The grad student’s social media starter pack

Is it really worthwhile for grad students aspiring to academics or industry to have a social media presence? What should my social media presence look like? — Social media un-savvy
Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! Ultimately, I think the only answer to this is: it depends. It depends on your schedule, your priorities, your skills, your preferences… It depends on you, and what you want out of your academic journey and future career.
What I can do for you is give you a few ideas of why you might want to start a social media presence and a few arguments in the other direction. I’ll also lay out some tips and resources for starting a social media presence, should you care to do so. I’ll focus on Twitter and LinkedIn, since these are the social media sites used most in the academic and business context.
A few reasons why you might start a Twitter:

Twitter allows you to connect with large communities of academics. This can mean a lot of different benefits: the sharing of resources and strategies for managing your graduate education, the sharing of sources and research ideas, and making connections with others in your field or with similar interests.
It’s an excellent opportunity to talk about your research in laypeople’s terms, and engage with a public audience. You might even find a new angle for your research!
You can follow discussions that happen at conferences, even if you can’t attend. You could also live-tweet an event, and connect with other people at the same conference.
A well-maintained Twitter presence can impress an employer.

A few reasons why you might NOT want a Twitter:

It can be a distraction
Your schedule is packed: you already have too many obligations to manage
Your discipline doesn’t have a large social media presence
You don’t enjoy it, even a little bit.

On a side note, starting a Twitter is a big time-commitment: daily updates are the norm. Bear in mind that starting a Twitter and then never using it looks, well, kind of sloppy.
A few reasons to start a LinkedIn:

It’s a great way to advertise your skills, experience and achievements!
You can connect with recruiters regarding employment opportunities
You can connect with people in your industry, or alumna of your alma mater. Some people use this feature to set up informational interviews, which can make for an excellent networking opportunity.

The reasons for not starting a LinkedIn are similar to those against Twitter. However, a LinkedIn page is much easier to maintain than a Twitter account (Twitter requires daily checking and posting, LinkedIn does not).
I hope this helps you discern whether or not you want to start a Twitter or LinkedIn page. If you’ve decided to jump into the social media waters, good for you! Here are some resources to help you get started.
Twitter:
The 10 Commandments of Twitter for Academics
Social media for academics
10 Great Twitter Chats for Grad Students
Blog post: The Tweeting Grad Student
Academic twitter accounts to check out: Shit Academics Say; Steven R. Shaw; Kate Starbird; Calling Bullshit (run by two UW professors); Clint Smith; Lego Grad Student

LinkedIn:

LinkedIn 101: How to Craft a Stellar Profile
Via UW Professional & Continuing Education: 10 Tips for Supercharging your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn for graduate students: how to market yourself on the net (This post is old, and kind of long, but it’s a really comprehensive guide to building a marketing strategy on LinkedIn!)
31 Best LinkedIn Profile Tips for Job Seekers
LinkedIn for Job Seekers: How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile

Best of luck! And be sure to follow The Graduate School on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @uwgradschool.
Sincerely,
The Grad School Guru

Borrow Cool Tech Stuff

The Student Technology Loan Program not only provides laptops and computing accessories, it also has audio, photography and videography equipment for loan, all for free!

Study Music

Great studying music! Free access to more than a million tracks of classical streaming audio with Naxos Music Library. This UW-restricted resource is provided by UW Libraries.

You’ve Got (Too Much) Mail

I get a LOT of email (including this one, no offense), and I can’t keep up. How do I get off all of these email lists? Shouldn’t there be one place I can change my preferences? —Anonymous

I feel your pain, really I do. Unfortunately, just due to the sheer size of this university and the autonomy of various units, there is no one definitive, central place. However, if you focus on a few key sources, you should be able to drastically reduce your inbox.

Click on “Manage subscriptions” at the very bottom of the Graduate School Digest newsletter, in the footer. It will take you to your email subscriptions, but only for the Graduate School. If you click on “View all email subscriptions for the UW,” you’ll be able to manage all your email subscriptions. However, the caveat is that this is only for emails and newsletters sent out through this particular software (Convio).
Visit mailman13.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo for a list of all UW listservs.
Some units may use another software other than Convio, such as MailChimp. You will have to manage subscriptions for those outlets separately. There should always be options at the bottom.
Some emails may be coming from the Registar’s office, or Financial Aid, etc. You will not be able to get off of these lists.
Some emails may be coming directly from your department or a professor. You’ll need to consult with the relevant unit.
If you can’t get out at the source, take advantage of your email software: set rules and filters.

You should have control of how much communication you receive, of course, but I want to advise you to unsubscribe thoughtfully. There have been instances where students opted out at the parent level and then were frustrated they were not getting notices of funding opportunities, events, etc.

