Graduate School Competition: How Working with Peers can Lead to Graduate School Success
Grad school competition isn’t necessary to succeed
Graduate school can be a highly competitive environment, with students vying for top grades, research positions, and other opportunities. While competition can be a motivating factor for some, it can also be a source of stress and anxiety for others.
One crucial mindset shift that graduate students can make is to stop viewing their peers as competitors and instead see them as collaborators and allies.
Here are some reasons why:
Collaboration leads to better outcomes.
Working with others can often lead to better results than working alone. When students pool their knowledge and expertise, they can develop more creative and innovative solutions to problems. Additionally, collaboration can help students build connections and networks that can be valuable throughout their careers.
You can learn from your peers.
Graduate school is a time of intense learning, but only some of that learning happens in the classroom. By collaborating with your peers, you can learn from each other's experiences and perspectives. This can broaden your understanding of the field and help you develop new skills.
You don't have to do everything alone.
Graduate school can be overwhelming, with many demands on your time and energy. By working with your peers, you can share the workload and support each other through difficult times. This can help reduce stress and improve mental health.
Competition can be counterproductive.
While a little competition can be motivating, too much can be distracting and even anxiety-inducing. When students are focused on beating their peers rather than working towards a common goal, it can lead to resentment, isolation, and even sabotage. This can ultimately harm everyone involved.
So, how can graduate students shift their mindset from competition to collaboration? Here are some tips:
Focus on your own goals.
Instead of comparing yourself to your peers, designate a goal, develop a plan, and work towards it while making time to celebrate your successes and learn from your mishaps.
Build relationships with your peers.
Take the time to get to know your peers and build relationships. These don’t need to be lifelong friendships. Cordial, working relationships also have their place. Try to attend at least one social event. Collaborate on projects and offer to help when you can. These relationships can be valuable throughout your career.
Embrace diversity.
Recognize that your peers bring different perspectives and experiences to the table. Embrace this diversity and use it to learn and grow.
Practice gratitude.
Instead of focusing on what you don't have, practice gratitude for what you do have. Be thankful for your peers and the opportunities to learn and grow together.
While competition may seem like the norm in graduate school, shifting your mindset to collaboration and cooperation is possible. Doing so can improve your outcomes, help you learn from your peers, and build valuable relationships that will serve you well throughout your career.
Collaboration Over Competition.
- Kimberly
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Any content on this site is for educational and/or entertainment purposes only. The information presented does not serve as a diagnosis, professional mental health care, career advice, or a substitute for therapy or treatment with a licensed mental health professional. This site is not a means for crisis intervention. If you are in immediate danger to yourself or others, please call 911 for an emergency or 988 if you are experiencing a mental health crisis.
