Navigating Graduate School: The Good, the Bad, and Everything in Between
- Jennifer Santos
- Jan 9
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 12
Before I start, can I just say...IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK! I know what your thinking, were have you been the past several months? Grad school, that's were.
I'm currently pursuing a M.S. in Forensic Science with an emphasis in Biology/DNA and plan on graduating this May. The program offered here at OSU allowed me to complete my degree virtually, but with an internship opportunity offered as a Serologist at the Tulsa Police Department, I have since moved to Tulsa, OK and have lived here since August of 2024 - going hybrid on my graduate education. This last year and a half has been filled with unforeseen changes and self reflection. As you know, my plan after undergrad was to pursue a PhD in Forensic Science, Genetics, or Molecular biology, unfortunately life had other plans, and this did not pan out for me.
At first, I was devastated and distraught at the idea of my life not going to plan. For the first time in my life, I was faced with the grim reality of hard work doesn't always pay off. For many like me, that is a hard pill to swallow. I painstakingly realized life isn't always fair and we don't always get what we want when we want it. Not to be dramatic, but I thought about my rejection from my PhD programs of choice, as a death to my future endeavors. I went through the 5 stages of grief, and dreaded the idea of what was next. I was mad at myself, disappointed, and felt like a failure. It was a very dark time for me mentally and it was difficult to move on and see past the rejections that constantly came my way.
However, with all that being said, life has a funny way of working out - to our advantage. Soon after starting my Masters, I contemplated what would be my next move after this. I knew I still wanted to pursue a PhD, but I also always had law school in the back of my mind. I couldn't really wrap my head around being a scientist and an attorney, in my mind those were two completely different professions. Though I have always had a passion for science, I have also had a longing for pursuing law. Growing up, I always wanted to be so many different things, and today is no different. Grieving my past dreams allowed me to see what I was truly yearning for and what I was passionate about.
I've realized that all of the best things in my life come just naturally. Everything I've done, everything that makes me the happiest, is somewhat preordained, I couldn't even plan it myself if I wanted to. I spent the last few years studying and practicing science, and I ended up getting rejected by PhD programs. It was during that period of mourning when I just knew it was time for me to move on and take a chance into the unknown - apply to law school and here I am, what I've been wanting to do the whole time. I came to realize sometimes you have to fail and that's how things work out. It is my belief that life makes us fail so that we can actually do what we want to do. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still do try to plan everything, but I also trust God will bring me where I'm supposed to be.
Now, don't get the wrong idea, I LIVE.LOVE.SCIENCE. I will until the day I DIE.
I enjoy my title as a forensic scientist and LOVE what I do and plan on continuing to pursue this profession even if I am a law student, and eventually an attorney. Who says I can't do both?
With all this being said, these words have never been truer: rejection is redirection. Life doesn't always go according to plan, but then again what does?
Life never goes as planned. We set goals, make plans, and hope everything will happen right on schedule. On the dot. Just the way we imagine it to be. But more often than not, things take longer than we expect.
And that's okay.
It's easy to feel down when we don't reach our goals as quickly as we'd like. We get impatient. We see others moving forward, hitting milestones, and start to wonder if we're falling behind.
Just because it's taking you a little longer doesn't mean you'll never get there. When things take longer than expected, we have a chance to learn and grow in ways we might not have if everything went perfectly. Think of all the experiences that could have been missed if we weren't where we are now.
If you're feeling stuck or like you're not moving fast enough, take a moment to breathe and remind yourself that it's okay. Trust the process and be kind to yourself. Your dreams and goals are within reach. NO DREAM IS TOO BIG - BE DELUSIONAL. And when you do achieve them, you'll look back and realize that the journey, with all its ups and downs, made you who you are.
Life isn't a race, it's a path with twist and turns and holes and days unimaginable; but every step, no matter how slow, is taking you to where you need to be.
Every delay brings you closer to your destined path.
It takes a little longer than you thought because something more - something beautiful - something greater than what you could anticipate at this moment is waiting for you at the end.
Setbacks are not the end of the road; they're simply stepping stones on the path to growth. Embrace the challenges, learn from them, and remember: it's perfectly okay to stumble. Each setback is an opportunity to rise stronger and wiser.
Keep moving forward.
These past few months of absence have allowed for some well over due self-reflection. Getting to this point in my life has not been easy, learning to let go and expect the unexpected has been a challenge, but nevertheless, I'm were I'm supposed to be.
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