How To Prepare For A Successful Semester in Graduate School

You decided to pursue a master’s degree, and now it’s the start of a new semester! Here’s how to prepare for a successful semester in graduate school, especially if you are studying architecture, interior design, or any design-related field.

You are probably feeling both nervous and excited. After all, attending graduate school is one of the biggest decisions you can make in life. It’s also a big commitment.

Graduate school will be an entirely different experience than your undergraduate degree.

Your professors and academic advisors have higher expectations of you.

You typically have longer papers to write or more complex design projects to tackle.

But do you want to know the biggest difference between undergraduate and graduate school?

Your mindset.

If you want to be successful, you have to be more focused, more serious, and more organized about your specific academic field.

However, if you have a plan and clear goals, there are many actions you can take to set yourself up for success. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the requirements and demands of graduate school. One way to overcome that is to focus on being successful one semester at a time.

Here are the steps I recommend in order to prepare for a successful semester in graduate school. I’ve broken it down into what to do before the semester begins, what to do during the first week, and what to do throughout the semester.

What To Do Before the Semester Begins

The beginning of a new semester is a fresh opportunity to do your best and give your best effort. Remember, it’s a chance for you to dive deeper into your area of specialization and gradually master it. As you’re reading this article, it might be your very first semester of graduate school, or your very last one, or you might be somewhere in between. Regardless, the days and weeks leading up to the first day of school are the perfect time to get prepared and set yourself up for success.

Step 1: Ask yourself, “What does success look like?”

It’s easy to start a new semester with a high level of motivation and optimism. However, realize that what success looks like can change a lot once you are a few weeks into the semester!

You might start with the goal of acing all of your classes, but once you realize a course will be more challenging then anticipated, what do you do? Of course, you should always strive to do your best, but you may have to be realistic. It’s okay to redefine success. You may end up with the goal of simply surviving a course (…hello, structural mechanics)!

Consider these questions: what does success in graduate school mean to you? What goals do you want to aim for this semester? What do you want to achieve?

Step 2: Register for classes.

It sounds obvious, but you need to make sure you are registered for your classes! Always check for important dates on the academic calendar. Print it and put it in your planner. Know when the course registration period starts and when it ends for each semester.

In many European universities, “registering for classes” is referred to as making a study plan. Usually you need to submit your annual study plan a few weeks before the start of a new academic year.

In American universities, you often register for your next semester of classes well in advance (months ahead of time). So, the point is it varies from country to country, so just make sure you check your school’s academic deadlines.

When you are deciding which classes to take, I recommend that you map out a tentative plan for all of your semesters to make sure you meet all of your degree requirements. Many graduate programs have a specific series of required courses that you need to take, so this might be done for you. However, you likely will have flexibility about which electives you can choose, so take time to look over the options available.

Don’t miss the registration deadline! Some schools charge a late fee, or you may not be able to enroll in the classes you want to take if there are limited spots.

Step 3: Get organized!

Before classes officially start, you should begin to get organized. Make sure you have done the following tasks:

1. Prepare notebooks, binders, and/or folders for each class.
2. Go shopping for back-to-school supplies. (Check out my post: 14 Must-Have Design Tools for Architecture Studio)
3. Buy a planner if you don’t already have one and fill out dates. Refer to the academic calendar and write down key dates, including holidays and deadlines. (Here are some great planners to help you stay focused and accomplish your goals!)
4. Submit financial aid papers. The deadline varies from school to school, but figure out when the deadline is, what documents you need to submit, and how you need to submit them.
5. Consider using Trello or Asana to help you organization and productivity. Set up a Trello board for the new semester. Input each course as a new list.
6. Map out your typical weekly schedule. Consider courses, design studio times, free time, office hours, club meetings, workouts, etc… Use iCal, Google Calendar, your paper planner, or whatever works best for you.
7. Read the course information and course description. This is usually available online to give you a preview of what to expect. It may outline the course bibliography of the books and articles required.
8. Bonus step: read up on your professor’s biography and CV. This is generally available on the university’s website. By knowing more about your professor’s background, you can understand better their point of view and expertise. You can also learn about their areas of specialization, publications, and research activities, which can be a great starting point for conversations and your own research ideas.

