On a cold Tuesday, about three weeks ago, I ran to the Brown building straight from an awful exam in Leacock 232. If I didn’t feel any urgency to go to Brown that day, I would have gone straight home; that last exam was a marathon that I’m pretty sure I lost. Regardless of my doubt and anxiety, I went because I wanted to attend CAPS’ grad school information session being held that day.
As a U3 student, informing myself about life after the undergraduate years has become a new priority for this year. Even though I’m taking an extra semester, and I’m going to be graduating next year, it has suddenly become very important for me to explore my options for living the post-McGill life. Do I go to grad school? Do I get a job then go to grad school? Do I travel? Evidently, these are a lot of aspects to consider that demonstrate how anxiety-provoking this process can get for us collegiettes.
When I have a fleeting moment of uncertainty amidst studying for my midterms, my train of thought usually ends up derailing, thinking about my post-McGill plans. My internal debate sounds a bit like this: What happens if I fail my midterm? What if I fail the course? What’s going to happen then- Oh, right, my GPA is going to go down! Wait, why do I care so much about my GPA? Well, if you want to go to grad school, it’s got to be good.
Thankfully, CAPS’ info session really clarified some details I was unaware of in terms of why one would want to go to grad school. I didn’t realize there are varieties of graduate programs, such as non-thesis and thesis degrees. I also didn’t quite grasp exactly how intense the processes of applying and studying were at that level. Nearly every program needs letters of recommendation, so I felt a strong need to befriend more of my professors. In addition, being a grad student is more like being a researcher than it is being a passive student, and that’s a new approach to learning that many of us are not accustomed to at McGill. This information enlightened me, but also had me wondering if grad school was a really such a good idea to do straight out of McGill. I’ve always been interested in going to grad school, but what else was out there? I could understand why it works for some people to go to grad school right after graduating: you’re already used to going to school, and to pause academia for a year may feel unnatural or unnecessary depending on what you want to study, and for how long. However, for others, delaying the beginning of grad school might be ideal, whether it’s for one semester, one year or many years. There are plenty of other pathways to explore, whether it’s traveling the world, internships, or more.
Luckily, I don’t have to start applying for grad school now, in the midst of possibly my craziest semester of school by far. However, now is the time where what was once a vague idea needs to start becoming reality. Regardless of what you’re looking to do after your undergraduate degree, baby steps need to be taken. Even if it’s not necessary to actually apply now, it is still time to look through the available options, and if you are starting the application process for jobs or graduate school, make sure you take all the precursory steps (i.e. getting recommendation letters, researching schools and their program details) before diving in. I think the reason why we’re so scared of life after our undergraduate degrees is the exact same reason why we should be excited for it: there are so many options of what we can do! The question is not about making the right or necessary choice, but about choosing what is going to make us happy in the long run! So, to all of you in the process of figuring this all out, I want you to know I’m riding the struggle-bus with you; but also know that whatever happens on your way, it will inevitably lead to something very fulfilling!
Images obtained from:
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