Highlights from the Discover Concordia Graduate Orientation

For those of you who might have missed it, Concordia’s Student Success Centre held their Discover Concordia Graduate Orientation last week across the downtown SGW campus, and it was a hit! The EV Atrium, Hall and MB buildings were transformed to bring incoming students crash courses, campus tours and an information fair, housing many of the University’s services. Two graduate-specific courses were held by learning specialists and a welcome crew mentor to provide insider tips on grad life at Concordia. In welcoming new graduates, the Student Success Centre hosted a Graduate student assembly and grad panel of speakers, as well as created a graduate connections area to bring together all Concordia University’s graduate-specific student services. This blog post brings you the must-know updates from the Discover Concordia Graduate Orientation!

Your Graduate Connection:

To promote a successful transition into Graduate studies at Concordia, it is important to know what related student services are available and what they can provide you. The graduate assembly, panel of speakers and connections area brought together representatives from the following five departments:

1.     The School of Graduate Studies (GM-930.01, ext. 3800)  

Oversees all graduate and post-doctoral programs, curriculum, recruitment and graduate awards information.

2.     GradProSkills: Graduate Professional Skills (GM-900, ext. 5615)  

Offers workshops and events specially designed for graduate students to help you succeed in you studies and to develop the necessary competencies to easily transition into your professional career.

3.     TRAC: Teaching and Research Assistants at Concordia (PR-205, ext. 2917) 

Labour union of Invigilators, and Teaching and Research Assistants.

4.     GSA: Graduate Students’ Association (T-204, ext. 7900)

Student-run orientation, events, conference funding and representation of all grad students’ collective interests.

5.     The Student Success Centre

Your support network throughout your studies. Services provide: learning support, welcoming new students, Career and Planning Services (CAPS), the Student Advocacy Office, workshops, tutoring, the Welcome Crew for first year students, and more!

Insider Tips from Learning Specialists:  

In the crash course ‘Must-know techniques for graduate success,’ Learning Specialists shared some insight on strategic ways to approach tasks while staying focused in your graduate studies.

1.     Learn How to Disconnect 

To better perform as a graduate student, you must take time to unplug and do something other than school work. Do things your body and mind need to enhance productivity in your studies, for example: take breaks to clear you mind, go outside for a walk, meet with a friend, etc.

2.     Find a Student Job/Get Involved

You can find work as a Teaching or Research assistant, through associations or through signing up for workshops for academic and professional development, but be strategic, you can’t do them all. Know how much you can take on and pick and choose to focus on the things you enjoy most.

3.     A Backwards Strategy

Many students question where they are going next after Grad studies. The recommended strategy is to plan backwards! Decide where you want to end up when you graduate and plan what courses to take to get there. This method will avoid any pitfalls you would encounter if you don’t plan ahead. And if you aren’t sure where you see yourself going, start volunteering in different things to gain the resources to decide.

4.     Be Curious

Grad studies is your time to be curious and ask questions. Don’t be shy, share your ideas with likeminded people like yourself and stay focused. Learn about other people’s research, it may even help you with your own.

5.     Communicate Your Research

It is important to be able to speak to different audiences about your research. Practice explaining your work to larger audiences, in a way that the public can understand you.

6.     See the Bigger Picture

Learn why your research matters in the bigger picture. Find out your contribution to the world and that connection will motivate you in your research.

Insider Tips from a Welcome Crew Mentor:

In the crash course ‘Graduate Students: What to expect in your first year,’ Welcome Crew Mentor and Grad Student Lamia was able to answer some common questions grad students face in their first year.

1.     Important Documentation 

Make sure to consult the Graduate Calendar (the official University document defining academic programs and regulations) and the Graduate Student Guide.

2.      Balancing Social Life with Grad School

Best methods for balancing social life and grad studies is to effectively manage your time. Tips on keeping a balanced life and managing your time:  

• Keep an agenda with important work and keep track of when you have things to do. You can get your free agenda at the Graduate Students Association (GSA).
• Create weekly schedules with handouts and resources from the Student Success Centre.
• Get help from a learning specialist from the Student Success Center to help with note tacking, managing stress and time, and more.
• Attend GradProSkills workshops by skill domain to help in different areas of Grad life. Register through MyConcordia, and note that we offer the mandatory ENCS Teaching Assistant Orientation on Health and Safety.

3.      Make use of the Concordia Libraries:  

• There is a reading room and dissertation writer’s room reserved for graduate students accessible with your student ID on the 5^th floor of the downtown campus Webster Library.
• You can also request library lockers and shelves to help in your research.
• The libraries provide help with thesis writing. You can speak with a subject librarian to help find the right documents you need or to help with structuring your research.
• The libraries offer interlibrary loans from other libraries in Montreal. You can also suggest books or journals for the library to purchase.           

4.      Get Connected on Campus:

As grad students, we tend to be closed off and may find it difficult to make friends. Therefore, networking is an important part of graduate school. Here are some opportunities for getting involved: 

• Volunteer for different events
• Join a club or organization in your faculty or through the International Students Office (ISO) if you’re an international student.
• Attend events and workshops 
• Seek counselling, from Counselling & Psychological Services under the Student Success Centre (providing 10 free psychological counselling sessions per student)
• Connect with a Welcome Crew Mentor – If you request a mentor, you will be paired with an older student in your program or faculty. They provide support for a smooth transition to university and all throughout a student’s first year at Concordia. You can also drop by a Welcome Crew Office on both Sir George William (SGW) and Loyola (LOY) campuses anytime with any questions!

For more help in achieving success in your studies, check out our upcoming Success in Graduate School workshops and register now!