Peer advising provides non-academic advice and personal student perspectives about life and learning at MBKU in an informal way to all students in the first academic year. Peer advising is the student complement to academic advising provided by faculty advisors and University Student Affairs. New students will gain informed student perspective that is based on their Peer Advisor’s personal experience within their program, along with formal training.
Peer Advisors are students in the second academic year who are committed to academic excellence and student leadership. They show strong commitment to helping new students make the transition from undergraduates to informed, successful professional students who will be responsible for their academic goals and professional growth.
Moving to a completely different state to start the academically rigorous journey of graduate school can be scary! As an out-of-state student myself, I found the weeks leading up to my move to be quite stressful, so I hope I can provide some advice on preparing to move to Fullerton.
Do I Need a Car?
When you hear the words “graduate school” what are the first words that come to mind? For me it used to be things like busy, stressed, and intense. This made me really anxious about starting school again, and my hope is that those reading this will feel a sense of peace and even excitement as you all begin this new chapter.
Starting PA school is one of the most exciting and challenging steps you’ll take on your path to becoming a provider. The pace is fast, the material is dense, and the pressure to constantly be studying is real. When you first begin, it’s easy to fall into the mindset that every free moment needs to be spent with your head in a book or reviewing notes. But here’s something that took me a little time to realize: you cannot pour from an empty cup.
The transition from college to graduate school is different for everyone, but there are a few tips that I learned in my first year that I believe can help anyone!
Use the Resources Available to You
After paying for tuition, rent, bills—you name it—money gets tight. Being a graduate student isn’t cheap, but good news: I’m here to share some of my favorite budget-friendly activities in the area.
Museums & Local Attractions
Congratulations on making it into SCCO! Although it has already been quite a journey to get to where you are today, your journey will not get much easier from this point on. Something that I personally struggled with navigating through in both my undergraduate career and my time at SCCO is food security. Food security refers to the ability to have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Your guide to surviving grad school, one sip at a time
Starting grad school can feel overwhelming at times, but something as basic as a cozy study space and a sweet treat can help make the long days a little more bearable. Having solid coffee/matcha shops close by can help make studying more enjoyable and satisfy those post-exam cravings.
Let’s face it: graduate school is hard. And sometimes you really just don’t have it in you to study when you could just be laying in bed.
I am a lazy student myself: I love to scroll on TikTok, watch Netflix, and play games as much as anyone else does! And while school can limit the amount of time you have for yourself, you can make it easier by studying smarter.
When it comes to new environments, it's important to be prepared. We always hope for a smooth transition, but the difficulty of adapting to a new environment can often exceed our expectations. When you're in unfamiliar territory, struggling to cope with obstacles is a common experience. That is something I had to come to terms with upon entering this program.