GradHacker

In grad school the focus is primarily on coursework, research and funding. While the advice we receive on these topics from advisors and talks is necessary, it doesn’t help with the other side of grad school: the emotional and social. We are more than just students, and sometimes we can get caught up in the pressure and stress of getting our degree. Some of the most common problems suffered by grads are not getting research topics or forming their committees, but rather the day to day stresses and personal issues.

Grad school is a unique experience, especially in an increasingly digital world. Often the study skills that helped us excel in undergrad no longer suffice at this higher level. The relationships with professors also changes drastically as we find ourselves in limbo between student and colleague. Grad school is an extended period of transition moving from student to teacher, from taking classes to doing independent research, and from being the novice to the expert. Given how unique this experience is, and the fact that the majority of people don’t go to grad school, making the transition can be difficult.

GradHacker began as a bootcamp to introduce grad students to social media that would improve their lives. Most of our authors use a myriad of tech on a daily basis. All of us have Twitter, many are also on Google +, we own a diversity of smart phones, and our laptops are more an extension of our person than a tool. Technology is increasing important to academia, with online discussion and electronic publication becoming a frequent practice. Personally, I wouldn’t be where I am without Twitter and Wordpress opening a number of important windows of opportunity to me.

Grad school isn’t easy. It is a marathon and a test of will. As grad students, we are expected to get perfect grades, teach, publish, apply for grants, and somehow find time to work on our dissertations. Many of us balance these demands with our roles as parents, spouses, and significant others. Trapped between the worlds of students and faculty, we face a number of unique challenges. Gradhacker was created in the spirit of drawing support from our fellow graduate students.