Especially for Graduate & Professional Students

Graduate and professional students already know that keeping their bodies and minds healthy and strong is important to reaching their academic and life goals. An advanced degree program may bring on new or additional stresses related to cultural or geographic adjustment, academic pressures, relationship or family concerns, difficulties in dealing with faculty, or social isolation.

Self-care

Managing stress on a daily basis is important for a student’s overall health and wellbeing.

• Plan regular time away from your work/studies. Make time for self-care, like sleep, exercise, and preparing healthy meals. It makes a difference!
• Only compare yourself with yourself. Graduate and professional students often struggle with impostor syndrome, which can include feelings that they are lagging behind their peers or progressing too slowly in their programs. This kind of comparison can be a real distraction and deplete you of energy. Instead of looking outward, trust that you are qualified to be here, and focus on your goals and on making incremental progress.
• Seek out social connections. Finding a friend or group of people who you enjoy being with, or who understand your background and challenges, can help you stay motivated through the difficult times. Learn more about making social connections. Consider especially:
  • Graduate Student Life Programs
  • Office of Graduate Student Life
  • Big Red Barn

Support

Sometimes, students find it helpful to talk with someone not connected to their academic life. Consider these resources:

• Consider talking to the Directors of Graduate Studies (DGS).
• Check out these clinical services for mental health care offered by Cornell Health, including groups designed especially for graduate and professional students.
• The GPSA offers additional Resources for Physical and Mental Health.
• Veterinary Student Well-being
• Cornell Law School Health, Wellness, and Safety

For specific graduate & professional students...

• International graduate and professional students: If you are an international student, you may benefit from checking out the Health and Wellness resources provided by the Office of Global Learning and information from Cornell Health written especially for international students.
• Students with families (spouse/partner or child): Students parenting a child while they are a student at Cornell, may find helpful the university’s Students With Families resources. Cornell Health offers specific health care information for Student Spouses and Partners and Students With Children.
• Graduate students at Cornell Tech: Students studying at Cornell Tech have access to many NYC-based medical and mental health resources and can learn about additional resources by connecting with the Student & Academic Affairs office.
• Graduate students in Geneva (NYSAES): Students studying at the Station in Geneva, can review Cornell Health’s information about finding medical and mental health resources in your area.