Ask the Grad School Guru is an advice column for all y’all graduate and professional students. Real questions from real students, answered by real people. If the guru doesn’t know the answer, the guru will seek out experts all across campus to address the issue. (Please note: The guru is not a medical doctor, therapist, lawyer or academic advisor, and all advice offered here is for informational purposes only.) Submit a question for the column →

Self-Reflection and Dialogue

Many of us will be spending the long weekend with loved ones—both biological and chosen. A time for sharing and holding space with family and friends is much-needed—not only because you have all been working so hard this quarter—but also because the current political climate has been difficult to bear (to say the least).

This time can also serve as a starting point for us to think beyond solely expressing gratitude—and beyond feeling despair—to in fact being self-reflective about initial ways to show up for social justice. And to put that self-reflection into dialogue with loved ones. Here are a few examples (not exhaustive by any means):

Learn. If you’ve been curious or interested in supporting communities most impacted by multiple oppressions—Black and Native communities, Trans and Queer communities, Muslim communities, People with Disabilities, and Undocumented families are just a few examples—an important first step is to learn about their diverse histories of community resistance and resilience in the United States.

Listen. Attend public events where the voices of marginalized communities are truly centered and amplified. Listen with humility. Sit with, rather than respond to, what might feel like a knee-jerk reaction to interrupt or be defensive—and just listen. Hear from multiple voices within a single community—as no individual can represent the whole. Here are concrete ways listening can be used to further social justice.

Dialogue. If we are to end systems of oppression like racism, sexism, transphobia, ableism, or xenophobia, conversations about these issues must be initiated within our own communities—amongst our own families and friends. I know what you’re thinking, “You want me to start a conversation about oppression with family during the holiday?” Not necessarily, because when and how you chat with family and friends depends on the context. We do know that ignoring the reality of oppressions will not make these issues go away. It is through the recognition of this reality that we can begin to move forward. And always remember that you can practice self-care during the holiday.

Take good care this weekend, and we applaud you not only for your commitment to intellectual and professional pursuits but for your community engagement as well.

With Respect,

Kelly, Jaye, and Ziyan
Core Programs Team

U-Village

University Village, a huge outdoor shopping center just east of the Seattle campus, lists many student discounts, some exclusive to UW.

Professors on Pedestals

Is there a place on campus where I can learn how to address/talk to professors? I have been in the US for about six years now, but I am originally from a culture where one is supposed to show respect to people older than you. I therefore still cannot bring myself to address a professor by name (as my other fellow graduate students do), or write an email to them without putting in multiple “Thank you for your time!” and “Sorry to bother you…”.

When I read my own emails that I send out to professors, it’s cringeworthy, since I’m so deferential. It’s worse when the professors I address are just a couple of years older than me. I want to learn to get over this. My friend recently pointed out that calling someone “Prof. X”, and writing so many Thank Yous and Sorrys in email skews the power dynamic a bit too much, and that I should treat professors as colleagues if I want them to treat me as one.

How do I learn this? I hang out with a lot of American friends but somehow this is something I’m unable to learn. —Anonymous

Hi, there. In order to address your question, I reached out to several campus partners. I hope their multiple perspectives and experiences are helpful.

Ziyan Bai is a graduate student assistant with the Graduate School’s Core Programs and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs:

“In Winter 2016, I organized a workshop on “Communicating with Faculty” for international grad students. At the workshop, a panel of 3 faculty members and 4 advanced international graduate students from social science, science, engineering, and humanities shared commination tips and strategies including communicating in person or via email. We have a summary of notes from the panel.

I also got this question many times during my 1-on-1 mentoring with new international grad students. This is not an uncommon situation. The bottom line: find a middle ground that students find comfortable with the degree of reverence they show in the email or talking in person. Usually international students find it uncomfortable if they try to “get rid of” their home culture in order to fit in. There is no universal standard in communication, so staying connected with home culture and being open to learn new culture at the same time is recommended.”

>>Note: Workshop will be offered again in Winter 2017. Details will be announced in the Graduate School Digest and on the Graduate School’s events calendar.<<

Era Schrepfer is the executive director of the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS), which offers a wealth of support and programs for international students at UW:

“We hear this question pretty frequently. I usually suggest visiting the professor during office hours and being totally honest about this with them directly. Just say, ‘I’m from XXX and in my country we are taught from an early age to treat teachers much more formally, so the culture in the classroom here is hard for me to get used to. I want to be successful in your class and for you to feel comfortable. What do you suggest to help me with this?’

Usually, they really don’t mind being treated more formally by international students, but it helps to start off the quarter with a conversation. Sometimes, it’s easier to feel comfortable with a professor when you know them a little bit on a personal level, and it’s meaningful to the professor as well. So ask them questions about themselves. Have they ever been to your country? How long have they been teaching? Where did they go to school? It’s helpful to find some common ground with them and see them as people just like you.

Power distance is one of the most challenging cultural elements! I know a lot of alumni who still struggle with it many years after coming to the US!”

