Smart or slow, doesn't really matter in the end, the point is everyone has their own time zone, all you have to have is your own balance of work, play, and all other stuff, the others don't really matter.
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.
My research dealt with using biostimulants as environmentally friendly alternatives to fungicides, for preventing dollar spot disease, which is one of the most prevalent disease that affects turfgrass on golf courses worldwide. My research will hopefully help to identify species and cultivars of turfgrass that respond positively to various biostimulant applications and therefore have a lower disease incidence. This will potentially allow golf course managers to use fewer fungicides in the future by switching to biostimulant applications, which will reduce the environmental impact that they have on the surrounding ecosystems.
I would encourage all prospective graduate students to research their program of interest and speak directly to faculty prior to applying as this can ensure that your research goals align with your prospective advisor/program of choice.
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!
“I love Guelph for the downtown area especially the farmer’s market, the pubs, and all of the great outlets for outdoor activities. There’s a strong culture in Guelph that creates a strong community feel to the city.”
To future graduate students, it is important to keep a clean, legible, and logical lab notebook! Also remember that your brain is your best weapon to succeed in graduate school and it functions best when it is well-rested; only pull all-nighters if necessary. Learn to manage your time and try not to do multiple things at once; multi-tasking in the lab can lead to errors in experiments. Finally, enjoy your time and get all the food and freebies from conferences and other events!
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.
Words of advice for someone considering graduate school.
Do not hesitate to ask questions in all aspects of overseas study. Your peers, professors, graduate coordinators, and everyone you meet here would love to help.
