In this 50-minute interactive panel discussion, 2 MA graduates and a current PhD student will share their perspectives and answer questions related to: being distance based graduate students. We will share our journeys to becoming students; along with tips, suggestions, and workarounds for successful learning and research during Covid. We will also discuss if attending graduate school is the right choice (hint: it's not for everyone and there's some good reasons for/against). We will also explain some of the actions we've taken to understand and further Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and opportunities for Open Scholarship. We welcome questions from attendees and look forward to creating a welcoming session with thought-provoking takeaways for attendees.