Feeling Disconnected as a Graduate Student: On and Off Campus

Written by Grace Tarrant

Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Alexis Brown on Unsplash

The completion of an undergraduate degree is often accompanied by a number of significant changes in one’s life. If you do not plan on pursuing a master’s degree at the same institution where you obtained your undergraduate degree, then moving is inevitable. At the same time, this typically results in changes within your social circle as well. For many, moving on from your undergraduate degree can signify a move to a new phase of your life. 

My undergraduate experience took place in a small community in New Brunswick named Sackville, home to Mount Allison University. It was easy to make friends in my first year, and it made sense for students to move in with those people and stick with them for the remaining years, often solidifying the friends you make at the beginning of your undergrad journey. In the first few weeks of my undergraduate degree, there were many orientation initiatives, campus and residence events, and meet-and-greet style gatherings that everyone was encouraged to participate in. When you move to a new place to start a graduate program, the external influence and encouragement to make friends, in my experience, is not as present as it was when I was starting my undergraduate degree as a first-year student. 

It seems to me that universities often do not invest the same sort of attention and resources in graduate programs that they do in undergraduate programs, as it pertains to orientation programs and initiatives, especially if the graduate student presence is very limited. This is just the nature of being a graduate student, which means making friends may have to occur by joining societies, intramural sports teams, or going off campus and tuning into local events in your community. Putting yourself out there can be nerve-racking, but even just finding and meeting one friend who is interested in going to events and joining clubs with you could help make the whole experience more enjoyable. 

When I first started my master’s degree, it was relatively difficult to meet people by just going to class and to the library. My experience comes from the perspective of a student enrolled in a small graduate program at a relatively small school (compared to those around it), and living in off-campus housing. However, it seems as though my experience is not very unique, as others that I have spoken to can attest to having similar graduate experiences. 

Hope Edmond, from Enfield, Nova Scotia, is going into her second year in the Master of Journalism program at the University of King’s College. Similar to many master’s programs at Saint Mary’s, the Master of Journalism program is quite small, and does not have an orientation program for new graduate students. Edmond says that it was “pretty difficult to meet people at King’s and to develop a social circle”. Many master's programs have a reduced course load compared to undergraduate programs, which also reduces the exposure to other students. In Edmond’s case, and many others, not living on campus and not having many social events to go to makes it difficult to “connect with people” at your school. 

When asked whether or not Edmond believes the lack of ability to make friends can be attributed to being in a small program or not, she emphasizes that “small programs might make it less intimidating to talk to people and make friends,” which is an aspect she enjoys. However, she stresses the small size may mean that there are fewer social gatherings and events. In other words, Edmond believes that there are pros and cons to this situation. Her final comments on the topic were that even just a little more attention to graduate students, or an “orientation tailored specifically to grad students”, would have made her feel more comfortable. 

Photo by Vince Fleming on Unsplash

Making new friends as a graduate student may involve stepping more outside of your comfort zone than what you are used to. Finding a common graduate student space such as the Graduate Student Lounge, or looking into the grad student societies, can be the first few steps you take! If you are planning on going to SMU for your master's, attending wellness classes put on by the Homburg Centre for Health & Wellness, or joining a sports intramural team, can also help you form new connections with people. And, if all else fails, creating your own society or club, and finding creative ways to advertise it and reach out to students, is always an available option if you feel nothing else suits you! At the same time, students need to know they can advocate for themselves, so if you feel as though your graduate program could have been organized better to ensure greater connection and fewer feelings of isolation, let your professors and graduate coordinators know!