Identify the issue

Understand Yourself: Overview

Graduate school, and the world, are full of potential stressors. And, as we articulated in the Understand the Context section of the Coach, there are many elements of your local and societal environments that introduce obstacles for diverse women in STEM. But all people experience or respond to a singular situation or hurdle the same way. You may have noticed, for instance, that having to write another draft of a paper might upset you but does not spark the same reaction in a classmate. In the same vein, you might really enjoy a team competition whereas your teammate would rather hide. 

If something is a problem for you, “you” play a role. “You” are reacting to someone or something, allowing them to get in your way, or actually contributing to or perpetuating the stressor with your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Understanding yourself is part of what differentiates interpersonal and personal problem-solving from technical problem-solving. An essential part of assessing a problem is identifying how your thinking and feeling styles and your unique preferences influence your response to the situation. 

resilience
Academic Resilience

The purpose of building resilience is to fortify yourself with coping tools and supports that will serve you for the long term. Expanding your resilience assets will help you sustain your interest, motivation, and success in pursuing your goals and fulfilling your passions.

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Coping and Self-Efficacy
Coping and Self-Efficacy

Coping is any effort you make to alleviate stress, control your environment, or overcome something you find threatening. Self-efficacy is your belief about your ability to perform a particular behavior successfully; it is a type of self-confidence. Your patterns of dealing with problems and your confidence in how…

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How You Think
How You Think

Your thinking habits affect how you feel and how you respond to different situations. Thinking refers to your internal dialogue about anything that comes up in your moment-to-moment, day-to-day life. Unless you stop yourself, it’s easy to get caught up in debilitating patterns of thinking.

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Emotional Styles
Emotional Styles

Your emotional patterns contribute to your successes or setbacks and even your health. You may sometimes let your feelings drown out rational thinking or let your emotions get the best of you.

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Your Stress Triggers
Your Stress Triggers

When stress levels get too high, your relationships, focus, productivity, and well-being can all be affected negatively. Recognizing what sets off your stress reactions can help you better understand the “you” in the situation.

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careergoals
Career Goals and Motivation

Your goals and beliefs about what is important are related to how you act, react, and achieve. Focusing on your goals and passion helps you assess the elements and importance of a problem.

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The Impression You Make
The Impression You Make

The impression you make on those who are essential to your academic success matters from the first to the last day of graduate school. Self-presentation requires constant monitoring, as mutual impressions can contribute to positive or troubled relationships.

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Your Personality and Preferences
Your Personality and Preferences

Every exchange between two or more people involves a complex mingling of two distinct personality styles. Understanding how your personality and styles fit your environment and others in it is part of assessing the problem.

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Mental Health
Mental Health and Wellness

Navigating graduate school is demanding and stressful for many students. Paying attention to your level of stress and anxiety and watching for signs of depression are critical responsibilities you have to yourself.

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What You Want in an Advisor
What You Want in an Advisor

Are you getting the type of support you need from your advisor? Before you decide if you are getting the support you need, it is important to understand what exactly an advisor’s role is supposed to be.

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What You Want in a Mentor
What You Want in a Mentor

A mentor can help support you in your academic, professional, and personal development. Mentors often provide more emotional support and individualized attention than advisors. You can learn to understand what you need specifically and how you can find that support.

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Stereotype Threat
Stereotype Threat

The way you think other people perceive you as a woman or member of a minority group can cause anxiety and influence your actual performance in graduate school. If your gender, race, or ethnicity is underrepresented in your program, you might experience stereotype threat.

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