Step 4: Organize your home & personal life.

Every student faces a different set of circumstances when starting graduate school, but one thing I’ve learned is that it’s hard to focus on school if you are stressed and worrying about your accommodations, your personal life, health issues, or other home matters.

First and foremost, if you have just moved to a new city or country for graduate school, it’s important to find a place where you will feel comfortable living. It can be very stressful trying to hunt for a place to live after the semester has started. In places such as Italy, it can take a long time (potentially up to a month) to find an apartment, meet with the real estate agents, set up a rental contract, get household essentials, set up utilities and internet, and get settled in.

If you already have a place to live, then make sure to set yourself up a home study desk, where you can study and work. Personalize it with unique decor and inspirational quotes to make it your own space. Keep all of your necessary supplies, paper, and binders within reach of this area.

I believe that a huge portion of your success depends on you being happy in the place you live. If you are unhappy with your living situation, it can weigh you down tremendously.

Here are more things you can do in your home and personal life before a new semester begins:

• Make sure you’ve paid all rent, utility, and phone bills to date, so you don’t have to worry about these in the first weeks.
• Organize and clean your apartment thoroughly, especially the kitchen and bathroom. It will feel great to start off the semester with a clean and tidy home.
• Spend time with family and friends before you’re busy with coursework and readings.
• Determine whether or not you will need to find a part-time job or make money by doing freelance work while you are in school. Make a work schedule and put this into your planner each week. Be realistic about how much time graduate school will take.

 

What To Do During the First Week of Classes

This is arguably the most important week of the entire semester! Everybody is filled with new energy and excitement, and you will be bombarded with a LOT of information. Don’t worry, and don’t stress yet! Here’s what to do during the first week to prepare for a successful semester in graduate school.

Step 5: Be ready for the first day of class.

The moment has arrived at last…the first day of school! During the first lecture, the professor always gives vital information about the course expectations, course schedule, required materials, important dates for exams or other required meetings, and an overview of required projects or papers.

Here’s what to do before each class starts:

• Confirm your course schedule. Check the online system, as occasionally there are last-minute adjustments.
• Figure out exactly where all of your lectures will be held. You could even do this on the day before each class. Walk inside the academic buildings, and find the exact rooms where your course will be located. That way, you will not be late to the first day of class because you couldn’t find the correct room.
• Find out where daily announcements are posted. Specifically, figure out how students are informed of classroom changes. Is there an electronic display board or information posted which is updated every morning, in case of last-minute changes? Ask an administrative assistant if you’re not sure where to find this.
• Show up early to class. I’ve had a few classes in which getting a front row seat was extremely competitive, and so it was necessary to show up an hour early! In normal circumstances, it’s worth showing up 15 to 30 minutes early if you can. Bring something to do to be productive while you wait.
• Sit in the front row or the first few rows. You may be uncomfortable sitting in the front row, but at least try to sit in the first couple of rows. It can be very beneficial for your success! Usually you can focus better and stay more attentive during the lecture. The professors are very keen at noticing who sits in the front versus who shows up late to class and sits in the back, and it may impact your final mark.
• Bonus tip for architecture and design students: Be ready to assemble into groups for group-oriented course projects. Sometimes you will need to organize yourself into a group of anywhere from 3 to 8 students. This is not easy or fun on the first day of class. You don’t know very many people, and you don’t know how good they are at design, but nonetheless, be ready to form groups.

Step 6: Bring the right tools with you to class.

It’s useful to bring these items with you every class:

• Notebook or loose paper in a binder
• Pens, pencils, eraser. I like to have different colors available to take color-coordinated notes.
• Water bottle or portable tea/coffee mug
• A healthy snack, especially if it will be a three-hour lecture with one or two breaks in the middle.
• Computer and charger cord
• Phone charger
• Portable USB flash drive for file sharing

Recommended Reading: 14 Must-Have Design Tools for Architecture Studio

Step 7: Re-organize yourself immediately after each class.

