Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Giving Grad School Your All

When you're a graduate student, success is measured a little differently than when you're in undergrad.  It's not just about completing the work and showing up in class.  As a grad student you have to really focus on developing your professional life, networking intensively, and finding ways to make a name for yourself.  Furthermore, an assignment is no longer just an assignment, and class is no longer just a class.  They are all experiences that you should try hard to get the most out of.  Sure, you can get an "A" in a course, but did you try your best to really get something valuable out of the class?

Are you giving it your all in class?

This has probably been one of the biggest realizations I've had since joining Penn GSE.  Each class, assignment, paper, meeting, conference, and the like is one part of a larger body of work toward success.  Everything should work together as I continue to develop myself as a scholar, academic, and professional.  Thankfully, the faculty in GSE have been very supportive in helping me along the way.

As I get closer to the end of my journey to the Master's Degree, I can't help but stop and think about how much I've grown over the years.  Penn GSE has truly empowered me to take the knowledge I have gained and use it productively, towards a larger body of work and personal development. 

I still have a few more months left before graduation, so let's see how much further I can go.

Photo from: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/why-do-state-school-parents-want-to-go-private-20110916-1kdth.html