On her first semester of grad school: The greatest lesson I had to learn my first semester in graduate school was to make a place for myself in the program. I am in a Masters in Comparative Literature program at the University of Massachusetts — Amherst, and most people are doctoral students. Therefore, they are more knowledgeable and situated in their field. It took me awhile to feel comfortable with the knowledge I had. Ultimately, though, realizing my strengths and the support of my fellow graduate students made me feel more comfortable. I am very grateful to be a part of a program where the students support one another.
Overall, my first semester went well. I found the workload to be the same of seminars I took at OWU, so I felt prepared. I am excited for this semester because my coursework is more personalized to my research interests. My goals for this semester are the following: take more breaks, take more delight in my reading, and find a hobby.