If you come to Guelph, your program will be full of like-minded students who have the same passion that you do for your research. The environment you will be in is the most supportive environment you can have for when you are pursuing something that you love.
This is a program that is very responsive to student needs, so if you have a question or want to pursue a line of discussion, be sure to ask! There is a considerable commitment to participants' career and personal growth, as well as to the more formal education elements. I appreciated that "all-around" approach.
Being a Guelph graduate student was really enjoyable. Students, faculty, and staff, are friendly and supportive. The campus is very pretty, and services are wonderful.
First of all, I would recommend all prospective students to select their advisors based on their academic background. Searching through the internet and find their publications and trying to make a connection between their research and their potential advisor's research. Also, I would recommend reaching out to previous graduate students of the potential advisor and ask them about the personality of the potential advisor.
The graduate life experience is great! There are a ton of activities and ways to get involved on campus. The administration, faculty and fellow student truly provide a supportive environment to learn, grow and be challenged.
I chose to study at the University of Guelph because the program had everything that I was looking for in a PhD program. It allowed me to follow my research interests and to gain applied skills and community research experience.
While it's true that you should work hard to reach your goal, burnout is real. Allow yourself to take breaks when needed; take a nap, play video games, and laugh at some memes. Life will feel less annoying.