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Graduate school is challenging and can be stressful at times, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether we are thinking of returning after some time away but still unsure or recommitting ourselves to pursuing our passion, having the right set of tools and a strong support system is everything. The problem is, sometimes we don’t know who to turn to or maybe are just struggling to figure out what step one may look like. This is where a Student Success Coach becomes so important and utilizing them to the fullest extent is so beneficial. An SSC can help with so many components of the grad school experience, from taking that first step to helping alleviate stress and concerns. When you link up with an SSC, we’re confident they’ll assist you in every way possible (besides attending classes for you!).
One thing that an SSC deals with consistently is students who have past or current experiences with burnout. We can all remember an instance where we just couldn’t see something through to the end. Whether it’s that new diet program or getting through that next season of a show we’ve slowly gotten sick of, burnout is extremely common.
Burnout can be physical, mental, and/or emotional exhaustion brought on by persistent feelings of intense stress, feelings of being overwhelmed, or a number of other factors which leads to a decrease in desire and motivation related to a certain task. Figuring out if you are suffering from burnout or headed down that road requires a bit of self-evaluation. If you’ve been feeling like every day isn’t going your way, complacent and feeling hopeless about work or your life, fatigued for what feels like all the time, and overall hopeless about your situation, you may be headed towards burnout or already deeply entrenched.
There are physical signs to watch out for as well which include more frequent bouts with illness, a change in appetite, inability to sleep or sleeping more often, body aches, and overall feelings of exhaustion. Anyone that is experiencing burnout may also turn to food, drugs, or alcohol to deal with their problems. Isolating themselves from peers, withdrawal from their usual responsibilities, irritability, and poor work attendance are other signs to watch out for.
A few methods that consistently work to combat and prevent burnout include early recognition, regular exercise, getting enough rest, consuming a balanced nutritious diet, and seeking out a support network to vent to and talk with. If left untreated, burnout can severely impact our lives and decrease our quality of life significantly. An SSC can help with early identification and interventions to ensure that burnout is averted and cut off at the root. You’ll find a few more tips and tricks to help stay motivated and on the right path towards achieving all of your goals as a grad student!
So, this one’s pretty obvious, but so many people don’t drink nearly enough water which hurts brain function and simply don’t exercise enough or at all. Exercise is linked to a number of benefits and combining hydration and adequate physical activity will help to make you a lean, mean, graduate student machine.
No one likes to eat healthy food all the time and no one is saying you have to, but incorporating some greens and other natural, immune system-boosting foods can do wonders for your mental and physical health. There’s still a time and place for wing night and that $1 slice pizza but think about how much better you’d feel if you regularly ate some of these delicious and nutritious foods! Getting your meals cooked and packaged ahead of time is also a good idea. Meal prepping ahead of time can be annoying, but your future self will thank you for taking the time to set yourself up for success!
Getting a massage might feel like something done just to pamper oneself, but experts agree that massage therapy can help with stress relief and in the reduction of stress at the physical and psychological level.
Or perhaps aromatherapy is your thing. Think about choosing a nice spot to study and applying an essential oil to your skin to see what they can do for your stress and anxiety.
No one’s asking you to become a yogi or a monk here, but prioritizing your mental health through meditation can be a serious gamechanger! It’s easier to put physical wellbeing before mental wellbeing because, well, one we can see and the other we cannot, but the importance of a clear head must be emphasized. Whether it’s to refocus, destress, or any combination of the two or something different, there are dozens of benefits to regular meditation.
It might seem counterintuitive to get away from your studies when you’re stressing so much about them, but maintaining a healthy social life is imperative for achieving a sustainable balance between your studies and personal life. It’s absolutely okay to go out with friends and stay out for that extra hour when you’re having a great time. Just make sure that your social life isn’t becoming a detriment to your studies because this is when problems may arise.
When you’re attending graduate school, it’s easy to put sleep on the backburner, especially when those term papers and presentations come due. There will definitely be times where you’ll be pulling late nights to crank out work that simply has to get done, but you cannot put off getting adequate rest more nights than not. In fact, by getting better sleep you will probably find that your quality of work goes up and your overall mood brightens. There are honestly several reasons why you should be getting more sleep and plenty of helpful tips out there to help you get started. Although we all wish sleep was the answer to all our problems, it could provide the boost you’ve been needing!
There’s only so much time in the day and taking a break might feel impossible most of the time, but slowing things down and allowing yourself some mental and physical rest can actually boost performance! Whether it’s simply relaxing and catching up on a show you’ve been bingeing on or hanging out with some of your friends to chat, a mental or physical break will oftentimes improve productivity and improve your mood. No one likes dealing with a crabby friend or family member who seems on edge all the time – prioritize taking breaks when needed and don’t be that person!
One of the reasons you are pursuing or considering the pursuit of your graduate degree is to further advance yourself personally and professionally. It’s common for students to have difficulty saying no to taking on more responsibilities or telling friends they need to get work done instead of hanging out on a particular night. Setting boundaries with others helps set a clear line between your schoolwork, personal life, and professional obligations. It might seem unnecessary at times and even a bit excessive, but having clear separation between these categories can benefit you now and in the future.
You can handle all your responsibilities professionally, personally, and academically by yourself and will never need to reach out to anyone for help…said no one who should be taken seriously. Whether it’s your friends, family, a professor/advisor, or student success coach, there is a whole team ready to get behind you and provide that push whenever you are in need. It’s easy to isolate ourselves and make the journey a solo mission, but if you take a step back and realize that there are so many people cheering you on and ready to serve as a vital resource and friend, you can be that much more successful and able to accomplish your goals.
Life is going to throw countless obstacles at us while we navigate all that comes at us throughout our journey. Getting back into the swing of things and enrolling for grad classes is a huge deal and something to be incredibly proud about. But it is crucial to remember that no one should have to feel like they are going through this exciting and stressful time alone. Including your friends and family along the way is a great way to build a strong support network to help get you through graduate school. In that same sense, a Student Success Coach may be that missing element to help you reach your potential and get you through some of the most persistent and difficult obstacles that you encounter on your road to success.