My family has given me a gift by letting me go back to school for a master’s degree.  Because of this, I feel like I need to write some commitments to myself and my family for the future semesters of graduate school.

• I will communicate my graduate school needs.  There is nothing worse than intense discussions because I did not tell my wife how graduate school is going.  I will sit down at the beginning of the week and have a conversation about what assignments are due and what my homework time needs to look like
• I will communicate with my professors.  When I started the semester, I thought I would be able to do my coursework in isolation.  I could read my textbooks, answer questions, and everything would be fine.  Truth be told, I am not an expert and I need help.  My professors are always ready to meet and talk through my issues.
• I will be diligent about my time management.  It is not ok to put stress on my family when it comes to time management.  I cannot wait until the last minute to finish assignments and to make this happen, I need to plan my time throughout the week.  I will not let my lack of time management affect my relationship with my family and friends.
• I will do my best.  While I can do the minimum and get away with it from time to time, this is not how I should approach my studies.  If I am going to be distracted, I need to change my environment or work at a different time. 

Maybe your commitments are not the same as mine but think about what you are committing to by attending graduate school.  What should you be doing that you are not?  What are you getting yourself into?  Be intentional and get the most out of your time.

--- R. Tyler Horner
R. Tyler Horner is a Masters student in the College of Education & Human Development