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.
Workshops offered through the library and OpenEd are so beneficial to help with your research goals and teaching tips/tricks. Definitely be sure to check these out!
Coming from New York City, Guelph was definitely different but I would say it was a relief. It truly grounded me to not be amongst the hustle and bustle every day and it's a small town full of nice people.
Toochukwu's advice for someone considering grad school
Approach every challenge and opportunity with an open mind and unwavering determination. Graduate school is more than just gaining knowledge; it’s about realizing your true potential, pushing your boundaries, and turning your passion into something real.
My advisor was more like my mentor. He is very open, honest and helpful, which made me very comfortable to express my ideas and also to discuss different issues concerning my academic life.
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.
I advise prospective grad students to network with as many interesting people as possible. Networking is key to finding research opportunities and gaining experiences. Even simple conversations can stimulate new ideas or help solidify original ones.
If any student wants to get research experience, he/she should get into this graduate school. The University of Guelph has unique and fully equipped laboratory facilities. Any grad student can take a long step on their desired research path. Meanwhile, coursework will also help students for learning the different disciplines.
I feel lucky to have been able to be involved in many different projects at the University of Guelph. My advice to future grad students is to get involved in as many different things as you can and to not be afraid to reach out to people. A lot of the fun in a graduate degree is being able to collaborate and work with lots of different people.
