<p>So there's wave after wave of threads on here about freshmen trying to adjust to college life. That's understandable, it's a big change. But I was wondering about the transition from undergrad to grad student. I will be going into my grad program right after undergrad in a completely new city, so I will be leaving behind everything that I've known, including my close friends, but I'm beyond ready to go. Any suggestions to a future grad student for learning a new city, meeting new people, and all that other interesting stuff?</p>
<p>Unlike what’s the case with undergraduates – who tend to be unmarried, about the same age, and on their own for the first time, graduate students tend to be far more diverse in terms of age and marital status. Many graduate students will have lived independently in the college’s area for a long time, and may work full time and have spouses and kids.</p>
<p>Instead of looking for friends on campus and an active on campus social life, grad students are more likely to be spending time with family/friends who aren’t at the grad school, and the grad students also tend to be far more serious about their studies and not particularly interested in getting involved in campus organizations (unless there’s a campus organization related to their major) or spending their free time getting wasted or laid. </p>
<p>As a result, to make friends and have a social life it can be helpful to join local professional and community organizations related to your interests and grad school major, and to go to off campus cultural/community/arts activities that interest you even if you don’t have anyone to go with. The local newspaper can be a good source of information about such things. </p>
<p>Just like if you were an adult moving to a new city for work, good ways of meeting people may be by participating in professional activities or by joining a place of worship if you’re religious.</p>
<p>Thanks for the response NSM</p>
<p>Someone else out there has to have a response.</p>
<p>I usually have something to contribute but I’m about to be in the same boat.</p>
<p>I loved grad school, more then undergrad. Better calibre of student, more grown up. Infact I liked it so much I now plan on doing a 2nd MA next year. And then another and another…</p>
<p>I’m not a grad student personally but I know a few MSc and PhD students, and it seems life doesn’t change all that much - they party just as hard as before ;)</p>
<p>I wouldn’t worry too much about leaving things behind - it’s inevitable. If you don’t take the step, those around you will and you find yourself a stranger in what used to be familiar places.</p>
<p>Suggestions? Network, be social, find local friends (eg. your university’s alumni association in your new city, recreational sports club/team, etc.), etc. Things work out. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>And by the way - the close friends are for life. I still talk to and email some regularly even though we’re all thousands of miles apart now.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses everyone. BTW, my program is a master’s in accounting, which is only a year long and most students jump right into straight from undergrad, so I wouldn’t be too removed from those in my age group. I just really want to get away from the really immature kids I’m around in undergrad. Obviously not all undergrad students are like that, and I know they will probably carry over into my Macc program, but I’m hoping a change in city along with it being a master’s program will present a more mature group. Here’s hoping…</p>
<p>Son just started his MA program—new school, new city, same state. He met his new friends through the department. The department only accepted about a dozen kids into the MA and Phd program and they’ve all ready become a pretty close unit. The department held an orientation for their new grad students over a 2 day period with a bbq at the home of one of the professors. He’s living with 3 other guys (random selection in an apartment complex run by a private company, yet located on the campus). He and his roommates are on totally different schedules so they don’t really hang out together, but they do get along.</p>
<p>He loves being able to focus on his area of interest. He loves the diversity at his school.
His largest class has 20 students in it. His smallest class has 8 students. The reading load is enormous, but he’s good at managing his time. </p>
<p>My suggestion is to take advantage of opportunities within your department in order to make connections and meet new people. Go to guest lectures. Attend meetings. Make a point to introduce yourself to people. It’ll be another new chapter to add to your life.</p>