Monday Motivation #174 (2/12/24)

Happy Monday!

Last Thursday we went to our last kid’s last elementary school music concert. It was SO. LOUD. and pretty warm, and would have been totally overwhelming if we didn’t know what to expect. We’ve done this before, though, and knew to leave the other kids at home; to share the livestream link with the extended family (instead of inviting them to join us); to arrive before the doors opened so we were near the front of the line and could claim our favorite seats; and to bring a book or a game to enjoy while we waited.

The program itself was charming, in a little-kids-are-cute kind of way. The second, third, and fourth graders demonstrated the songs, dances, and instruments they learned about in music classes during the year. Our kid got to sing a quick duet with his best friend in one of the songs, which was fun (none of our kids are shy, but this particular one definitely has a larger-than-life stage presence!). And we got to connect with other families and friends in the audience.

This elementary school has been part of our family routine for 13 years, and while I won’t miss the concert chaos it will be a little bittersweet when our fourth grader walks out for the last time in June. I know from shepherding his older siblings through two middle schools and a high school that our youngest will be just fine next year in fifth grade. But we’re nearing the end of our elementary era, and after next year our kids will start venturing further off on their own.

Some days, the impending change feels like creeping up to the edge of a very tall cliff without entirely knowing what’s below. I felt much the same way towards the end of my graduate program, when my desire to be DONE with graduate school competed with my uncertainty about what exactly I was supposed to do after defending my dissertation. I knew lots of adults who were no longer in school, and some of them were doing things that looked like fun, but it wasn’t always clear how to get from here to there. Thankfully, most of them were very happy to give advice when I asked — just like I learned from more experienced parents how to approach my first elementary school music concert a decade ago.

This week, I’m sharing some resources to help you begin planning for some of the big changes that often occur towards the end of a graduate program. Whether you’re defending this semester or just starting out, gathering information and connecting with more experienced folks along the way can make the impending changes feel more manageable.

Katy

Three Things to Try This Week

Explore — not sure what you can do with a MS or PhD in engineering? The Graduate School has curated a range of resources on their website that can help you figure out how to prep for an interview with one of the Big Three in Detroit, how to pivot to work in the non-profit or government sectors, or even how to join (or create) a startup. Learn more here: https://grad.msu.edu/gradcareerdevelopment

Define — figuring out what’s most important to you after graduation can be a challenge, as it can be hard to imagine life without exams and homework and research papers to write. Identifying and developing your core values can help you build professional and personal lives that are more aligned with your priorities. Consider this advice for getting started: https://cheekyscientist.com/defining-core-career-values-for-job-search/

Connect — graduate school can be a tremendous opportunity to make lifelong friends and build professional networks. Take advantage of your time as a student to join a professional society, attend conferences, chat with visiting lecturers, and experiment with different systems and tools for building and managing your network of contacts. Take advantage of the resources available through MSU Career Services while you’re enrolled, and in your first couple of years as an alum: https://careernetwork.msu.edu/channels/network-and-connect/

More Resources

• The MSU Graduate School is hosting several “Lunch with the Dean” opportunities this semester to provide space for graduate students to talk with each other and with Dean Dagbovie and staff from the Graduate School. Learn more and register here: https://grad.msu.edu/events/lunch-dean-11
• Planning to graduate this semester? February 23 is the last day to apply for graduation if you’d like your name to appear in the digital commencement program. You have until April 12 to register to participate in the commencement ceremony. Learn more about both here: https://commencement.msu.edu/
• Enrollment for Fall 2024 opens after Spring Break. Now is a good time to double check your student account and resolve any holds that might prevent you from registering for classes. You can also find your enrollment appointment by logging into https://student.msu.edu, selecting “Classes” and then selecting “Enrollment Dates” in the left-side navigation pane.