GradCURRENTS News & Features

Grad students, you've conquered mountains of assignments, presentations, and exams – now it's time to hit pause, decompress, and indulge in some much-deserved downtime. To make the most of your well-deserved break, Graduate College staff compiled a curated list 12 of their favorite podcasts, shows, movies, music, games, and books (and why they love them) to help you kick back, relax, and maybe discover something new (and unlike a famous 12 of something else, no birds are necessary). So, let’s kick off the study boots and get the winter break recommendations rolling. Check them out!

Make the Grade: Sidestep These Study Snafus 

For graduate students, finals week isn't just a culmination of dedication and hard work; it's an intense period that requires comprehensive preparation and strategic study, along with managing the stress that often accompanies it. But several common pitfalls can hinder success during this critical period. Here are some of the top mistakes graduate students encounter while preparing for finals and how to overcome them while effectively managing stress. Read on.

Thanksgiving Hacks for Grad Life Gratitude

Many of us eagerly anticipate reuniting with family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday. But timing, travel costs or other circumstances may prevent graduate students from participating in this annual occasion. If you can’t make it home this Thanksgiving, there’s still plenty to do in and around Cincinnati during this turkey-filled time. We’ve compiled a go-to guide for making the most of the holiday right here in the city, whether you’re spending the holiday locally with family and friends, or staying solo this celebratory season. See them all.

The Graduate Student’s Guide to Mindfulness

The frenetic pace of grad school life rarely abates, but the Graduate College recently rolled out something pretty cool to help students find a way to create pockets of tranquility - a mindfulness workshop led by Meriden McGraw, Director of the UC Osher Center for Integrative Medicine's Mindfulness Team. The goal? To take mindfulness from the conceptual to the practical and give graduate students tools they can immediately use to cultivate relaxation, restore balance, and live healthier, happier, and more stress-free lives.

The promise of learning new techniques to unwind drew UC MBA online student Zack Williams to campus to participate on October 26th. But did the trip pay off? We caught up with Zack to hear whether mindfulness struck a chord with him and if what he learned made a difference in his routine. Read the full Q & A.

Clever Ways for Handling Darker, Shorter Days  

The shorter days and longer nights of winter can often bring about feelings of gloom, doom, and a desire to hibernate for many people. However, it is possible to master the art of thriving during the darkest days of the year, even in the challenging period posed by the transition of Daylight-Saving Time. Instead of chasing the ever-elusive sun, give these simple tricks a try for managing dim days and cold nights. Read on for all the tips.

Six Strategies for Effective Stress Management

November 1st is National Stress Awareness Day, a timely reminder to prioritize our mental well-being. Stress is an intrinsic part of life, and our ability to handle it effectively has a profound impact on our overall health and happiness. This is especially true for graduate students, who face a multitude of stressors, from stringent deadlines and budgeting for tuition and living expenses to upholding academic performance and conducting research, all of which can create a high-pressure environment.  

Having a toolkit of effective stress management techniques can be beneficial in mitigating the negative effects of graduate school stress. In observance of National Stress Awareness Day, We've out together six valuable stress management methods for a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.  See them all. 

Thirteen Eerie-sistible Cincinnati Halloween Activities

With ghost stories, haunted houses, and macabre decorations, Halloween offers a welcome escape from the ordinary. It's a holiday that transcends age, and with it comes a wealth of opportunities to explore the realms of the grisly, the grim, and the downright creepy. Whether you're into haunted attractions, costume parties, or eerie history, Cincinnati has something for everyone to creep it real, with an array of exciting and chilling Halloween activities for both the young and young at heart. Take a break from the graduate school grind and embrace the season with our guide to thirteen Queen City area Halloween attractions that promise thrills and chills for all who dare to step into the shadows.  Read the full list.

Eight Tips for Navigating Graduate School with Adult ADHD

Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is typically associated with children, but it's important to recognize that adults often struggle with ADHD symptoms too, which can manifest differently in a high-pressure academic setting. Fortunately, there are strategies and resources that can help graduate students with ADHD succeed academically. To spotlight ADHD Awareness Month this October, we've outlined eight empowering and effective ways to manage ADHD symptoms, whether you're personally impacted or providing support to someone who is. Discover them all. 

When Cuffing Season Becomes Coughing Season

The recent temperature drop has made it clear that fall is here. Crisp conditions set the stage for sweater weather and cuffing season, the so-called inclination to seek out a romantic partner to pass the time until spring arrives. You’re feeling warm from the flame of a rekindled relationship, or wait, is that a fever? 

Though the flu vaccine isn’t a guarantee against the virus, it is a crucial step in preventing or lessening the length and intensity of the illness and the incidence of hospitalizations, particularly among vulnerable populations like the young, elderly, and individuals with underlying health conditions. But can it reduce the length and intensity of an ill-advised winter fling? Read on to find out.

