My advice to prospective graduate students is to stay curious and open to new opportunities. Grad school is a journey of discovery, and being open-minded can lead to unexpected and rewarding experiences. Through working in a laboratory setting, you learn a plethora of new skills and techniques that not only could be useful in future careers but enhance your knowledge in the field.
It's also essential to build relationships with peers, professors, and mentors. These connections can offer invaluable support, guidance, and opportunities for collaboration. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and challenge you to grow.
Lastly, remember that graduate school can be demanding, so take care of your mental and physical well-being. Balance is key to sustaining your energy and focus throughout your program. Stay motivated and persistent, and don't lose sight of your long-term goals.
Pursue research that you truly believe has the potential to improve life. Knowing you are working toward something more than just a degree can help you find the drive to make it through the difficult or dry aspects of your time in graduate studies.
Your time in graduate studies will provide many opportunities, but don't lose touch with yourself. Take the time to do what you need to in order to maintain your sense of purpose and direction, then live out of that. Don't be afraid to try new things, but remember that no one can do everything. Be selective.
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.
Always ask for help. When in doubt, ask; When not in doubt, ask. Enrolment in graduate courses can be very small, and grad life can sometimes feel isolating; so, try to form great bonds with other grad students. You have a lot in common! Try to take some time off to have fun, and when you inevitably encounter students pulling a tractor in September, do the opposite of what I did; and be cool! If you can, participate in the 3-minute thesis competition (3MT); it's a lot of fun!
Being a graduate student at UofG 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.
I would tell them that graduate studies is like riding your bike up a hill… You know it's going to be a challenge, but you do it anyways. And as you're trudging up that hill, not only do you have people riding right along beside or in front of you, but you know that you've got a plethora of cheerleaders waiting for you at the top. In essence, graduate studies at the University of Guelph will be scary, hard, and stressful… but so much fun and totally worth it.
Guelph will provide you with a supportive and stimulating academic environment. My advisors have provided me with the freedom to explore my research interests and the support and mentorship to help me become a better scientist. Their positive attitudes and confidence in my abilities has allowed me to achieve success in my research goals. There are loads of clubs one could join (e.g. qualitative journal club, welfare and behavior group, dairy journal club, graduate student social committees, art clubs, etc.) In addition, my graduate program has provided me with a safe and interactive social environment (e.g. intramural sports, city leagues, department socials).
For my non-native English-speaking friends, there is a plethora of support from the international office! In addition, the library provides lots of writing and technical support!