• Ask questions! Immediately after class, you have an opportunity to speak 1-on-1 with your professor. This is the best time to ask questions about the course requirements, or simply say hello and introduce yourself for a few minutes.
• Gather the required reading materials. If that means purchasing books online or at the bookstore, do it. Print any readings or PDFs, if they are available now. Go the library and find the sources you need to read. Get ahold of what you are expected to read as soon as possible, and organize it into binders.
• Review your organization system for notebooks and binders. After the first week of classes, you have a better idea of what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. Staying organized with your notes and printed materials is essential. If necessary, make adjustments in your organization system to fit the course structure better.
• Update your planner. Oftentimes, the professor will provide a more detailed class schedule, so now is the time to update your weekly calendar or planner with the new information and deadlines.
• Make sure you have the right design tools and supplies ready to go! This will depend on your field of study, but ask yourself, “Do I have the right tools I need for success?” Also, consider whether you need new digital software. Usually a wide range of programs (including Adobe Creative Suite, Revit, AutoCAD, etc…) are available for architecture and design students. The beginning of a new semester is a great time to install or update student software versions. You may also consider testing out new design tools this semester.

Step 8: Connect and be social.

• Say hello and catch up with old friends and acquaintances from previous semesters.
• Meet new people. Introduce yourself to your fellow classmates sitting nearby you either before and after class.
• Join or create Facebook groups that are related to your degree program, your university, specific classes, etc.

What To Do Throughout the Semester

You survived the first week! Yay, now it’s time to stay on top of your weekly lectures, readings, and other academic work. You can maintain the momentum from the start to the very end of the semester with these tips.

Step 9: Stay consistent.

• Keep showing up to class. Show up early, maintain good attendance, and be ready to learn and pay attention.
• Stay on top of weekly readings or weekly assignments. Turn in those weekly assignments on time. Although they may not impact the final mark that much, it is still a sign that you are following the course material and keeping up with the lectures.
• Continue to ask questions as needed. Don’t be shy. Don’t worry if there is a line of students also waiting to ask questions. Most professors are more than happy to answer questions, no matter how many. You can ask them before class, during breaks, after class, and during the lecture itself.

Step 10: Break down bigger goals into manageable tasks.

• Actively use your planner. Keep it updated as you go with assignments and deadlines. Plan blocks of time for you to study, research, exercise, etc.
• Break down big assignments and group projects into smaller goals and tasks. Work regularly at each micro-goal to make progress and successfully finish all of your projects by the end of the semester.
• Make flashcards, depending on the course and type of final exam. If a course involves memorization or mastery of a lot of factual knowledge (in contrast to design studio or art classes), then consider making flashcards. I recommend using Anki and creating a set of flashcards using digital tools and a spaced repetition method. Standard paper flashcards are not very effective. I learned about this approach when I started taking language study more seriously. I read about it in the book called Fluent Forever. This approach (using Anki and spaced repetition) is something I wish I had known about sooner! It’s a very advanced way of learning and takes a lot of initial time to create effective flashcards. In the long run, it is a much more beneficial and effective way of mastering knowledge. It works not only for languages but also for any subject matter. You just have to be creative on how you approach it, and you have to understand the method behind it.

Step 11: Make time for yourself & for connecting with others.

• Plan mini holidays. Take a weekend trip, go for a run, or spend time with friends. Hard work and no play will leave you exhausted very quickly! To avoid feeling burnt out and overwhelmed by deadlines, make sure to plan mini breaks and personal time to relax and recover. Remember this will be an intensive period of life, but it is finite. When things get tough, turn back to your list of goals to stay motivated.
• Organize a study group. For some students, this can be a productive way to learn. You can teach each other difficult concepts and work through example problem sets. By doing so, you will learn the material better. You can also ask for help from an older student who already passed the same course.

A Final Note!

Graduate school can be a demanding yet very rewarding experience! It will help you grow intellectively, professionally, and personally in so many ways. Follow my advice here to prepare for a successful semester in graduate school so that you can make the most of your time in school.

What are your top tips for how to prepare for a successful semester in graduate school? Do you love or dread the first week of school?