Week in the Life of a Grad Student

By Maureen Guilbot

Monday

My first item of the day is to take my Assessment in Psychology midterm. In this class, we are learning about the history of psychological assessments and how to utilize them in counseling clients. After I finished the midterm, I went to grab a quick hot chocolate with a friend at Dear Mama on 103rd Street. After chatting for a bit, I headed off to my second class of the day, Career Counseling. Here we learn how therapists help clients choose careers, build resumes, and practice strengths. My classes on Mondays are an hour and a half, which gives me the rest of the day to study and explore NYC! Since I completed a midterm today, I decided to treat myself to one of the Graduate Student Life and Development (GSLD) events – an Eat-and-Meet! We got to learn all about the perfume industry and have a delicious dinner.

Tuesday

The next day I had another midterm – Adult Psychopathology. Because it was an online exam, I did not have to physically attend class, which was excellent because it gave me a few extra minutes of shut-eye. Afterward, I attended my Bilingual Counseling Skills class, which focuses on preparing us to provide therapy in Spanish. I always enjoy this class because of how interactive it is. Then I hung out in the library to study until dinner time. Midterm season requires us to bring our A-game, and I love to explore different libraries during exam seasons. This time I went to one of my favorite libraries on the main campus: Butler! After a busy day of class/studying, I called it a night.

Wednesday

I got up early on Wednesday to finish my Group Counseling midterm, so my day started at around 7:30 am. Once this exam was finished, I was done with my midterms! I celebrated by grabbing a donut from Joe’s Coffee. Then I went up to the Office of Admission to complete my shift. Today was a very busy day! I started by answering emails from prospective and current students and preparing swag bags for our upcoming campus visit on Friday. After my shift ended, I went back to my room and got ahead of some homework for the next week, and watched Netflix. I love rewatching some of my favorite shows, like “Stranger Things.” Afterward, I got ready to head out and treat myself to a post-midterm celebration: going to see “Wicked” on Broadway! It was my first time ever seeing the show, and it was AMAZING! Definitely a fun way to end midterms.

Thursday

On Thursday, I was back at work answering emails and phone calls and building swag bags with fellow Student Ambassador and my good friend, Rian. I also talked with students who booked a Meet With an Ambassador meeting with us on our Calendly. If you would like to meet with one (or more) of us, you can do so using this link! We love to chat with prospective and admitted students about our experience at Teachers College and general admission questions. Once I finished my shift, I attended GSLD’s Makeup Masterclass, where I learned new tips and tricks. Attending events hosted by GSLD or Columbia is always a highlight after a busy day!

_{(Pictured: Rian Maxwell-Williams)}

Friday

And at long last, it was Friday! I got up early to answer as many emails as I could before that day’s tour. We were hosting a Prospective Student Campus Visit, which is a great chance to see TC in person and learn more about the lore of campus. If you would like to attend a future tour, please check out our website here. Fridays are typically my short days at work, so I can explore NYC and hang out with friends. This week we got our nails done, ate delicious food, and chatted about our midterms. Afterward, we went out to grab some drinks! Overall, a fun and relaxing way to end the week.