- Use classes to learn as much as you can, but don’t stress about not getting top grades.
- It’s very easy to be unsure of yourself when you are constantly surrounded by experts, but you were admitted into graduate school for a reason. Imposter syndrome can become a negative feedback loop that consumes you if you don’t actively fight it. Don’t compare yourself to other students cuz successful graduate careers look different for everyone & time in lab doesn’t translate directly to success.
- It is super hard to balance your time between your rotation, classes and teaching responsibilities – come in expecting a lot of work.
- The people in your lab want to see you succeed, don’t be afraid to ask them for questions or help, they’ve got your back! Furthermore check out our amazing student groups (WGS, CMiS, etc.) for additional support during this challenging time in your life.
- Think about what you want to do for a career often throughout your years here. It’s okay not to know what you want to do right away, but make sure you are thinking about it as you go through the program. That will give you a chance to set up internships, collaborations, or steer your projects in directions that will expand your skillset for that career.
- Open a dialogue about expectations with your rotation PI the very first time you meet and maintain this dialogue (e.g. check in at least every two weeks individually with them) You have a right to influence what your rotation looks like. Don’t be afraid to say no.
- One of the most important parts of which lab you will join is lab culture. Do you fit in with the work expectations and the behavior of the lab? Do you get along with your coworkers? These are vital things to keep in mind during your rotations and when you begin to make a decision for which lab to join.
- Don’t take it so seriously. Grad school isn’t life or death
- Don’t rotate in labs which won’t be accepting students – ask PIs how many students they plan on taking this year before you rotate.
- Don’t throw away a rotation – make sure you’re interested in joining a lab or learning the skills they use there if you’re going to rotate.
- First year is going to be differently challenging for everyone, do whatever you can to make sure your mental health is ok. Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself, your mental and physical health! Consider taking breaks between your rotations.
- Rotations can give a skewed representation of research. Your rotation project might go well with a few bumps while your projects moving forward may face many more road blocks. Not that it’s something to fear, just something to accept.
- Your job as a graduate student is to work in a lab, so when you do rotations make sure that your PIs and coworkers see the effort you’re putting in. At the end of your first year you have to get into a lab, so make the best impressions on the rotation PI’s/lab mates. Do the work necessary for teaching, and classwork, but prioritize the lab work.
