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Posted Oct. 3, 2016

Welcome back PG students – here’s to the future!

A warm welcome to all new PG students! So you are finally back on campus but this time to graduate with a postgraduate degree. Some of you may be familiar with the campus after having done your UG degree at the same university, while others may be entirely new to the campus. Either way, you have decided to do a masters degree and have made the right choice to get serious in your career path. So, here’s to a bright future!

Entering a new study year

Starting a postgrad program is literally like beginning a new chapter in your life. You’re facing a year full of course schedules, pre-seminar readings, lot of reading and practice in general, tutoring sessions, dissertation sessions and last but not the least lots of exciting moments too. Yes, this is indeed the time to get serious as you are now moving closer to finding your dream job, and taking your life in the direction you really want to go.

New beginnings and inductions

The first few days on campus are bound to be exciting – thought maybe slightly daunting – as you will get a chance to participate in lots of events, attend meet and greet sessions and course induction talks. These sessions will help you settle into your new postgraduate life quickly and put you on the path of starting the new academic term.

Living the dream

If you plan to live on off-campus, make sure that you get introduced to essential facilities nearby read this article for advice on student renting and dealing with estate agents. And if you are planning to live on campus there should be plenty of people around to help you settle in.

Making the most of Welcome Week

Every year postgraduate students are invited to the Postgraduate Welcome Week just before the new semester commences. This is your chance of setting your feet firmly on the ground by meeting new fellow classmates, exploring campus facilities including library, gym, etc, and finding out how to enroll into courses. Your college will have a full schedule of events planned and various training and development sessions taking place in the course of the year. Make sure you enroll into relevant sessions that could help develop your basic skills whilst you worked on your PG assessments and dissertation. Some of these skills can be useful to add to your CV and personal profile.

Here are our top tips on making the most of your Welcome week:

1. Attend as many module induction sessions as possible but don’t go on a complete overdrive! Bookmark sessions that would help in deciding on your course selections.

2. Don’t forget to sign-up for campus tours, library sessions, course induction or networking meet-ups. These are key to get a chance to meet face-to-face with academic staff and tutors.

3. Networking with new classmates and discovering common interests is a great way to kick-start your social life on campus!

4. Course induction talks are very useful in helping you decide on selecting your optional modules that align with your core interests. Feel free to raise questions with academics on the manner in which the course is being taught and how it can benefit you.

5. You will also be invited to sign up for student union membership, student associations, etc. Don’t miss out on regular club nights and quizzes organised by these clubs. Sports clubs can be a great way to meet fellow sport enthusiasts and give you a welcome break between hectic study schedules.

Figuring the logistics

Once as you have settled into your accommodation, and whilst you’re still busy attending welcome week events, you must also simultaneously start planning logistics around your student life. This may sound hectic but it can be really helpful in figuring these vital things early on before your courses begin. 

Here are a few important tips:

1. If you plan on arriving a few days in advance, make sure that you identify events that interest you (apart from the mandatory sessions) and slot them into your personal schedulers. This is so that you don’t waste time and get inducted early on into study life.

2. You don’t want to miss the opportunity to explore nearby cafes, shops and restaurants that you are most likely to use on a regular basis. You can gradually start exploring other areas after you have settled into a routine.

3. Once you complete your postgraduate enrolment and orientation, log in to your college website and access your account. You can create your profile and view access to study materials, library sources, forums, etc.

We hope that you don’t miss any aspect of your university’s welcome sessions. Don’t forget to work hard, stay healthy, make new friends and build great memories from your postgrad life in the coming year!

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