Ok, now on to the metaphorical flippy floppies, or more accurately, my flip flopping. A few posts ago, I decided that I was going to take the reins of my future and stop relying on the mean system that is higher education, and make a different path for myself in the field of Child Life. Um, yeah, I take that back. I'm about halfway into my child life class, and I am NOT feeling it. With speech, I was so incredibly interested and excited to learn, and I realized that I just can't let it go anymore. I find myself caring absolutely nothing about my class, and it really is a shame. I don't really know what I'm going to do, or how I'm going to do it, but I am back to being determined to become an SLP.
I think I originally arrived at this decision when the head of the department told me I would have to go to grad school for child life. I figure, if I need to go to grad school, why not just apply to something that I really really really want to do? True, child life might not be as competitive, but I just don't want to do it. I'm proud of myself for trying it, but I now know that it's just not for me.
I'd like to get a good grade in the class so that I can have one more positive thing to add to applications in the fall, so hopefully I can achieve that. I'm kind of freaking out about who will write me letters of recommendation, since I'm far enough out of Wooster that my relationships with professors have kind of dissipated. I'm also really nervous that they don't really have faith in me, since it's been such a hard road. I'll definitely need to look for new connections this time around.
Now, you may be thinking to yourself, "Katie, what in the world are you going to do for the next year to enhance your applications?" and I'm honestly asking myself the exact same thing. I'm kicking myself for not taking the City Year interview senior year when I had the chance, and instead choosing the safe secretary route. But hey, hindsight is 20/20, and I'm apparently having a lot of that lately. I am going to apply to City Year again, and I'm also going to continue seeking out and applying for SLPA jobs in the DC area. I had thought about volunteering abroad, but I'm a homebody and the idea completely freaks me out. I also don't know which volunteer programs are best, or most legitimate so I feel lost at the same time.
In the interim, I was suggested by someone at work to fill in for a maternity leave (full-time) position in the fall, so I'm going to be shadowing for that. It's nice to get some recognition and to finally be making full-time pay, but again, it's not the job I crave. I am absolutely grateful for the opportunity, though, so I'm going to take advantage. I also might apply to an editing job in DC, because I like editing and it would get me closer to SLPA opportunities.
So, in conclusion, I'm going back to speech. If you have any leads on SLPA jobs, or "early language intervention" jobs, please please please keep me in mind. I am always open to suggestions from current SLPs, grad students, or adults in any field. Prayers, thoughts, and general support are always welcomed, and much, much appreciated. I'm kind of scared to be diverting myself back to this route of pain and rejection, but I am completely positive it is the one on which I belong, and I'm coming back swinging.
