Advice from UBC Students | Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Denali YoungWolfe

For Indigenous Students – Turtle Island is your home. UBC sits on unceded xʷməθkʷəy̓əm territory. Musqueam has expressed an invitation to Indigenous students to come to this place of gathering & learning – you belong here. The colonial…

Samuel Adeyanju

I will advise new graduate students to enjoy all that graduate studies and the city has to offer. They should be deliberate in their actions and ensure they are making the right choices and connections that will be useful in achieving their…

A. Saskia Wolsak

Take advantage of all the resources offered to students to help you navigate the system. Starting any program includes a huge learning curve -- there is a lot of new terminology, platforms, systems to conquer before you can even begin to study.…

David Champagne

In my opinion, the pace, intensity and range of possibilities of scholarly research can be overwhelming. Often, we may feel like we are not up to the task, notably in terms of writing. In the face of this dilemma, I found that writing daily,…

Daphne Ling

It is not a weakness to ask for help. A PhD is a challenging and difficult decathlon where you will fail more times than you can imagine. I would also note that science doesn’t progress if our hypotheses always pan out and the only thing we…

Rebekah Kartal

Try to find ways to enjoy the process rather than get overwhelmed by what you (or your advisor) think the final product should be. For me, graduate school has required an open mind and flexibility. Additionally, try to find a balance, making time…

Reid Mitchell

I think my best advice is to not be scared to ask questions. I've found graduate school is a lot of independent learning but not everything needs to be independent. Asking your supervisor and fellow students questions will not only increase the…

Santiago David

Be nice! Trust yourselves! There might be many ups and downs in grad school, but it is very important to keep calm and not to get frustrated. Also take breaks when you need them. Make plans for your different goals, but do not stick to them 100…