Guide to Grady:
By: Raynor Manley
Upon being accepted into Grady College, it is very easy to feel overwhelmed. First of all, the layout of the building is quite confusing. If you’ve ever had a class in Grady, you probably relate. On one of my very first days in Grady, I was ten minutes late to class because I could not figure out where the classroom was. Please learn from my mistakes; plan to either walk to your classroom before classes start at the beginning of the semester or arrive to class with plenty of time to spare so you know exactly where your classroom is.
Grady College has become a home away from home for many of its students. Take advantage of the resources and programs that Grady offers before it’s too late.
Feel free to utilize Grady’s study spaces. I enjoyed sitting in Grady between my classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and getting my work done surrounded by other Grady students. The 4th floor is a very cool space to meet with groups, study or even grind on an internship.
On a similar note, each major in Grady and each cohort is fairly small. This makes Grady feel very intimate and makes the other students and professors feel like a family. You will make friends in your classes and often have a lot of other classes with them due to the small class sizes the farther you get into your major. Take advantage of getting to know other students in your cohort and embrace the Grady family.
The Grady professors, in my very biased opinion, are some of the best professors at UGA. They deeply care about your success and want to see you grow in your skill set while in their classes. They have also had amazing careers and done incredible things themselves. While some may be harder on you than others, it’s because they want to see you reach your full potential and prepare you for a career in the real world. Make lasting connections with your professors; you never know when they can be a resource for you later in life and your career.
Save the coursework you complete in your classes. A lot of full-time jobs want to see tangible work you completed while in college. You want to be prepared and ready to show them the work you are the proudest of.
Get involved as early as possible. It can be hard to choose which area to invest your time in when Grady has so many different clubs and programs. Feel free to ask your professors for recommendations. You can also ask your advisor, look on the UGA Involvement Network or even research different organizations on social media. There are so many clubs and it’s okay to try out different ones to find what you like. Clubs are also a great way to meet other students in Grady and form friendships. You can then plan to take classes together, get more involved in the organization together and support each other.
Getting involved in clubs in Grady is also a great way to add to your resume and gain more tangible experience before graduating.
Lastly, it’s okay to feel overwhelmed. It takes time to learn your way, what you want to get involved in and get comfortable with everything. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; like I said, Grady is like a family and professors and other students are more than happy to help you find your classroom, answer questions or tell you about clubs they are involved in. You got this! Don’t forget to enjoy it; your four semesters in Grady are the best!
Our next meeting is going to be on February 22nd at 6:30 p.m., so make sure to mark this date on your calendar! This meeting will be completely virtual with Professor Tom Cullen and will be about the Crisis Communication Coalition, so it will be very interesting, and you don’t want to miss it!
Click here to become a member of PRSSA before it’s too late! As always, dm us @ugaprssa or contact any E-board member with questions!
