It’s the start of our collective quarter in quarantine, and none of us really knows what to expect. Some of us are trying to find a respectable corner at home from which to Zoom a discussion section; others are having to rethink research projects that require supplies or travel that the COVID-19 pandemic has now...
Full disclosure: I have never taught an online course. I’m also the kind of instructor who loves getting to know my students. I have everyone create name tags on the first day of class and only after I know everyone’s name by memory do students stop bringing their name tags. I frequently incorporate ice breakers...
With conditions changing by the day due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Spring Break this year feels substantially different. Amidst the switch to online instruction, travel restrictions, school and business closures, and social distancing during a time of uncertainty, this crisis has magnified the precarity and isolation that already characterized many of our positions as graduate...
Hey UCR grad students! Are you looking for summer employment, funding for the next academic year, or just a way to earn some extra money in addition to your TAship? Hoping to expand your administrative skill set? Interested in improving the graduate student experience at UCR? If you answered YES to any (or better yet...
So, you’ve defended your prospectus and advanced to Candidacy. Or maybe, you’re working on your thesis for your MFA program. You, my friend, have completed a giant hurdle. Give yourself a pat on the back! Now that you have moved into the dissertating and/or thesis writing stage, finding the time to just sit down and...
February is almost over! For UCR graduate students, this not only means finals and spring break are coming, but it also means it’s time to start thinking about what getting an internship lined up before the summer starts! If you want to gain some real-life experience, now is the time to get started on the...
“How will I know when I am ready?” Is this the question you ask yourself as the clock strikes midnight while you are frantically adding content to your discussion slides after working on it for 6 hours straight? Maybe you have the first draft of your thesis due to your advisor in two days. But...
[ Image Description: David Rose, from Schitt’s Creek, exclaims, "I love making connections."] Pictured: What your internal monologue should be before any networking event Networking is a pretty loaded word. What does it mean to network? I suppose when it comes down to it, one can describe networking as creating a system of connections. We...
Are you looking to broaden your professional network and explore diverse career opportunities in industry, government, and non-profit? Then we have just the event for you! Join GradSuccess on Friday, February 7th for our annual After Grad: Career Pathways Day. This daylong professional development event focuses on job preparation, networking, and post-graduation career exploration. [...
One of the most common types of writing exercises that we engage in, both in academia and in the “real world,” is giving reviews. We are asked to give reviews of our academic peers’ research papers and of our instructors. We are even asked to review our Uber drivers! Despite how often we are asked...
Navigating a graduate career in dance can be challenging. MFA and Ph.D. students may find themselves with very different needs. We are often at a strange crossroads between the arts and humanities. Still, your cohort and other colleagues within the program can be a great support network. (Thanks to all our alumni who contributed their...
With the Thanksgiving break in full swing, you might be feeling stressed or frustrated about your progress in your graduate studies. Around this time of year, some folks might make students feel guilty for being stressed or for needing to take a break, but you won’t find that here. On the contrary, stress and frustration...
As a second-year international student at UCR, I can still remember how I used to feel uncomfortable living in Riverside because of both the weather and the campus environment. However, after being here for one year, I became more and more grateful for choosing to come here to study. Let me share with you what...
With September comes fall quarter, and with the arrival of fall quarter so too comes your new class and TA assignment. Perhaps this is your first time TAing here at UCR and the hardened sailors of high tide (by this I mean the TAs with more experience!) have already made you apprehensive about the challenges...
The MFA can be a difficult world to navigate for emerging writers and scholars. As with all disciplines, when you first start out it feels like your peers all know more about the important conferences to attend, journals to submit to, and funding to apply for than you do. The truth is, everyone feels this...
Whether it’s your first year in graduate school or you’re a seasoned graduate-school veteran, fall quarter can be overwhelming! Below are five tips to help you get off to a positive start this academic year: [ Image Description: A white seal pup nestles itself into the snow, turns to the viewer, and waves its paw...
Graduate school can be difficult for many reasons. Aside from going to class, studying, preparing for exams, writing theses/dissertations, etc., one of the more challenging aspects of grad life is managing finances. Although saving money and avoiding debt may seem a far reach for anyone living off of minimal stipends and fellowships don't despair! It...
We had the opportunity to chat with Stephen Exarhos, recent Ph.D. graduate in Mechanical Engineering and M.Ed. graduate in Higher Education Administration and Policy about his time as a student at UCR. Stephen shared his insight, experience, and advice on grad student life. 1. What did you get your degree in, and what are you...
