When you go to graduate school there is a chance you may be hired as a graduate assistant or graduate instructor to help you pay for your education. When graduate students work for their departments they are often given office space where they can work. Because space is precious, many departments will have graduate students share offices which can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience.
Why Having Shared Office Space Is Important For Graduate Students
When you are a student, the opportunities to be part of a community of like-minded people can be hard to find. Graduate students seek to be professionals in their field and having a community of peers helps increase learning and overall educational experience. By having a shared office or community space where graduate students can work and socialize, colleges offer upper level students a unique experience. Grad students can feel part of their departmental community and make friendships that can last a lifetime.
Feelings Of Professionalism and Tools For Working
For those who teach classes they have office space where they can hold office hours and meet with students. They have file cabinets to store class records like grades and attendance. Special computer programs exist that assist teachers with their classes that can sometimes be accessed only through the use of departmental computers. For students who work for their departments, having space to work within the departments building has numerous benefits.
Access To Professors
When graduate student have office or community space within their department they have the chance to work in the same place as their professors. Professors hold office hours and can visit with graduate students when they aren't too busy. Professors needing help or just wanting to shoot the breeze can interact with their students easily allowing grad students to build relationships with their mentors. When students don't have space to work or hang out within a department it can be a struggle for some to have relationships with professors. Those who don't have assistantships working for their departments may have no need to visit their departmental offices unless they need to have paperwork processed or need to set up meetings with the professors. This means that students miss out on having a social network of their peers and professors.
How Shared Community Space Changed My Life
For nine years now I still keep in touch with most of my old grad student group. We keep up with one another through social media and share projects we are all working on. We're all in our 30s or older now and a baby boom happened in the past few years so a lot of us have babies. My husband and I were both part of this group and we met in our shared 10 person office. For a simple 2 year masters program, a lot of lifetime friendships were made just because we shared an office and could bond with one another.
Conclusion:
Graduate students are seeking higher education to be professionals in their field of study. Socializing with other members of their programs aids grad students in numerous ways. It is important for colleges to set aside space for upper level students to work within a department to help students have the tools they need to succeed. Social relationships are important for success and friendships can last a lifetime.