Fall 2021 Workshops
All workshops times are Eastern Time, with one virtual option and one in-person option each week. Please use the calendar above to add this workshop to your calendar and receive a reminder. If you have any difficult registering for a workshop, please write directly to Laura Murray at lcmurray@princeton.edu to express interest. Thank you!
Setting Yourself Up for "Success" in Grad School
“Success” as a graduate student likely means different things to different people. In this workshop designed specifically for incoming G1s and Gs, we’ll explore what “success” might mean for you in Princeton’s distinctive context. We’ll also consider approaches to creating an optimal and individualized experience while launching into this new chapter of life and learning.
Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) - RSVP seating is limited.
Reading and Note-making in Grad School
Overwhelmed by how much you’re asked to read in your courses? Graduate school reading demands not only increase, but they are likely qualitatively different from what you were asked to read – and how you read – in college and the working world. Not only are you expected to critically absorb and analyze an immense number of difficult texts of various types, you are expected to do so quickly. (Spoiler alert: And it’s not necessary that you read everything that’s assigned. Really.)
In this introduction to reading and note-making in grad school, we’ll explore strategies for managing diverse academic demands such as selecting and prioritizing what to read; retaining more of the material; connecting texts within and across courses; and annotating effectively.
Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Mentoring Up (aka Cultivating an Effective Advising Relationship)
As a grad student or postdoc, why is it essential to consider your own role, goals, and participation in mentoring relationships with faculty advisors and PIs? More specifically, are there best practices that you can cultivate to “mentor up” that will benefit you and your mentor(s)?
In this workshop open to all Princeton grad students and postdocs, we’ll explore strategies to work collaboratively with advisors and mentors while also communicating what you want and need from the relationship. We’ll focus particular attention on approaches to managing advisors’ and PIs’ expectations for productivity and “progress” during this strange time of continued COVID.
Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Metacognition and Preparing for Exams
Defined loosely as thinking about our own thinking, metacognition has always been essential to learning. It refers to knowledge about our own thoughts and cognitive processes, as well as the regulation required to direct learning, studying, and related behaviors. One might argue that nowhere is metacognition more essential than in graduate school, where so much of our learning and scholarship is self-directed. In this workshop we’ll explore metacognition and several key study strategies to support you as a graduate test-taker.
Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Planning to Plan: Short- and Long-term Strategies
Have you ever set annual resolutions or long-term goals, but found it difficult to keep them? Do you use your calendar daily, but only for scheduling appointments?
In grad school - where we have so much to do - planning allows for allocating time and energy with intention. It's critical for transforming long-term goals into manageable, actionable near-term steps.
In this interactive workshop, we'll share one example of a system that you can adapt when planning your entire academic year. You can design your own individualized plan in real time during the workshop, and/or create a tailored strategy afterwards. In addition, we'll discuss approaches for putting your plans into action in the form of cultivating habits and reflecting on your progress.
Facilitator: Crystal Rao, Grad Peer Coach and G4 in Geosciences
Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Thursday, Oct. 7 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Reframing "Time Management" to Achieve Your Goals
The passing of time is beyond our control, but how we utilize the hours we have is within our control. In this workshop for graduate students across disciplines, we will explore how you currently use your time, as well as common “time sinks” and prioritization challenges. Next, we will discuss alternative ways to conceive of “time management,” ending with skills and strategies to effectively change your behaviors and achieve your goals.
Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Navigating Imposter Stress
Do you secretly worry that others will find out you’re not really as intelligent or capable as they think? Do you often dismiss your accomplishments as “just luck” or “no big deal?” Are you deflated by constructive criticism, believing that it’s evidence of your incompetence? And do you sometimes shy away from taking on even greater challenges because of continued self-doubt? If so, you are not alone! “Impostor stress” (or “syndrome”) is defined as an internalized fear of feeling like a fraud or a fake, and it is very common in academia.
In this workshop, we’ll explore what imposter stress is; how it can manifest – particularly in graduate school; and practical strategies to build confidence, push against self-doubt, and cultivate a “growth mindset."
Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Transitioning from Coursework to Research
When you finish your very last course ever you may feel joy, relief, or simple exhaustion. This is a major step in your graduate studies! However, when the next term begins, you may feel anxious and uncomfortable, as not returning to the classroom as a student is a major transition. You may feel uneasy about the vast landscape of unstructured time ahead of you and think wistfully about the daily and weekly accountability of assignments and external deadlines. In this workshop targeted to grad students who are about to complete coursework (or have recently achieved this milestone), we will discuss how to optimize your schedule and productivity as you work toward completing your dissertation and transitioning from “student” to “scholar.”
Tuesday, Nov. 2 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
General Advice on Preparing for Generals
In this workshop for Ph.D. students across disciplines who are planning to take Generals later this academic year, we’ll explore ways to make the most of your time for exam prep, while also attending to your well-being. In addition, we’ll discuss ways to tap into the “institutional memory” of your department, as well as strategies for making committee members’ roles - as well as their expectations of you - crystal clear.
Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Saying "Yes" Strategically (aka the Art of Saying "No")
Are you interested in and good at lots of different things? Do you like to get involved in multiple activities? And do you tend to say “yes” whenever someone asks you to do something, or an opportunity presents itself? Being involved, engaged, and open to new experiences can be wonderful, but sometimes the tendency to say “yes” leads to taking on too much and feeling overwhelmed. In this workshop open to all graduate students and postdocs, we will explore and practice strategies for how, when, and whether to say “yes” to taking on tasks, as well as how to artfully relinquish responsibilities that are no longer fulfilling.
Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Nov. 17 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Managing Perfectionism and the Art of "Good Enough"
Voltaire is credited with claiming “the ‘perfect’ is the enemy of the good.” What if we take this to heart? In this workshop for graduate students across disciplines, we’ll unpack “perfectionism” and explore some of the roots and consequences of this common challenge. Next, we’ll discuss how unrealistic expectations are linked to both procrastination (trouble starting) as well as to doubts about when we are finished (trouble stopping). We’ll end with strategies to incorporate the “good enough” approach to productivity and achievement into our lives.
Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Dec. 1 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 )
Reducing Distractions to do "Deep Work"
[Full description will be posted soon.]
Tuesday, Dec. 7 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Pushing Against Procrastination
Have you been putting off addressing your own tendency to procrastinate? No judgment here! Come and join a supportive conversation where we’ll explore some of the emotional and motivational reasons that can make starting and/or completing tasks truly challenging. Then, we’ll share some evidence-based strategies that you can put into practice right now to take action, make progress, boost behavior change, and push against procrastination long-term.
Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 12:00 pm (virtual) - Register to get the Zoom link.
Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 3:30pm (in-person, Frist room 329 ) RSVP seating is limited.
Virtual Writing Accountability & Support Groups
Participate in small, robust, interdisciplinary writing groups of post-Generals grad students. The goal is to offer supportive environments for grad students to clarify and develop writing projects, increase motivation and create accountability, and also foster connections to combat the loneliness and isolation that can accompany writing – especially during continued “social distancing.”
For general information about the writing groups, or any additional questions, please contact Dr. Laura Murray at lcmurray@princeton.edu.