Five Ways I Navigated Grad School as a Minority

[neuronline_admin]

During Fall 2011, I moved from Puerto Rico, where I was born and raised, to New York City, for grad school. It was the first time I lived so far from my family and the world I knew. My undergraduate experience at the University of Puerto Rico was relatively homogenous. However, that quickly changed when I started graduate school, as I was often the only underrepresented minority in the room.

All of these changes hit at once, and I struggled to manage the stress of graduate school and the feeling of being an imposter. As I look back on that time, here’s what helped me connect with my peers and find success academically.

1. Focus on what unites you with your peers, not what separates you.

My graduate school peers were mostly white. There were times when I focused only on our differences. I would think about how different our families were, and at times I was convinced they’d had more opportunities than me growing up.

Eventually, I realized focusing on how different our lives had been up to that point only made me feel isolated. But when I concentrated on our shared experiences, I didn’t feel alone.

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[ella.kasanga]

I think that is a really good point. I am an international student and even though there are certainly differences among my peers and I, focusing on the similarities (however small they may be), helps me to connect with them. Thank you for sharing.