The UC Love Story That Led to a Landmark Law

University of Cincinnati alumni and couple Jim Obergefell (Class of ’90) and John Arthur (Class of ’88) shared a love story like many others: they met while both in graduate school, fell in love, and after two decades together decided to get married. Unlike other couples, however, they faced a significant obstacle as same-sex marriage was banned in Ohio at the time, setting in motion a journey for marriage equality that would change the course of LGBTQ+ history and play a pivotal role in legalizing same-sex marriage in the United States. In recognition of LGBTQ+ History Month and ahead of National Coming Out Day on October 11, we are shining a light on these UC LGBTQ pioneers whose unwavering commitment to equality and one another ignited a movement that transformed the legal landscape for same-sex couples across the United States. Read more about how their fight for legal recognition led to marriage equality for all.

Updating Your Resume: Tips for Graduate Students

September is "International Update Your Resume Month," an ideal time for graduate students to revamp their resumes, particularly those getting ready to graduate this semester and enter – or reenter - the job market with newly acquired degrees and skill sets. A resume update isn't just a document refresh; it's a powerful tool for networking and demonstrating hard-won capabilities. Additionally, it offers a chance for self-reflection. Even if you're not actively job hunting, regularly updating your resume is a smart strategy to remain prepared, self-aware, and adaptable in a constantly changing job market. To assist graduate students in updating their resumes effectively, we’ve compiled some essential tips. Read all our recommendations for refreshing your resume.

Q & A with Mental Health Grad Student Marielle Newton

As we continue to observe Suicide Prevention Month this September, we sat down for an enlightening interview with Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate student, Marielle Newton. In this Q & A we explore what motivated her to make a career change and why she chose UC for her graduate school journey. We also discuss the prevalence of poor mental health among students in higher education, how she juggles grad school demands while balancing a personal life and motherhood, and the impact she hopes to make in the lives of those grappling with anxiety and other mental health challenges.  Read the full conversation. 

Elevating Higher Education Online

The rapid evolution of the internet, coupled with a years-long pandemic, necessitated that education make significant and rapid transformations beyond traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms. The digital realm has opened a myriad of opportunities to access knowledge and skills from almost anywhere at any time. National Online Learning Day, celebrated on September 15, is a moment to recognize the impact of online learning and UC’s role as an early pioneer in how students access knowledge and earn their degrees. Read the full article for more information about online learning at UC. 

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: Intervention is Prevention

Challenging, rewarding, demanding, inspiring - graduate school is a lot of things, and juggling them all can be stressful and emotionally taxing for many students. Recent studies have shown that graduate students are more than six times as likely as the general population to experience depression and anxiety. Balancing well-being with academic pressures isn’t easy, and students struggling with mental health issues may not get the support they need until they reach a crisis point, often after harming themselves, so identification and early intervention for those most at risk is critical. Read the full article to learn about sucide prevention.

Tips for Smart Security Awareness on Campus

In a perfect world, crime would not exist. In the real world, however, taking steps to remain aware of our surroundings and make good choices can go a long way to ensuring our security, whether on or off campus. Ahead of National Crime Prevention Week September 1-7, we asked Lieutenant David Brinker, with University of Cincinnati’s Community Engagement Unit, about how he came to work at UC, his top recommendations for being safety smart, and how best to access UC Public Safety community services and resources. Read the full article to learn about tips and services available for a safer UC.

Welcome Grad Bearcats: Resources for Graduate Success 

Welcome new and returning graduate students to what will no doubt be an eventful and engaging semester and school year! Our graduate student body this fall is one of the largest the Graduate College has enrolled to date across a full range of academic disciplines and our staff looks forward to assisting you in your progress. Whether just starting on the path to your graduate degree or nearing the end of your program, the university has a variety of valuable tools and assets to encourage and sustain ongoing achievement, both in your chosen field of study and toward a rewarding postgraduate future. Read the full article to learn more about resources to make your semester a success! 

New Semester, New Routine: Five Tips for Adjusting to Change

As a graduate student, starting afresh with a brand-new semester can be either a blessing or a curse. For those of us who struggle with change, there can be a helpless, ironic kind of feeling where it seems that the moment we’ve finally settled into our new routine, the semester changes and our lives are upended once again. Rinse and repeat, until graduation. It’s perfectly natural to struggle with change, but if you set yourself up for success during the transition, you might just find that having a fresh start gave you a boost towards your most productive, successful semester yet. Read the full article for some tips to start your semester off right.

All About Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome: what is it, really? You’ve likely heard the term before, as it's become somewhat of a buzzword within academic and professional circles in recent years. You might have a vague understanding of the concept, thinking to yourself on occasion, “Sure, sometimes I feel like I don’t deserve to be where I’ve gotten,” and then continuing on with your busy grad student life. It makes sense: you’ve got a lot going on, and taking an honest, hard look at the ways in which you undermine your own success might sound positively overwhelming. Well, no more! Now is as good a time as any to begin the process of personal growth and development. By truly understanding the ways that imposter syndrome impacts your academic, professional, and social success, and putting in the work to silence that inner critic and become more of a cheerleader for yourself, you can achieve things you never thought possible. And the good news? You don’t have to do it alone. Read the full article to learn more.