Key takeaways
- To survive grad school, it’s important to implement organization and time management strategies, step away from your phone when studying, work on assignments all semester long, and prioritize attending every class to not fall behind.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help from peers or professors when you need it.
- Prioritize hanging out with friends and taking care of your mental and physical health to avoid burnout and stay motivated.
Congratulations! You’ve graduated with your undergraduate degree, successfully prepared for grad school now you’re here, pursuing that higher education. Grad school can feel intimidating or overwhelming, but knowing the right tips can help you thrive—not just survive.
Here’s your guide for how to successfully navigate grad school.
Tips for Surviving Grad School
Graduate school can be more demanding than undergrad, but with the right strategies in place, it’s more than doable—it’s achievable. Here are 12 tips for surviving graduate school.
1. Get organized
First and foremost, get organized, it’s a necessity for surviving grad school. On the first day of class, spend time mapping out every deadline you have for the semester, every activity you already know about, and designated times to complete your coursework. While things could come up or study times might shift, seeing each piece of your semester laid out in front of you will allow you to tackle your hardest assignments and turn things in on time.
Stay organized by:
- Keeping a wall or desk calendar in your dorm room or apartment to see your monthly activities and assignments.
- Getting a planner that goes with you to every class can help you remember to write down and keep track of important deadlines.
- Having designated folders, binders, and other supplies for each class ensures you have what you need to keep your classes straight.
- Putting important dates in your phone calendar can give you frequent reminders when opening your phone.
2. Practice time management
Time management is extremely important in surviving grad school because if you fall behind or don’t factor in time to complete your responsibilities, things can quickly become overwhelming. Find effective time-management strategies—like time blocking, turning off notifications, or ranking tasks based on urgency—to help your coursework feel more manageable. It’s especially important to trade procrastination for perseverance.
3. Attend office hours
Academic resources like office hours are especially important to use as a grad student. Meeting your professor will not only help them put a face to your name, but will also get you the help you need when you don’t understand a concept. Waiting until weeks after the lecture to ask about a topic can put you behind in your class. Go to office hours when you have questions about a concept or need clarification.
4. Don’t skip class
It may be tempting to occasionally sleep in or hang out with friends instead of going to class. However, one missed class can easily turn into a few, and before you know it, you’re behind on assignments and struggling to understand everything that’s being taught in class. Unless there’s a real emergency, prioritize attending every lecture. This is especially important when you’re in grad school since some professors may penalize you for missing class.
5. Take advantage of study rooms
Your campus library most likely has study rooms available for college students to use. Booking a study room once a week with your peers can help you dedicate time to studying and working on your assignments without distractions. Use this time to help you prepare for the types of exams you may encounter in grad school, such as research papers and presentations. This is a good opportunity to practice time management, strengthen your writing process, and build consistent study skills and habits.
6. Finish assignments early
When possible, finish your assignments early. To do this successfully:
- Note the assignment deadline on your calendar in a bold color.
- In the weeks leading up to the deadline, block off hours on your calendar as designated work times. This way, you’ll already have time set aside to focus on the assignment instead of scrambling at the last minute.
While you may not be able to finish all of your assignments early, you can certainly make time to work on them throughout the semester so that you don’t end up with an overwhelming amount of work all at once.
7. Put your phone down
If you often find yourself distracted by your phone and social media, you may benefit from setting a limit on how long you can scroll on your apps before getting back to work. Otherwise, you might end up scrolling for hours without realizing how much time has gone by. Maybe you decide to work for 20-30 minutes and then reward yourself with 10 minutes of screen time.
8. Ask for help
Reach out to advisors, professors, and even other graduate students to help you with concepts you don’t understand. Remember, your professors want to support you and help you survive grad school successfully. Many grad programs have smaller class sizes so that professors can devote more time to helping each student learn.
9. Don’t underestimate the power of networking
From your first day of grad school, start building strong relationships with your professors and peers. Not only will this help you build community, but these relationships can last long after you graduate. It’s also helpful to have people in your corner who support you and can connect you to future jobs and opportunities related to your goals.
10. Call your loved ones
It can be easy to feel isolated during grad school. Make a plan to talk to your loved ones once a week or every other week, just to feel a sense of home. Whether it’s your parents or friends, people you know outside of your grad program can really bring you comfort when you’re going through a tough semester.
11. Maintain a social life
Grad school can already be time consuming, and adding a social life to it may feel like pulling teeth—especially when you’re trying to survive a semester of graduate-level physics, chemistry, or another challenging course. However, continuing to prioritize time to grab dinner with friends or join a student club can make a huge difference for your mental health. Making time to see friends outside of your study space can help the semester feel lighter and keep you from burnout.
12. Stay healthy
When you’re in college, your overall health can suffer if you’re not taking proper care of yourself. Continuous all-nighters and endless caffeine are not going to help you feel or perform your best. Take care of your health by fueling yourself with nutrients, moving your body, getting fresh air, and doing things that bring you joy. Remember, taking regular breaks helps you recharge and keep a healthy work-life balance.
Thrive—Don’t just survive
We know that surviving grad school may feel like a lot, but millions of students do it each year, and you can too! There’s a reason you chose to pursue graduate school, so remind yourself of that on the days you truly need to persevere.
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