Elloise Kim is the president of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, and an international student herself:

“As someone who is from a similar culture, I totally understand why you are hesitant to freely communicate with people like faculty members. In my home culture, a respectful manner for people who are older or hold a higher position is obligatory. Yet, if people here can interpret your attitude not necessarily as carefulness but as cultural clumsiness, you may want to question for whom you insist to keep such manners.

I’d like to suggest to learn American cultural manners in the way you have learned English. In other words, think of it as a foreign language. Its syntax and phonetics would be very different from those of your original language. But, you have to learn and practice it in the way the language is spoken by native speakers. You do not become a totally different person while speaking English – rather, you are speaking another language still being yourself. Likewise, ways of communication need to be learned and adjusted. You can be very polite in a different way!”

Katie Malcolm is an instructional consultant for the Center for Teaching and Learning and specializes in working with international, multilingual and first-generation college teachers and students:

“This is a great question, and one that many grad students have. The resource ‘Communication Strategies for International Graduate Students‘ has some specific strategies for students about communicating with advisors.”

>>If you’d like the full manual, you can request a free copy. <<

Health Sciences Labyrinth

Any tips or tricks for finding my way around the gigantic Health Services/Medical building? It’s been the hardest part of school so far. — Anonymous

Ha! Yes, the Health Sciences Building is infamous for swallowing up unsuspecting students. A couple of tips are to stick to the third floor to navigate horizontally until you get close, and then to navigate vertically. If all else fails, sometimes it’s easier to just go outside and orient yourself and come back in through a different entrance.

The Guru also reached out to Lucas Calderón, the building services supervisor. He said, “You are indeed correct that the Health Sciences Building (HSB) can be a bit of a maze. Here are a few suggestions that I think would help students who are not familiar with our building:

HSB is open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday (closed weekends and holidays)
Many of the School of Medicine classrooms are located on the 5^th floor of T-Wing (one floor up from the 4^th floor T-Wing overpass entrance)
The Health Sciences Lobby enters into C-Wing
Floors 3, 4 and 5 provide access to all wings in HSB, as well as the UW Medical Center
HSB is accessible from the interior to the UW Medical Center between 6 .m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday (not accessible weekends and holidays)
The Health Sciences Library has two T-Wing entrances (one each on the 2^nd and 3^rd floor)

Burke Museum

The Burke Museum is always free for students. You can even sign up for a free student membership (standard student membership is $25) and get almost all the advantages of being a museum member. Visit the Burke in person to sign up.

Thriving in Graduate School 2.0

GSEE invited Core Programs staff to facilitate a power hour event called Thriving in Graduate School. Graduate students who attended had the opportunity to learn from a panel of experienced graduate students of color currently working on their Masters and Doctoral degrees. These included Jessica Hernandez (Marine and Environmental Affairs & Environmental and Forest Sciences), Crystal Agoncillo (Evans School of Public Policy and Governance), Lindsey Wilson (Education), and Issa Abdulcadir (Sociology), who shared their wisdom and strategies for surviving and thriving—within and outside of graduate school. We thank them for allowing us to share their pearls of wisdom below.

Self-advocacy. In order for you to get the support you need, meet goals, and achieve milestones as a graduate student—it is important that you advocate for yourself so you can be–and feel–successful. If you are in need of emotional, professional, or intellectual mentorship from peers, reach out to students within and outside of your cohort. Finally, take the initiative to schedule regular meetings with faculty mentors and advisors. E-mail them a meeting request with a short, realistic list of things you’ll be talking about (e.g. coursework, preparing for a conference, the progress of your thesis or dissertation, job search, or even a set of questions that will help you understand your graduate program better), and a list of dates and times you can meet, especially if you are unable to meet during their office hours. As you need to, negotiate for changing deadlines to ensure you are putting forth your best work.

Community. Recognize that you are a whole person, with a need for community on and off campus. It is perfectly okay (and necessary) for you to foster community with students, staff, and faculty across campus, especially if you have similar life experiences based on race, gender, ability, sexuality, economic background, or nationality. Connecting with individuals who share experiences based on your identities and shared values can help decrease isolation and buffer the effects of campus-based microaggressions. Connecting with community can also look like making time in your schedule to spend time with, skype, or call loved ones to maintain relationships with family and friends, especially if you moved to Washington for graduate school from another state or country. This can also look like volunteering with local organizations and social movements in your city, as many of us care deeply about issues of equity and social justice.

Purpose. As above, connecting with people and causes that you care about will keep you fueled for the long road ahead that is graduate school. Remember why you are here and the contributions you want to make. Your purpose and passion is your North Star and can help to ground you when the deadlines, demands, and noise around you get to be too much. And remember that you belong here. Make the UW Graduate School experience your own, make your graduate student experience work for YOU. #UWGradSuccess #UWGOMAP

Best,

Kelly, Jaye, and Ziyan
Core Programs Team

Thank you again to the grad student panelists and GSEE for co-organizing another successful power hour event and for asking us to collaborate with them!