Graduate vs. Undergraduate Studies: And How to Stay Mentally Healthy During Both

Written by Grace Tarrant

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Eric Rothermel on Unsplash

Maintaining your mental and physical health can be difficult when school becomes overwhelming. In some ways, it can feel like school takes all of your energy and motivation supply. As cliché as it sounds, it is still true that to be the best version of yourself, you must dedicate some time to maintaining your health, even if you feel like you have no time for it. 

In an undergraduate program, the course workload differs drastically from that of a thesis-based master's program. If you are a full-time undergraduate student, you are likely taking five classes a semester, leaving very few free weekdays. On top of courses, you may be involved in clubs, extracurriculars, sports, and more. Then, throw in managing your personal relationships, maintaining hobbies, and keeping physically and mentally healthy – being a student is always difficult. However, even having a busy undergraduate experience still may not necessarily fully prepare you for a masters degree!

You always hear people talk about how difficult a master's degree is, but it’s truly hard to understand how unique it is from undergraduate work until you experience it. A thesis-based master's program typically will not have a heavy course load; most thesis-based semesters involve two to three courses. For me, that has meant only having a class twice a week, leaving three other days of the week open for other tasks. It’s challenging to describe to people who aren’t in a master's program that you don’t simply have three days of the week off; rather, you have to manage your own schedule by filling those days with tasks that you deem the most necessary to cross off the list.

The difference is that you are responsible for managing those free days rather than having professors tell you what to do and when to do it. Those “free-day” responsibilities are also constantly changing. For instance, the first semester of my graduate program involved solidifying my research project by doing research and reviewing the available literature related to my topic. Then, I began considering and applying for graduate scholarships such as the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funding, and reviewing/completing research ethics forms needed to conduct interviews later in my project. As the winter semester begins, research continues, some may be preparing papers and presentations for upcoming conferences, and serious planning for the upcoming “research only” year begins. Other expected responsibilities may include being a research assistant, a teaching assistant, and having part-time work while completing your graduate studies. 

A lot of people's financial situations change from undergraduate to graduate studies, which can put additional pressure on you if you were a student who once depended on your parents or other caregivers but are now considered an “adult”. It can be especially difficult if you are living in an extremely expensive city, such as Halifax, which is deemed one of Canada's most unaffordable municipalities for young people. Funding for thesis-based master's students does not keep up with the current cost of living. This becomes a problem because students in thesis-based master's programs, unlike undergraduate students, do not have summers off and cannot work full-time to save up for the upcoming school year.

There is a lot of pressure on students for various reasons. It became clear to me that the stress of a master's program is much different from that of an undergraduate program. More responsibility can bring slightly more demand, stress, and worry, which might require more attention and mental relief.

Photo by The Nix Company on Unsplash

Staying mentally and physically healthy should be something that everyone strives for in order to have longevity and a good quality of life, and that includes students with busy lives. Some of the habits I have had to develop over time in order to stay afloat include visiting the Homburg Centre, signing up for drop-in fitness classes (my personal favourite is gentle yoga), and utilising the workout equipment and sauna. Going for frequent walks, maintaining a somewhat regular sleep schedule, and keeping a whiteboard calendar to make notes of upcoming tasks and plans have all been incredibly useful tools for me. While it is sometimes difficult to separate yourself from the noise of life and technology, sometimes putting everything away and designating a few hours a week for some alone time to check in with yourself is paramount. 

While the structure of undergraduate programs differs significantly from most master programs, burnout and high stress levels are possibilities for all students regardless of the level. Every student could benefit from extra attention to their mental health. 

For additional mental health support, contact counselling@smu.ca or click here for additional information and available resources.