grad school survival guide

This is incredibly helpful. They'll tell you what to prepare for. (You can do this at Simmons via the Discord servers! )

Imagine whenever you found a source you liked, you could click a button and it would automatically be saved. And imagine whenever you wanted to do a references list, you could click a button and a robot would automatically give you one, in perfect APA format. That's what a citation management system does! Zotero is a really great citation management system that the library recommends. 

Schedule a meeting with a librarian in your discipline--even if you think you know how to find articles already, they can teach you some amazing tricks to make you faster, smarter, better! Boolean phrasing, hidden buttons in databases, all sorts of cool stuff!  Connect with a Simmons Librarian here.  

This might come in handy as you're conducting qualitative research--use automatic transcription services. There are a lot of good free ones, and they save a TON of time. Zoom has an automatic transcript system when you record to cloud, and Otter.ai has a good free version if you're only doing one or two interviews. 

Google calendar has all sorts of functions you can use to help you stay on top of things, but feel free to use whatever system works best for you. At the beginning of each semester, put all your due dates and exam dates in your calendar, and then schedule reminders to study and prepare. Schedule study sessions with friends in your program. Remember to put registration dates in your calendar too! 

Whether it's a folder on your desktop or the notes app on your phone, find the way of keeping track of your notes that works best for you. After the first week of the term, look at all your notes--can you find everything easily? If not, take a few minutes to organize the notes and label them correctly. Spending time on this at the beginning of the term will ensure your success later on--you'll want to feel on top of things before the pace gets too hectic! 

Simmons has free tutoring options set up for graduate students. It's important to note that anytime someone asks you to pay for tutoring, they have a vested interest in your not learning the material fully! Take advantage of all the opportunities that your school has to offer, and be sure to stop by instructors' office hours as well. 

Advisors do more than help with registration--they guide you on your educational journey and make sure you don't get lost from one semester to the next. Make sure you take advantage of their expertise. 

Think all the way through to the end of grad school. What will look good on your resume or CV? Professional conferences often have special discounts for grad students. There are also plenty of free opportunities and conferences via zoom these days. Go out there and start connecting! 

It's your degree. It's your professional journey. Take charge of your time in school--you can do this! It's time to move beyond any residual shyness you might have from undergraduate school. If you have questions, don't be afraid to reach out. Send emails, schedule appointments, connect with all the faculty and staff who are here to help you. You are a busy adult, and we are here to make sure you get the help you need to succeed.