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- by Charlotte King
- In Student Life
Posted Aug. 26, 2013
5 Essential Purchases for Postgraduates
New postgrad students with packed timetables, messy housemates and demanding supervisors face a lot of problems that need to be solved quickly. A few essential purchases can help to get you on track, but it’s not just about what exactly you buy. It’s also about why you are buying it.
An Alarm Clock Most people have alarms on their phones, but putting an alarm clock at the far end of your bedroom, far enough from the bed that you actually have to get up to switch it off, is a good way to make sure you are up in time for labs or lectures. Postgrads can’t get away with skipping things the way undergrads do. Learn how to set reminders on your phone or computer, but set the crucial ones on the clock too. Of course, the real point here is that more is expected of postgrad than of undergrad students. The course will make greater demands on you and on your time and energy. It’s really important to be disciplined and organised. You need to establish a routine and be able to stick to it.
Backup and Backup Losing work to a computer failure is frustrating, and it can be a nightmare. Deadlines are bad enough without that. Get an external hard drive or USB flash drive, and get in the habit of backing up your work regularly. You should also check out your institution’s online storage and free cloud services like Evernote , Dropbox and Google Drive. Choose ones that work well with all your devices. The cloud options are convenient, but if you find yourself without online access at a crucial time, then having a local backup on your hard drive or USB stick is invaluable.
A Wok When you are very busy, it can be hard to remember to eat well . Even when you do remember, it’s often hard to find the time. A wok, or even a deep frying pan or casserole pot, is ideal for making lots of food quickly and easily. They’re also great for dinner parties, and you need to mix the work with some fun socialising.
Halls and shared houses often have cramped and untidy kitchens, so you want to be as efficient and self-sufficient as possible. If there is a housemate who constantly leaves pots unwashed, then keeping your own equipment separate avoids delays and arguments. If your shared house doesn’t have a messy housemate, then consider the possibility that you are the messy housemate.
A Good Pillow This may sound like a daft suggestion, but with a postgrad’s heavy workload and the extra-curricular demands on your time you will need your rest. Even when the working day is done, it’s important to socialise, network, and keep fit. Postgrads, particularly at PhD level, are expected to be involved with research seminars and faculty events. If you have kids to take care of or a part-time job, then making sure you have the energy to cope is even more important. A good night’s sleep needs to be part of your routine, so get a comfy pillow to go with your new alarm clock.
A Smart Suit Moving from undergraduate to postgrad brings you a step closer to the world of work. You may find yourself teaching, presenting papers at conferences and seminars and attending important faculty events. Alongside your coursework and research, you will have to network with other academics in your field and, eventually, attend career presentations and job interviews. A postgraduate has to think of their course of study as part of their career, and it is important to be able to show that in how you present yourself to colleagues and prospective employers.
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An Alarm Clock Most people have alarms on their phones, but putting an alarm clock at the far end of your bedroom, far enough from the bed that you actually have to get up to switch it off, is a good way to make sure you are up in time for labs or lectures. Postgrads can’t get away with skipping things the way undergrads do. Learn how to set reminders on your phone or computer, but set the crucial ones on the clock too. Of course, the real point here is that more is expected of postgrad than of undergrad students. The course will make greater demands on you and on your time and energy. It’s really important to be disciplined and organised. You need to establish a routine and be able to stick to it.
Backup and Backup Losing work to a computer failure is frustrating, and it can be a nightmare. Deadlines are bad enough without that. Get an external hard drive or USB flash drive, and get in the habit of backing up your work regularly. You should also check out your institution’s online storage and free cloud services like Evernote , Dropbox and Google Drive. Choose ones that work well with all your devices. The cloud options are convenient, but if you find yourself without online access at a crucial time, then having a local backup on your hard drive or USB stick is invaluable.
A Wok When you are very busy, it can be hard to remember to eat well . Even when you do remember, it’s often hard to find the time. A wok, or even a deep frying pan or casserole pot, is ideal for making lots of food quickly and easily. They’re also great for dinner parties, and you need to mix the work with some fun socialising.
Halls and shared houses often have cramped and untidy kitchens, so you want to be as efficient and self-sufficient as possible. If there is a housemate who constantly leaves pots unwashed, then keeping your own equipment separate avoids delays and arguments. If your shared house doesn’t have a messy housemate, then consider the possibility that you are the messy housemate.
A Good Pillow This may sound like a daft suggestion, but with a postgrad’s heavy workload and the extra-curricular demands on your time you will need your rest. Even when the working day is done, it’s important to socialise, network, and keep fit. Postgrads, particularly at PhD level, are expected to be involved with research seminars and faculty events. If you have kids to take care of or a part-time job, then making sure you have the energy to cope is even more important. A good night’s sleep needs to be part of your routine, so get a comfy pillow to go with your new alarm clock.
A Smart Suit Moving from undergraduate to postgrad brings you a step closer to the world of work. You may find yourself teaching, presenting papers at conferences and seminars and attending important faculty events. Alongside your coursework and research, you will have to network with other academics in your field and, eventually, attend career presentations and job interviews. A postgraduate has to think of their course of study as part of their career, and it is important to be able to show that in how you present yourself to colleagues and prospective employers.
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