Advice from UBC Students

Morgan Towriss

Grad school is hard, and having allies to help you along the way is essential. Firstly, choosing a supervisor who will be your ally is crucial; a good supervisor prioritizes mentorship, and your success is important regardless of how your goals...

Jorden Hendry

Lean on your peers in your program! Many programs have cohort-based models, offering plenty of opportunities to collaborate and learn with and from your classmates. Everyone comes from diverse backgrounds, and each person brings unique...

Women wearing black blazer and shirt with red dots

Hebah Hussaina

When I started my Master's degree, the best piece of advice I was given by a mentor was that a graduate degree is not a sprint; it's a marathon. Because of this, ensuring you prioritize your mental health and well-being is so, so important....

Man wearing blue t-shirt with flower patterns

Kai Jacobsen

Community is key. Having a supportive network of fellow grad students is important to have people who understand the unique stressors and politics of academia, but having friends outside the university is also important in staying grounded and...

Woman wearing black jacket standing in front of blurry tree background

Xue Qi (Amy) Wang

My advice for new graduate students is to embrace both the academic and personal aspects of your journey. Connect with peers, mentors, and advisors to build a strong support network. Manage your time by setting realistic goals and balancing your...

Woman wearing blue blazer and dress standing next to the sign of the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health

Tetiana Poliakova

Don't hesitate to ask for help! No matter how trivial you think your question or issue might be, chances are, someone else has faced the same struggle. Most people are more than willing to assist, but they won't know you need support unless you...

Pardis Semnani

Starting graduate school, like any other new experience, can be challenging. As one delves into their area of research, they not only learn more about their field but also about what kind of researcher they want to be. This makes their academic...

Raha AtashPa

For new graduate students embarking on this transformative journey, my advice is threefold:

1. Embrace Interdisciplinarity: Open yourself to the wealth of knowledge that exists beyond the boundaries of your chosen...

Michael Sekatchev

When you first start grad school, say yes to everything. Explore as many directions as you possibly can, academic and otherwise. And definitely outside of your department. This is especially true if you've spent your undergraduate degree working...

Genevieve Bonnor

Get out there! Join clubs, start a journal club in your lab, and don't be afraid to ask others for collaboration opportunities or help with any questions.

Jamie Kwon

Cultivate a network of support, not just for academic collaboration, but also for the much-needed coffee breaks and adventures. Don't underestimate the power of a good conversation with someone outside your field—it can spark innovative ideas and...

Stéphanie La France

Explore to your hearts' content, read outside of your field, make mistakes, be clumsy, and be compassionate toward yourself as you learn and develop as a student. Cultivate your 'why': why are you here doing what you are doing? Finally, remember...

Colton Strong

Shop around for the right project-supervisor-environment fit and take advantage of the MSc to PhD fast track! Maybe more important than your thesis project will be the training environment that you are in, including your immediate supervisor, but...

Jackson Moore

Think early on about what you want and need from a research supervisor. While it’s important to find a research project that you’re passionate about, it’s arguably just as important to find a supervisor that meets your learning style and will...

Charlotte Milne

Don't be afraid to reach out to professors and other academics. While everyone is busy, amazing relationships and research opportunities can emerge when you ask.

Parker Muzzerall

My advice for new graduate students is quite simple, really - learn to relax and build a life outside of grad school. In other words, don't work on weekends, and don't be afraid to put the books down and go for a hike or a bike ride on a Tuesday...

Andrea Kampen

I would encourage new graduate students to embrace their own non-linear narratives. There’s such beauty in not smoothing out the rough edges and corners of your inquiry. Some people may have a burning question they’ve wanted to explore and engage...

Leah Alfred-Olmedo

Be kind to yourself and keep an eye on your mental health; graduate work can be a slog and it's important to remember that there is life outside of your studies. Sometimes it can be really hard to speak up in the small intense discussion groups...

Xuyan Tang

Embrace setbacks as stepping stones. View failures as opportunities to learn, grow, and uncover your true potential on your path to success. Let each challenge propel you forward, empowering you to achieve greatness in both academics and life.

Darren Blackburn

When you first start your graduate program, you may have experiences that shake your self-confidence. Your instructors may introduce new language and concepts you’ve never heard of and don’t understand. Your supervisors may be critical of your...

Rana Minab

Work-life balance in graduate school is an important aspect of a student's overall well-being and success. Prioritizing self-care reduces stress and will improve your overall performance in school. Utilize your support systems and reach out to...

Raymond Wu

One of the things that I was a bit reluctant to do when I first started was to share research ideas. I was initially worried that they would not be very good. Soon, I realized that most of them were for a fact, not very good. Through the process...

Veronika Larsen

Join student groups, get to know your peers and faculty members, and enjoy your time at UBC!

Quanhan Xi

Find a school-life balance that works for you. Graduate school has significantly less mandatory contact time than undergraduate studies, which means that you have much more flexibility to work (or not work). It's a valuable skill to learn and be...

