Unhappy in grad school

[newjerseyslp]

I'm about a month in at grad school and it's not at all what I expected. I moved to a new town for the program, not knowing anyone, to be closer to a big city that I hope to work in in the future. So far I'm having a hard time here getting close to other people in my program because almost everyone commutes from home and Im not feeling challenged with what im learning. I know its still early on but I came from a great undergrad program where I loved the professors, the city,  and with so many good friends in my classes and around me, that this feels like a huge change for me and its a hard adjustment. My friends in other programs elsewhere are so busy with having clients and are in clinicals, and meanwhile my classes are 12 credits and literally everything i already learned in undergrad and we don't have any exams yet or barely any homework. The program was competitive to get into I think because of the area but I just don't think that it's a good fit for me after all. I feel like transferring isn't really an option, but this program is making me question if speech pathology is even what i want to do. I also can't tell if it's a lack having close friends around me that's making grad school seem so depressing. Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[Jordyn_M463]

I would seriously ask yourself if it is the difficulty adjusting or if it speech pathology that is effecting you. I say this because I would hate for you to "struggle through" and waste money and time on something you don't truly enjoy. If it is an adjustment issue, you could look into transferring or seek out opportunities to hang out with other people in your program! I know for me, I knew no one in my program when it started a month ago. About half of the program commutes from home! But my cohort started a GroupMe and when someone wanted to go out for drinks or to get dinner, they extended the invites to everyone else. When I got one of these invites, I made a huge effort to try to go and talk to everyone. It was difficult for me because I don't generally go out of my comfort zone and do things alone, but it was something I told myself I had to do! Maybe you could suggest a GroupMe chat! Chances are, there are other individuals who want to hangout with other people but are nervous to initiate it. You can always start small. Drinks? Studying? Working on any homework? Extend the invite to everyone so you can get to know everyone and start building relationships. 

As for not feeling challenged, to be honest I wouldn't worry too much right now. My schedule is also pretty slow right now. It will pick up and things will start to get hectic. That is what everyone has guaranteed me. I would say maybe you are just more prepared and have a wider knowledge of the field due to your undergrad. There are probably individuals in your program that are feeling challenged! Don't worry if you aren't too busy! That is honestly probably a good thing!

Ultimately, you should probably talk to family and friends about what the best option for you is! I wouldn't give up if you genuinely love speech pathology! Best of luck to you!

[greenpoint001]

Hi newjerseyslp,

I'm assuming that at the time you were deciding where to go for school, you decided to attend this school for SLP because of x, y, z reasons - reasons that were logical and reasons that you were excited about. 

I think that you may have to have more of an expectation management mindset. Especially if you are coming from an experience that you loved (the undergraduate program), it is inevitable that any other following experience that doesn't consistently match up will be a disappointment. And even if it is not a disappointment, the fact of the matter is that change and adjustment to a new season are always difficult.

That said, I'm sorry you are unhappy in your new graduate program. 

I wonder what you could do to make it more enjoyable -- perhaps you could mix community building and school by organizing study parties, or converse with people after class and if there is anyone you vibe with, ask if they would like to get a drink sometime. You could find someone who is in a similar boat as you and invite them to explore the area/nearby city with you. You could branch outside of your program and network with others in the health profession or other therapy departments (OT, counseling, etc). You could join a club or create one related to your own interests. Use this experience as a way to be flexible and creative with the problem you have. You may not see it now but these traits are important traits that all successful SLPs have - if you decide you will not and cannot be flexible or creative with the problem then this rigidity will not help you in the field! 

If others have clinical internships and you want that experience, ask your professors for referrals or recommendations to clinical volunteer/internships that you could take on while the course load is lighter. If that is your main concern, then be proactive. 

And then if you decide that it is worth it to make the switch to a different program, then again, weigh the pros and cons. Make a list. Figure out if the extra student loan debt is worth it. Don't make the decision on a whim because you feel unhappy and then allow that unhappiness to propel you to make a poor decision for your future. 

A few things you should know is that if you would like to work in a school, where you got the degree does not really matter. I believe it is different for hospital settings - but don't quote me on that. Also, getting a degree does not make you an expert. You need to complete the degree to become a SLP, but it takes years of working in a professional setting, collaboration, supervision, and professional development to become an expert. 

Good luck with everything!

 

 

[bibliophile222]

I agree with the other excellent advice given. It sounds like there are two distinct issues that are affecting your experiences. The first one is that you are not making the social connections you were hoping to. I think this is pretty natural when entering a new program, and you probably just need some time to connect. I feel like this could be the case no matter where you went to school and might not be the best indicator of your fit within the program.

I think not being challenged by your courses is a potential red flag. I think it does make sense that the first month or so might be review for you, but because some applicants are from out of field your program is making sure there is a level playing field. If there aren't any real assignments now, I'm assuming there will be major tests/papers due towards the end of the semester that you might want to already be planning for. Have you looked at next semester's courses? Maybe they will be all new to you and next semester will be nuts.

I'd say give it a semester and see how it goes. If the whole semester is really easy, I might be worried about the rigor of the program. There is so much information we need to learn, and it shouldn't all be review. Still, different programs have different formats, so using your friends' programs as benchmarks might not be ideal. 

It sounds like you haven't lost your passion for the field, since you loved your undergrad program and sincerely want to be challenged. If the program is legitimately a bad fit then it might be worth transferring, but give it some time first. Enjoy the easy times while they last! I'm pretty swamped, and it's not the greatest feeling in the world.