Be patient with yourself. As a student your job is to learn, and by necessity, fail. Solving the problem and having the right answer isn't always the same thing.
A right step taken at a right time completely changes your identity. I won't say that your academic journey will be easy, but I am sure it will be worthy.
I have always followed my gut and trusted my instincts. I truly believe I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I have had if I didn’t trust that what was meant to happen, would happen at the right time for me. From the short internship that has become a career, to waiting for this program to exist to pursue my masters – timing is everything.
My first piece advice to prospective grad students would be to find a lab or an advisor that you mesh well with and are excited about working with. If you are on the same page and feel comfortable from the start, it makes all the difference. After that, trust yourself and your abilities! You are capable of more than you think.
A graduate student at the University of Guelph is a lot of work, but it is very rewarding. My schedule was even more flexible now than when I was an undergraduate student, which is very important because you have to make time for everything. There are classes and seminars, research, meetings, Teaching Assistantship(s), mentoring, and readings happening constantly. If you plan things well, you can get involved on campus or have a social life, too!
Remember that research never goes as planned and to not let failed experiments or unwanted results keep you from working hard on your degree. No one gets through graduate school without failed experiments and huge changes in their project plans.