Betty Shea

My advice is to spend time on your relationships with classmates, labmates and supervisor(s). When research gets challenging (as it often does), these are the people who will help you stay focused and motivated.

Arash Mousemi

Define your academic and career goals early on. Having a clear vision will guide your choices and research direction throughout your graduate program. Also, take care of your well-being.

Mohit Pandey

(i) Explore the great outdoors of BC - BC is one of the most scenic places on our planet. Take full advantage of exploring it while you are here. (ii) Vancouver can be expensive - This follows from (i). Everyone wants to call this place their...

Talia Morstead

My primary advice for new graduate students is to approach all areas of inquiry with an open mind, and prioritize engaging with an array of diverse ideas and perspectives. Graduate school is an amazing opportunity to obtain valuable training,...

Katarzyna Kabacinska

My biggest advice would be to foster your curiosity and don't get easily discouraged. It can be tough to find your research topic, but once you finally do, it will make your degree all that more rewarding.

Rama El-khawaldeh

My advice to new grad students is to build strong relationships with mentors for guidance and networking and seize collaboration chances for real-world exposure. Every expert was once a beginner, and starting somewhere is essential. For me,...

Felix Giroux

Identify and voice your needs to find your path. And try something beyond intellectual and academic work!

Jennifer Cooper

Grad school is a roller coaster with some really intense highs and lows. I think one of the most important things you should do in grad school is to build up a network of people who can support you through the lows and celebrate the highs with...

Nicholas Richardson

One of the main reasons you are here is to learn so take advantage of the opportunities you have to develop your knowledge, but also learn a new skill, learn a new perspective, or learn more about your peers.

Rane Simpson

A graduate degree, at least in science as I am familiar, is not the easiest path to pursue. Not everyone that I know in this program is as certain about their future as others. Sometimes you don't know which side of the fence you lie on until you...

Belinda Chi

My advice is to be open to conversation, listen, and be willing to expand your thoughts. While we are here to learn, we are also here to unlearn and relearn.

Woman with black shirt and black hair smiling with glasses

Heather Baker

My first piece of advice would be to find a good work-life balance. While it can be easy to get caught up in the research (and sometimes the moment demands it), establishing hobbies and routines outside of school can help you feel grounded (and...

Bonnie Leung

Something I am still learning to do is how and when to say "no". As a graduate student, there are many learning and experiential opportunities. While the training program is finite, learning does not stop when you graduate and opportunities you...

Aysha Allard Brown

1) Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone, 2) Celebrate your achievements (big or small), and 3) Enjoy the journey!

Lorna Tu

My advice would be to keep going forward but don’t forget to occasionally pause and look back at how much you’ve learned and how far you’ve come. The journey is just as important as the destination.

Geoffrey Woollard

The best advice I can give is going to be for people with a similar biography and goals. So my advice is for ambitious domain experts who want to tool up in computer science and solve challenging scientific problems. I would advise them to take...

Xiaocong Guo

My advice to new graduate students is to not work in a silo. There is a wealth of knowledge in research experts, your peers, and those who started a similar journey before you. Collaborate and learn from them whenever you can, and you will...

John Harvey O'Hara

My best advice is to access all the resources you think you might need, whether it's accommodations from the Center for Accessibility or assistance from your supervisor. Graduate school is an incredibly busy time, and it's important to ask for...

Fang Fang Li

Like any journey, there will be both good days and bad days. Within the good days, there will be days where you will feel invincible — as if you’re standing on top of the world. On the flip side, you may find that the worst of the bad days are...

Shalini Iyer

The most crucial advice I can offer would be to choose an institution and/or lab with a supportive supervisor and community. Research is one of those fields where you will often face more failures (or as I like to call them “learning experiences...

Sharada Balaji

Take the time to make friends! The graduate degree experience can occasionally feel overwhelming, and it’s helpful to feel like you’re going through it all with friends and commiserate together, even if you don’t work with them on the same types...

Narsis Daftarian

Since experimental medicine is a research-based program, the piece of advice I think might be helpful is to choose a field of research during your graduate study, that will help you build your future area of research and carrier.

Shelby Marozoff

Finding the right supervisor is important as this is one of the most important relationships you’ll have for the duration of your degree and even afterwards while setting up your career. Also, aiming for balance during a graduate degree will make...

Ash Larnder

Just take it one step at a time.

Brook Hadwen

My advice would be to seek out as many opportunities to learn as possible. Don't wait for learning opportunities to fall in your lap. If you see a project you'd like to help with, reach out and ask! If you have the opportunity to be a part of...

Harris Wong

My biggest piece of advice for new graduate students make sure to prioritize things like hobbies, physical activities, and relaxation. It is a bit cliche, however, there is an ever-growing pile of work that you need to complete in graduate school...