Not only will you learn something, but you will feel as if you are in greater control of both your time and your goals. Listening to visiting scholars can help you to make more informed decisions about the work that you want to do in your own field, as well as introducing you to the various options you may pursue. Try getting involved, or even holding an elected seat, in student organizations. There are also many organizations for students from specific departments and students with specific interests and backgrounds. Contributing your time to these organizations allows you to take part in making decisions on issues that are important to graduate students while meeting friends with similar interests.
All workshops are free of charge to graduate students.
Information regarding dates and times are printed in each issue of the Graduate Voice. The practical advice and useful information offered at these seminars and workshops have proved invaluable to many graduate students who have attended in the past. By the end of your first year of graduate school, you will probably have adjusted to the heavier workload and higher expectations. Now, you can begin to turn a greater amount of attention to defining the directions you would like to take as a scholar. It is often towards the end of the first year or the beginning of the second that students begin to more clearly establish their specific field and methodology.