I'm becoming the person I never truly believed I could be

The first semester of grad school comes with plenty of worries and pre-conceived notions. If you’re anything like me, then you've asked dozens of questions about the actual school part and graduate assistantships. I have *officially* survived my first semester of grad school and, as I write this a week before spring classes begin, have started my GA work for next semester already (oh yeah, that’s a thing), and now understand what this beast called grad school actually is.

If you’re a potential graduate student and are wondering what you may be getting yourself into, read further: this is for you.

Everyone says the first semester is the worst. If you ask current grad students, it’s the one thing they all seem to agree on and mention with the same overwhelmed look. Now that I have one semester complete, every inch of my being hopes this to be true.

The first semester is full of challenges and transitions and it truly reminds you what it was like to be a first-year college student. Study habits and the tips and tricks you learned during undergrad may not apply here. Syllabi are lifesavers but are also daunting.

During my undergrad I adored my planner and wrote everything down in it and that’s how I stayed on top of my schoolwork. Last semester, I had to have a daily to do list with a weekly assignment list in my phone. My planner was still great, but I needed to break assignments down into manageable chunks.

Readings. Readings. Readings.

As an undergraduate, I could get away with skimming or just pulling key points from readings. Grad school requires you to read and read and read and read. You have to be prepared and ready to articulate your thoughts on what you read and thought about. It’s not just regurgitating information; it’s making meaning of the information and applying it to real life.

It may seem like I’m whining—and believe me I did A LOT of that during the first semester. But while I’m hoping the first semester was the worst, I’m sure it will also remain the best. I am surrounded by incredible individuals who know the kind of difference Student Affairs professionals can make. They have brilliant minds and are compassionate beyond belief. Beyond my cohort members, I have an amazing friend group. The bad days suck less with them. I have coworkers and supervisors and professors who are supportive and who require me to be the best version of myself. I'm becoming the person I never truly believed I could be.

If you’re wondering what you have gotten yourself into by choosing to go to grad school, it’s a journey. It is a difficult journey with devastating moments and some of the most remarkable , amazing and uplifting moments. It can be exhausting and feel impossible, but it is beyond worth it.

— Danielle Jones, #ProfessionalU #SAPro

Jones is pursuing her Master's in Educational Leadership through Bloomsburg University's College Student Affairs (M.Ed.) program.

A sense of satisfaction and a sigh of relief

Driving my classmates in a 15-person passenger van for the first time

Hello again! I hope everyone’s semester finished with a sense of satisfaction and a sigh of relief that it is over. Let’s catch up on all things College Student Affairs and in the Honors College.

Over the past few months, my personal and social relationships have skyrocketed. I have become incredibly close with many of my peers in my cohort and have found a safe and relaxing space among them. They have also introduced me to various new activities across campus that I am proud to have participated in! We have visited Rohrbachs’ Farm and enjoyed the October festivities, gone geocaching, watched the school’s amazing drag show (featuring one of our own cohort members), observed a probate for a sorority, joined the diversity and inclusion protest on campus, and spent numerous hours in the Graduate Study Lounge in the library laughing, crying, struggling, and learning together.

PLP socializing at President Hanna’s house

Through all of these experiences, I have realized how important it is to get up off the couch and socialize with the people around you. I am elated to have these moments and memories thus far and I cannot wait for another semester to continue dining in the Commons, hanging out in each other’s apartments, and being around one another.

My main priority at Bloomsburg is to learn and this includes the practical learning provided by my graduate assistantship. Next semester the Honors College (my GA site) will be moving to Lycoming Hall where the majority of our residential students are located. With this move, the Honors College will have a bigger space for programs and staff and better accessibility to its students. The College has expanded from one track to five tracks (research, internship, extra courses, presidential leadership program [PLP], and international experience). Each track has its unique requirements and specialties. In PLP, we have visited the home of University President Bashar Hanna, where he easily recalled our student’s names. He enjoys meeting with our students to see how they are doing throughout the semester. Also, in the international experience track, five faculty members and I will be taking 55 students on a month study tour to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, and Germany. They will take two courses in Poland and have the experience of a lifetime!

Class field trip to Wilkes University

Now, how is it possible to do all of that and still focus on school to maintain a 3.0 GPA to stay in the program? In our classes, with assistance from our professors and support from our cohort members, it is doable! So far, I have flawlessly (if I do say so myself) completed three courses: Foundations and Functions of Student Affairs, Student Development Theory, and Educational Research and Writing.

My peers and I have created numerous projects and presentations that, at times, were extremely nerve-wracking. Some of us presented two 30 to 45-minute group presentations (two of the biggest grades for our classes) in the same day back to back! Then, we went straight to finishing our 15-page Literature Review assignment. Even though this semester was incredibly tough at times and I wished I could just walk away, I am unbelievably proud of myself and my friends for all that we have accomplished in such a short amount of time. I hope next semester’s chaos will be just as invigorating.

Until next time,

— Jen Cole, #ProfessionalU #SAPro

Cole is pursuing her Master's in Educational Leadership through Bloomsburg University's College Student Affairs (M.Ed.) program.