One of my favorite things about graduate school, as I’ve alluded to in many of my other posts, is the collegial attitude of the students. Everyone is out to do their best, and since whether you get a “B” or an “A” doesn’t really make too much difference, the main goal of our classes is to learn and to get the best education possible. Because of this, everyone is more than willing to help each other with anything and everything.

The “MPH Room” on our floor, designated as a working space for students in the Master’s of Public Health program, has a large table around which you can almost always find students sitting with their laptops. They are working on various homework assignments together and discussing a paper that was assigned for another class. Among doctoral students, the design of two students in one office encourages discussion not only about academic topics, but also about life in general.

Especially helpful to me has been the students further along in the program. They are always quick to stop whatever they’re doing to explain a concept or give us an idea for a final project. Before the qualifying exams, the third-, fourth- and fifth- year students who have already passed the exam set up mock oral exams and help lead study sessions.

One of the reasons I chose to go to UR as an undergrad is because I felt a similar sentiment on the River Campus. Competition has never been very prominent in any of my classes. However, I don’t think I really understood true collaboration until I got to graduate school. I find it extremely beneficial to my education, and I think that it should be emphasized even more at the undergraduate level.