There are so many ways to pursue your passions and interests. I'd recommend that prospective grad students be certain that they are ready for the rigour and commitment required by graduate studies. Be open to new ideas, critiques, and other ways of seeing the world. Learn from your peers, students, university staff, and the wider community, in addition to your professors. Be generous with others and build community. Don't forget where you come from.
Absolutely take the time to reach out to current students, alumni, and faculty members affiliated with the grad programs of consideration. Your grad school experience will very much be influenced by the people you are surrounded by during your education and the culture of the program. Hearing from other's experiences and talking to current students is one of the best ways to find the right fit for you.
Do not be afraid to engage with your professors and fellow students. Professors want to help you succeed so do not be afraid to reach out to them. The people who best know what you are going through are you fellow students. Ask how they are doing, ask if they have any tips for the upcoming assignment. Doing this will help make you a part of the LANG community.
I loved being a PhD student here. My advisors and labmates were all very supportive of my research endeavors. I enjoyed being in charge of my own research project.
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.
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.
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.
Being a graduate student at U of G is a wonderful opportunity. There is a fantastic support system here to help you progress and succeed in research, made up of faculty, support staff and other graduate students.
