Grad School Femtoring: Inclusive Grad School Stories, Personal Development, and Productivity Tips for First-Gen BIPOCs

This week, I’m sharing all about the thought process and rules I unintentionally followed to help me make my dream of moving to Portugal a reality. I share the 5 rules I followed and continue to use to help me expand my comfort zone. In this episode, you’ll learn all about: how to try new things, the value in doing things slowly, the power of taking small steps, why it’s okay to do things scared,...

This week, I have not one but two guests, Maritza Geronimo and Miriam Santana, joining us to discuss the topic of getting into grad school as a transfer student and the importance of mentoring. Maritza and Miriam share all about: the importance of mentorship at the community college level, what it was like transferring to UCLA, the benefits of staying an extra year in undergrad, the evolution of t...

For our first replay, we are re-releasing an episode on motivating yourself to write your grad school essays. This episode is for you if: you're applying to grad programs or fellowships and you are finding yourself stuck or with writer's block, your application deadlines are looming and you don't know how to get started, you want to learn about brainstorming exercises to try out, you want to learn...

Our special guest, Diana Valdivia, discusses the topic of “Taking a Break From Working as an Immigrant.” In this episode, she shares all about: navigating college and grad school as an undocumented student, taking a break after working multiple jobs, resisting the hardworking immigrant ethic, shifting her money mindsets and identifying forms of communal financial abundance, and the need for commun...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses the topic of the adjunctification of academia as well as how and why it’s important to plan for a career outside of the tenure-track. Believe it or not, you likely have had a professor who earns wages that are below the poverty line, relies on public assistance, and/or  struggles to meet their basic needs. If you are being trained to become a tenure-track pro...

In this very special 100th episode of the Grad School Femtoring Podcast, Dra. Yvette has her comadres from the Chicana M(other)work (CMW) collective on the show! In many ways, CMW inspired the start of this podcast, which is why it's so meaningful to have them as guests. Tune in to learn more about the genealogy of this independent and grassroots Xicana mother-scholar collective, to hear about the...

Have you ever thought of yourself as a bad writer? Well, I'm here to convince you that it's not true. Tune in to this episode to learn about five reasons you are not a bad writer. You'll also gain insights on what you can do to improve your writing no matter what stage it's in because your voice deserves to be heard! To read some of my own writing, check out my new blog . Sign up for my free email...

Have you noticed yourself feeling angry lately? Are you feeling overwhelmed? Are you in undergrad or in grad school and struggling? If so, you’re not alone. In this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses some reasons behind our anger and how to use anger as a tool to identify problems, acknowledge injustices, and do something about it through our work. Sign up for my free email newsletter to learn more ab...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette reveals a bit more about herself, her backstory, educational trajectory, and what led her to starting Grad School Femtoring (GSF). From learning about financial literacy, to managing her physical and mental health, to working remotely, and realizing that there’s more to life than working within academia, there were lots of GSF seeds she was planting and lots more to be...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette shares her three favorite strategies that have helped her not just meet but consistently exceed her personal and academic goals. These strategies are applicable to daily, weekly, and long-term goals and are part of the tips she'll be sharing in her new Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit and her weekly email newsletter. Sign up for my free email newsletter to learn more...

Tune in to learn more about the Grad School Femtoring Support Group . In this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses what the support group is, who it’s intended for, what topics she’ll be covering in the group each week, and answers some frequently asked questions. If you are considering joining the support group and want more information, then listen to this episode. Don’t wait to join, sign ups close i...

In this podcast episode we have a returning guest, Emeline Beltran, who shares her experience working for Cal State LA’s Dreamer’s Resource Center. She discusses what she’s learned as an ally and resource for undocumented students as well as the cultural humility and lessons she’s gaining in the process. Emeline Beltran is a second-year graduate student at Cal State LA. She is studying Communicati...

Have you ever wondered why a PhD program takes so long to finish? Ever wondered why grad students tend to dislike it when you ask them when they’ll finish their program? Well, in this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses ten reasons why your PhD program may take longer to finish than you anticipated. She also mentions things you can do to help minimize delays in your own grad school timeline.  Sign up f...

If you’ve ever found yourself with a project to do and feeling stuck, then you might resonate with this episode where Dra. Yvette shares her experience getting stuck this week as well as the strategies she implements to help her get unstuck. Whether you’re writing a paper, thesis, dissertation, or navigating a big life transition, sometimes we get stuck and need to learn or remind ourselves of way...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses the topic of "selling yourself" and why it can be so hard for first-gen students of color to learn to highlight their strengths. She also shares some strategies to help you identify and share your strengths in application essays. Sign up for my free email newsletter to learn more about grad school, sustainable productivity, and personal development Get my fre...

In this episode, we have a special guest, Dr. Gina Vanegas, who speaks to us about her experience navigating burnout as an immigrant student. She discusses the added labor that immigrant students face when getting an education, the strengths that we first-gen students bring with us to new settings, how to identify signs of burnout, and what to do so that it doesn’t lead to trauma. Dr. Gina Vanegas...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses the topic of saying no—when should you say no, how can you say no, and strategies to help you make a decision and remain firm with it. Tune in to learn more! Sign up for my free email newsletter to learn more about grad school, sustainable productivity, and personal development Get my free 15-page Grad School Femtoring Resource Kit  *The Grad School Femtoring...

In this episode, we have a special guest who speaks to us about his experience navigating talking to his first-gen parents about grad school. We discussed what it's like having many conversations with our low-income immigrant parents about what graduate school is, what we study, what we do, our future careers, our finances, and much more! Bryant Pahl is a first-generation Ph. D. student at UC Irvi...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette shares some insights on the similarities and differences in forms of culture shock that a first-gen student may experience in undergrad versus in graduate school. If you're a first-gen student starting grad school or hope to attend graduate school, tune in to learn more. Sign up for my free email newsletter to learn more about grad school, sustainable productivity, and...

This episode is an extension of my first episode on "The Grad School List" and it includes some additional things to consider when creating a graduate school list. These may be considered deal breakers or hidden aspects of graduate school to consider when making a decision. They include factors like the diversity and demographics of the area, size of campus, cost of living, transportation needs, a...

This episode is for any current college students who are contemplating staying a third year (if a transfer student) or a fifth year (if a traditional student). You will learn some of the advantages of taking a fifth year (e.g. more time to space out classes, to take advantage of summer programs, to participate in research, or to study abroad, etc) as well as some concerns to consider (e.g. funding...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette shares five strategies that she herself uses when she needs to focus on writing. If you’re writing a thesis or dissertation and are struggling to focus, you may want to try out these strategies. The five strategies are: 1) using a timer, 2) creating a playlist and/or having background noise, 3) using apps that help block distracting websites, 4) trying out freewriting,...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette answers a question that a listener has regarding feeling like they do not like their graduate program shortly after starting it. Dra. Yvette offers advice on what to do if you too are in this scenario. Bottom line is, you have options and before coming to any conclusions, give yourself time to make an informed decision. Tune in to learn more. Sign up for my free email...

In this episode, Dra. Yvette discusses the importance of setting boundaries in academia. As we start a new academic year, now is a great time to set, communicate, and keep your boundaries. You may experience pushback, some may question your judgment, and that's okay. It's not worth killing yourself for a degree. Put yourself first without apology.  Sign up for my free email newsletter to learn mor...

In this short bonus episode, Dra. Yvette talks about her new course called “Grad Apps Demystified: A Step-by-Step Course for First-Get Students Applying to Grad School." This is an online course that she just launched which is intended to demystify the graduate school application process, break down the process into small manageable steps, and offer advice, tips, and downloadable resources. If you...