Top 10 Things Every Grad Student Should Do

10. Interview professors in your field. Find one that's doing funded research that you're interested in.

9. For those who are new to campus, talk with other grad students, or undergrads, to learn more about professors you're considering working with. You'll be working very closely with your major prof for the next two years, so you want to make sure you're choosing someone you can get along with.

8. Narrow your research topic early. If possible, get this nailed down in your first semester. Before you can make progress, you need to have a clear direction.

7. Set aside research time each week. Make slow, steady progress in your research, not a mad sprint at the end. Classes will take care of themselves, but research tends to be procrastinated. Try breaking research up in to small, bite-size chunks you can accomplish in a week.

6. Teach — a class, a lab, a recitation, a study group — anything!

Aside from the great experience, teaching is as beneficial to the teacher as it is to the student.

5. Participate in on-campus activities, whether it’s India Night, Africa Night or cheap movies at the Student Union Building (SUB).

4. Publish your research findings along the way. Present them at conferences. Many conferences allow you to submit "work in progress" papers and present your research to date. This lets you see what others in your field are doing and gives you feedback from peers about your research. Also, it gets you started on writing. If you publish once a semester, chances are that your thesis will be mostly written by the time you're ready to graduate.

3. Use the university’s facilities — the Commons, the Student Rec Center, the Kibbie Dome, the print shop, and tutoring and counseling services. As a student, these are free, and you'll likely spend a lot of money later in life to use facilities that aren't half as nice as what you have here.

2. Meet people. University of Idaho is rich in diversity, ethnicity and culture.

Spending time with others can provide valuable insights and perspectives that you might not get elsewhere.

1. Enjoy Moscow. There are few other places like it. The things I love most are the Farmers’ Market, the Bill Chipman Palouse Trail, hiking and biking on Moscow Mountain, snow sports and the four, distinct seasons. The community is small and friendly, so why not mingle and become part of it?

- Dan Cordon, Mechanical Engineer with the Engine Research Facility
(delivered at the Graduate Student Orientation, fall of 2003)

sorce: www.uidaho.com