United States

I’m halfway through my first semester in New York and midterm season is finally over until the spring. I can now take some time to reflect on the classes that I have taken over the past three months.

On a typical Wednesday morning I emerged from my dorm, after a long night of studying. I was jarred out of my sleepiness by a chorus of shouts sounding across the yard: “It’s Bernie Sanders!”

Eleni Smitham is double-majoring in international studies and Spanish and minoring in health studies at Haverford College, Pennsylvania

I recently graduated with a master’s degree from Harvard University. Throughout the entire week, countless speakers and dignitaries – including Mark Zuckerberg and John Kerry – told us that I (and my classmates) would be the future leaders of the world.

But just seven years ago, it did not seem likely that I could pursue a college degree, let alone a graduate degree at Harvard. Growing up, I had always scoffed at academics and their “expert advice” because they often seemed so divorced from my reality.

My name is Raphaëlle Soffe, and I am a dual British and French citizen. I currently live in Ewloe, a small village in North Wales, and I went to high school in the neighbouring village of Hawarden. In just a few short weeks, I will be cramming four months’ worth of possessions into two suitcases and flying over to Boston to start at Harvard University. 

I chose Princeton because I loved books; because I wanted to write a thesis; because I fell in love with the Chancellor Green library when I first visited campus; because I saw the integrity in the university’s commitment to service, and because I thought I wanted to study comparative literature (spoiler: I’m a politics major!). I chose Princeton because I saw passion and curiosity and energy reflected in every aspect of the university.

Sixty-two British state school students from low and moderate income backgrounds have won places to study at a number of US universities this year. 

The students took part in the Sutton Trust US Programme run in conjunction with the US-UK Fulbright Commission. 

They will take up places at 37 top universities across 17 states including Yale University. 

I joined the doctoral programme at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology in 2013. I came to know about UNMC from an alumnus, Dr Mahek Sharma of the BMB department. I was interested in pursuing my doctoral degree in a medical centre, and UNMC seemed to be the perfect fit for me.

Exam stress affects most students in varying ways. It is important to manage this stress and find little ways of helping to eliminate the risk of burnout. 

For some students, exams can be a breeze; revision is second nature to them and they could ace an exam with their eyes closed. But for others, sweaty palms and heart palpitations are just a part of the territory, and it seems that nothing is more impossible than sitting down and revising. Here are some handy tips that can help to dissipate stress and make sure you can get through exam season. 

In graduate school, the emphasis on the current mission can be so constant and so blinding that students forget the tasks without deadlines. In the spirit of the new year, I've created a list of twelve monthly resolutions for graduate students.

These resolutions round out the graduate experience and prepare students for the long term.

1. Map out the year

The relentless focus on the next deadline causes grad students to ignore longer-term planning. Map out what the next 12 months will look like.