarily talk about your immense...

Whether on vacation all summer or hustling along like any other season, reflect on your summer so far. Have you felt present and in control? Have you basked in your strengths and successes? Have you sought happiness and pleasure? If you answered no to any of these questions, you may be in need of a...

There are still plenty of ways to maximize your summer language study – whether you’re supplementing your program or considering enrolling. Here are a few opportunities to level up your language learning!

The weather is warming up, and the beach is starting to sound more and more tempting. As someone eager for summer vacation, I find it hard not to look ahead and put school in the rearview mirror. Unfortunately, the harsh reality of a grad student is that the grind truly never stops. Here are five...

We all handle stress differently. When the workload increases, the knots on our necks also begin to increase. In my experience, my snack cabinet suddenly has more snacks than usual. The workload throughout the year can increase or decrease depending on the season. When crunch time begins, it's good to knock out assignments as they...

Producing scholarly work involves reading and synthesizing an often overwhelming amount of information from various sources such as journal articles, books, websites, reports, etc. Having a well-organized set of references from which to pull from can make the difference when writing scholarly papers like essays and manuscripts. Citation management software, also known as reference management...

For context, I’ve been a TA every quarter since Summer 2020 and have served as a teaching assistant for various courses, from introductory-level psychology to more advanced upper-division seminars. Sometimes, I had as few as five students; other times, I had as many as 30 in a single session. Though there are many skills afforded...

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...