As I started writing this blog, I thought back to my first semester and where I was this time of year. Here’s how it went:

August: “I only have class three days a week and I’m done? Wow, I’ll have so much free time. Maybe I should pick up another hobby just in case I run out of things to do?”

September/October: “Wait…I have a project due, all this reading, a busy work week, and a HEA event all in one week? And all these new opportunities to get involved keep coming up, but I’m swamped!”

November: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”

December: “Okay, I made it. But I really need to sleep for like, a week”

If I were to follow my series of thoughts second semester, it would be drastically different. The first semester of grad school is harder than the rest but there are some things you can do to make it easier. Here’s a few tips I wish I used from the beginning of my first year:

Prioritize Responsibilities

Yes, there’s a lot of class reading and project deadlines that sneak up on us, all while trying to maintain work responsibilities. But it doesn’t have to be so overwhelming. Everyone is different in how they plan their time but the earlier you can figure out what works best for you the easier it will be. I tried a few things and found that using the same calendar for work, school, and life has helped me the most. I’m able to see which weeks will be very busy so I can try to prepare a little bit in advance to avoid stress. It also helps me to learn when to say “yes” and when to say “no” to additional opportunities that come up.

Try a few ways to approach your schedule, see what helps you feel prepared and not overwhelmed. And for the times that you are, there’s Howling Cow ice cream and scoop candy in Talley.

Prioritize Yourself

We’re grad students but we can have a life too! Make sure you prioritize time for you. I’m a strong believer that making time for yourself and those close to you makes you happier and in the end, better at your job. Last year I started setting aside at least one day where I don’t do anything school or work related to spend time with my husband or doing something for myself (like binge watch House of Cards). I’ve found that it has really helped me to feel re-energized and still not fall behind on school and work.

Explore Professional Development Opportunities

It’s totally okay not to know what you want to do with this degree from your first day. One of the awesome things about our program is its flexibility to help you explore different functional areas. Take advantage of it. Grad school is the perfect time to try different things and find your interests.

Think you might be interested in access? Become a Pack Promise mentor. Interested in research? Talk to your professors about helping them on a project. Want to increase your knowledge on issues of equity? Get the Equal Opportunity Institute certificate. Find what you’re passionate about and go for it. We tend to get so busy day-to-day that we sometimes forget our long-term goals. Not everything is a big time commitment; find out what that is before committing and see if you can fit it in. At the same time, don’t be afraid to say no if you’re feeling overwhelmed. A good way to find out about these opportunities: talk to second years in our program and see what they’re involved in, talk to your advisor, and look out for HEA blasts.

The main takeaway from these tips is to experiment and see what fits you best. Good luck with your first semester of classes!