Fan Requests (AKA Marshall Requests)

In my last post, I answered 5 of 101 Thought Provoking Questions. So here are some fan request questions from that same list. Enjoy!

28. What brings you down the most often? Probably the fact that I'm still living in my childhood bedroom, working a part time job that isn't my dream job and not really getting anywhere at the moment. The fact that I can never get into grad school for speech therapy (as it were) because the process is disgustingly competitive, and because I networked in all the wrong places. I can hook you up with swing dancers all over the world, but I can't hook myself up with some connections to write me letters of recommendation for grad school. Wow that was dark.

36. If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be? Not everything will come as easily to you as you think it will. You've got to figure out how to study, work hard on applications, and put in extra effort in classes. Also, don't do your hair like that in middle and high school. And don't wear all black all the time just because you're in stage crew.

46. Do the people you love most know how much you love them? I sure hope they do. I try to tell them, and show them how much I love them. It's kind of weird, because my family isn't much of a hugging, say "I love you" all the time kind of family. Even though we don't verbalize it often, I think they still know.

82. In one word, what is standing between you and your biggest goal? I'm trying to decide between "grades" and "institution." Also, "money."

99. What do you enjoy doing over and over again? With my lack of going out dancing, I've found that I truly love going to a dance after months and rediscovering how much I love it and how the music and moves still flow right through me. I may get a little rusty, but that muscle memory is still there. It happens almost every time I go dancing, since I've been taking breaks from it so often. I also enjoy going to Kelley's Island over and over again. It's not the most exciting place on Earth, but I truly love it.

Sorry that a majority of this post revolved around my inability to get into grad school for speech, but I suppose that's how it panned out. In my next post, I'll actually be addressing that exact topic! Now it's time for me to go back and forth with myself, trying to decide if I should go swing dancing tonight. Until next time, friends. 

Me too, Ryan. Me too.

A Bump in the Road

So, where we left off in our story, our glamorous heroine was well on her way to starting the post-bacc program in Child Life at the University of Akron. She went on to her first class, Direct Experiences in the Hospital, and was excited about the volunteer experiences that would follow, when her professor stated "The undergraduate program for child life has been canceled." *ENTER ROAD BLOCK AND RECORD SCRATCH* HEH?!

Turns out, child life is going to be one of those fields, such as speech pathology, that will require a master's degree in the not so distant future. It will also not require an undergraduate major in child life, therefore, higher learning institutions across America are getting rid of the program. I was searching for classes to take in the fall for the post-bacc program, and I was barely able to find any that I needed, so I decided to meet with the head of the program for some academic advising. We came to the conclusion that instead of take 50 something credits for a post-bacc program, it would be more "bang for my buck" to go the master's route, take less credits, and come out with more in the long run. I am agreeable.

The only problem is that this means I need to apply to the graduate program and wait an entire school year to be able to start classes; that is, if I even get accepted to the graduate school (a task in which I have had notoriously terrible luck in the past). This realization got me pretty down in the dumps, feeling "some typa way" if you will. As I'm sure I've vocalized in the past, I just want to get going with my career. I have had it up to about here with living at home, working a part time job that isn't that fulfilling to me, seemingly aging so fast that I'm this much closer to a retirement home consisting of a cardboard box (or more likely, my parents' house).

I was thinking about applying to some speech programs for the spring, but none of the schools that I want to attend accept for spring. So here I am, back where I started, bummed out and frustrated. I decided to go on a bike ride, after Adam talked me down from my bad mood, and I'm much more sensible about it. I'm going to continue taking my classes, since they're prerequisites for the child life masters program. I'm also going to continue my volunteering at Rainbow after my course is over. I want to stand out, and prove that I'm more than just my GPA, that I'm determined and ready to commit to a graduate program and a career. 

Another thing that I feel like I need in the interim is a full time job. It was mentioned to me last week that someone had brought up my name as a suggestion for a maternity leave fill-in for three months this fall in another department. I have no idea who suggested me, but ego-boost much?! The job is presumably full time, so I'm going to meet with someone from the department, hopefully soon, to figure out if it's a good fit. I'm kind of excited about it, because it's a mini-promotion, at least in my mind. I'll miss my floor, but I'll visit, and I'm sure the 3 months would go by oh so quickly.

Just like I want this next year to go by quickly. But I know I shouldn't want that. I need to live day to day, without worrying too much about the future. My career can wait; it will come. Moving out can wait; it will come. I need to make every day count. I'm going to do just that, and figure out why exactly the Universe put this little (somewhat frustrating, but manageable) road bump in front of me.

I made this the background on my computer, to remind me that doors are opening for me, and I just need to find them.

P.S. I'm doing very well in my classes so far. I intend to keep it up :)