Despite her fear of heights, executive MBA student and GT6000 group leader Mel Tobias participated in the Leadership Challenge High Ropes course during immersion week at Georgia Tech. This experience taught Tobias the value of teamwork, a crucial lesson both in graduate school and the workplace. It was one of many instances where Tobias pushed herself outside of her comfort zone to grow and succeed.  

Through experiences like the high ropes course, Tobias learned the importance of embracing challenges and teamwork, a mindset she has applied throughout her professional and academic journey. Drawing from these experiences, Tobias has compiled a variety of practical strategies to help fellow graduate students succeed both academically and personally.

• Use read-aloud features for PDF and textbooks. “Register for any electronic textbooks. This is a huge time saver and allows for listening while doing other things, such as walking, relaxing, housekeeping, etc.,” said Tobias.
   
• Your network is your net worth. “Build relationships with your fellow students, advisors, professors, etc.,” said Tobias.
   
• Say yes to more and try things you didn’t know you were capable of. Tobias received some valuable advice from a classmate, which she has reflected on over the past year: “When you are having trouble trying to decide to do something, ask yourself, ‘When I reflect on this tomorrow, which will I regret more?’”
   
• Allocate time for self-care. “Finding 'me time' was essential since I work full-time remotely from home, plus attending weekend and asynchronous classes online,” said Tobias. “Be intentional about allocating time for yourself and fun with your peers and step away from schoolwork. I use the Nike Training Club app for quick and free exercises, and I participate in local outdoor fitness offerings through the Beltline, the Home Depot Backyard, and the nearby Epicurean hotel that hosts yoga on Mondays.
   
• Know your why. “Having gratitude for the journey helps with focusing on my why,” said Tobias. “When things are tough, I try and remind myself that I get to instead of I have to.”
   
• Create a matrix to manage time. “When you look at all the classes and deliverables, it can feel overwhelming,” said Tobias. “In my first semester, I created an Excel matrix to track due dates for all deliverables, including class preparation, and categorized by individual and team. I would work two weeks out, similar to the sprint work in my day job.”
   
• Utilize the library subscription offerings. “I subscribe to Atlanta Business Chronicle, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journey,” said Tobias. “I will miss these free subscriptions once I lose my Georgia tech email address.”
   
• Customize your email address. A customized email address enhances professionalism and is easier to recognize and remember. “You can customize your Georgia Tech email address,” said Tobias. “To do this, log into OSCAR, select Passport, click on email preferences, and click ‘Change your customized address.’ This is how I went from mtobias6 to mel.tobias@gatech.edu.”

Connect with Tobias on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/meltobias/.