Graduate School Survival

I was texting one of my friends today about the graduate school program and she asked me about what I have learned. It made me think about the growth that has come since last September. My experiences in graduate school have been challenging and not what I expected at all. So anyone wanting to go to graduate school, here are some things that I have learned about graduate school that might be useful (especially social work).

• Have a self care plan. Make sure that you keep yourself healthy because you need to stay healthy to be successful. Exercise. Eat Healthy. Find some kind of plan that will keep you mentally, spiritually and emotionally healthy. 
• Learn how to separate between work, school and personal life. When you are doing an internship and classes at the same time, it can be hard to separate your social work life and your personal life. When you let your personal life be overtaken with social work, you will go crazy. You need to create some healthy boundaries between your clients and your personal life, You need to still have fun to remain sane. 

• Know that you will have a breakdown eventually. I have talked to a lot of the students in my cohort and in the first semester, they had a breakdown. You will question if you made the right decision. The first semester of graduate school in social work is the hardest. It is when you evaluate if you are strong enough to work with clients in vulnerable populations. Graduate school is not the people who want to take the easy way out in life. It will challenge you and break you down to make you stronger in the end. If you can overcome your initial breaking point in your first semester, you can continue on and do well in the program. 
• Make friends with people in your cohort. I didn't really make friends with people in my cohort because I figure I already had friends. The thing is you need to be able to laugh and trust other class members. When you start making friends with people in your cohort, it will help you in the learning process. It will also help you network and learn about other areas of social work that they are interested in. Most importantly, they are going to be a big support system for you. Some issues only other graduate students will understand even though your other friends are important. 
• Stay true to yourself but be open to new perspectives. Social work is a very liberal profession and it can be difficult to take in every bit of information told to you by professors and students. Don't be so closed minded that you won't allow yourself to change but also know who you are. Remain true to yourself. For me this has been one the hardest issues as I have struggled to be true to my religion. Social work and religion often don't agree with each other, but I have remained true to my faith despite some opposition. 
• Develop a good relationship with you supervisor. Your internship will be one of the most important parts in your learning in the graduate program. You will be triggered and you will have to process interactions with clients. Make sure that you are able to communicate well with your supervisor. Make sure that your supervisor is available to talk to you and provide supervision when needed. They will become one of your mentors and advocates for helping you get the education you need for your future. 
• Learn how to say no. Learn your academic, emotional, physical and mental limitations. Don't put too much on your plate. When people start asking you for favors that you are unable to do, say no. You need to focus on what you can do and let go of somethings in your life to make sure that you can accomplish what you need to.

• Accept help from others. This has been one of the hardest things for me. I don't like accepting help from others but I have learned that I need to. You will probably need to get help from your supervisor, professors and cohorts. There is no shame in needing help in a social work program We are only here to help each other succeed. 
• Become aware of your personal triggers. My first year placement has helped me become self aware of personal triggers that may become barriers to working with clients in the future. Once you learn what your triggers are, then learn how to work with them. I used to think I was clear of personal triggers, but I was wrong. It is good to learn your triggers now instead of working as a professional in the social work field. 
• Use professors and supervisors to network for future jobs. Take advantage of networking opportunities whenever you find them. You never know when you will meet someone who will offer you supervision hours, paid internships or resources that you may need. Make sure that your linked in account is active and add people you work with because they may help you! Attend training's whenever you can and try to find people who share similar passions within agencies.
• Learn how to work with different personalities. You will meet lots of personalities in your classes, clients and co workers. It is important to learn how to communicate and collaborate with others who are different than you. 
• Time management is the most essential skill to succeed. WIthout time management, you will burn out and fail. Make sure you use your planner and write out deadlines. Do assignments ahead of time and try not to procrastinate. It used to work in your undergraduate, but it is much harder to do in graduate school. 
• You won't read every page for your reading assignment.
• Have fun. If you are not having fun and immersing yourself within the social work field, then graduate school will become unbearable. Make time to goof off and let loose. I call it "self care days" when I neglect my "social work mind". If you think too much, then you will go crazy. 
• Find your passion within social work and follow it. Social work can be a broad field and you can feel lost within all the opportunities. Narrow down your searches as you do internships, research and classes. Find your population you want to work with and learn about it. The more specialized and experienced in your population, the better. 

Graduate school has been one of the hardest yet rewarding experiences I have done. I am not even finished yet, but these are some of things I have learned in trying to find some type of balance in my life. Some people think I am still crazy for putting myself through all this work, but I know that it will lead me to my dream job. It will all be worth it then.

And maybe met him one day?