Being a graduate student is not easy. No matter how much you love your subject, it can be tiring, thankless work, work that your non-academic peers may not understand. It can be especially difficult for students who were not prepared for graduate study during their undergraduate careers or are returning to the classroom after a long hiatus.
But don’t worry. You’re not alone! At the Institute of Buddhist Studies and the Graduate Theological Union, you will find a large and diverse community of fellow students, many of whom are not only in the same boat you’re in but who are more than willing to be helpful and supportive.
My first advice for any student coming to the IBS is to make connections with other students and create a support group.
My second piece of advice — and I admit it’ll sound a little funny in this context — is to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy. In other words, you’ll get busy, and the easiest way to keep your sanity is to take one day off to rest.
Beyond that, below are some resources that will be helpful as your negotiate your academic career here at the IBS/GTU.
From the GTU:
- Student resources, forms, handbooks, etc.
- The GTU Library
- Library info for students
- Library workshops (on research, writing, and more)
- Darleen Pryds’ Study Guides
From UC Berkeley:
- Borrowing from the Cal library for IBS/GTU students
- UC Berkeley main library homepage
- C.V. Starr East Asian Library
- Asian Studies
- Asian American Studies
- Buddhist Studies group at Cal
Helpful Buddhism links:
- Journal of Global Buddhism’s resource page
- Buddhism A to Z
- Digital Dictionary of Buddhism
- Access to Insight
And, finally, my two cents:
- Current syllabi (coming soon!)
- The problem with Wikipedia
- Writing papers for my classes