Thought Provoking Questions

A website that I subscribe to sends me an email every Sunday called "Sunday Inspiration." In it are about 15-20 links for interesting articles, advice columns, and things to try. One of the links from today was called "101 Thought Provoking Questions." I opened it and immediately realized that I had found the cure to my blog writers block. I've got a few updates to give you guys, but I'll do that in another post. For now, I decided that I'm going to answer a few of these thought provoking questions (no not all 101!).

12. Have you made any recent acts of kindness? This one actually just happened yesterday. I was taking the Rapid to meet some friends downtown for the Tribe game (winners!). They were doing track work between my stop and the next, so we had to take a bus between the two. I ran into some out-of-towners who were also heading to the game, and they had no idea where to go/what to do. I basically took them under my wing and rode with them all the way downtown, then showed them how to get to the stadium. 

65. What makes life easier? Being happy, and not stressing so much about the little things. You've got to focus on the little things that make you content, instead of the little things that bring you down, and take them in. A sense of humor also helps, a lot. 

71. When was the last time you tried something new? On Thursday, I went to the gym with my sister and her boyfriend Nick. I ran on the treadmill for 2 miles, and Nick and Alyse did strength training. After my run, Alyse called me over and asked if I would bench press just the bar. I figured I haven't before, so why not? You wouldn't think a bar would weigh that much, but after that run, I was so worn out! My arms were shaky, and I was lifting so unevenly. Needless to say, I don't think I'll be benchpressing again any time soon.

81. If you could choose to have no more challenges or obstacles in life, would you? This one is hard, because it would be great if life would go exactly as I wanted it to. If I could get straight in to grad school, have enough money to pay my loans, anything. Yeah, life would be easier, but I don't think I would really learn much. I think my sense of responsibility and even my sense of empathy wouldn't be what it is. The challenges suck, but as cliche as this sounds, they really have made me who I am.

87. What could you pay more attention to in life? I think I could pay more attention to detail. I like to get my work done quickly, and I'm so sure of myself that I figure it's all right and I can turn it right in. As I've learned lately, that's not always the case. In my job, I pay a lot of attention to detail, but in my own work, I tend to slack on that part. I also think I need to pay more attention to what people tell me. I feel like I'm a good listener, but my retention isn't quite up to par. Oh, and nature. I think I've been taking nature for granted over the past 14 years. My papa used to take us hiking, fishing, and just experiencing life outside. I don't really do that anymore, and I've almost lost my appreciation for it (besides flowers of course).

These were just the few questions that I felt calling to me. If you see any on the list that you want me to answer, feel free to comment on this post with the number and the question! Now, I challenge you to answer some, or all of them, about yourself. Share your answers in the comments, and I'll be posting again soon!

Flippy Floppies

This post is going to be about literal, and metaphorical flippy floppies. First, for the literal: My cousin got me hooked on these flip flops called "Sanuks." They are made of recycled yoga mats (or beer koozies for men), and they are the second most comfortable things I have ever worn in my life (behind Ugg boots). I would never usually think about spending over $30 on a pair of flip flops, but trust me, they're worth it. And they're super cute too! Definitely try them out, they're a staple for a quick trip out the door!

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. 

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 :)

Move On, but Don't Give Up

Ever since I made the decision to move forward from applying to grad school and decided to pursue child life, I've felt a sort of sadness; I truly do love speech pathology, and I don't want to move on entirely. Therefore, I decided that I am going to continue to apply to Cleveland State, every year, just to keep a little hope for a chance to become a speech pathologist. I feel like I will truly love child life, but in my gut, speech is my passion. So there it is, I'm moving on, but not giving up!

In other news, my friend Tim is moving to Cleveland. I get to show him all around and help him try to figure out where to live! I'm excited because he's a fellow Woosterite, and super awesome. Hooray for more Wooster friends in Cleveland; I'm collecting them.

Otherwise, there's not really much going on. I got in to both of my classes for the summer, which I'm seriously excited about (love me some school supplies), and I get to volunteer in the hospital with a child life specialist for 5 hours a week. I'm excited for spring and summer, and Adam comes to visit in 2 weeks.


Oh, and NBC cancelled Community, one of my favorite shows, so there's that.

Colorblocking 'til the Sun Comes Out

I wore my grey skirt to work the other day because I'm so tired of wearing my dress pants. This winter has been much less fashion forward than I had hoped, so I didn't think anything of my outfit until I glanced myself in the mirror after work. I realized that I had colorblocked like crazy and it actually looked good. I must have subconsciously been looking out for myself and my lack of fashion at the time. My phone even matched the ensemble. I'm aching for spring-like weather, and to go shopping for a few new pick-me-ups for my wardrobe.

Magenta sweater: Aerie; Grey skirt with black border: H&M; Purple cardigan: H&M

You also may have noticed that my nails are painted oddly. They're red and blue from the Indians game the night before. I didn't have time to do them differently, so yolo. This Russian guy actually came in to ask a question and noticed them, so he asked if that's how everyone is wearing them now. I was kind of embarrassed haha.

The Tentative Future

Long time, no post, eh? That's because I've been waiting out this whole grad school thing, just so I could decide what announcements to make. As it were, I've officially been rejected from 7 schools.  The 8th school, University of Virginia, sent out acceptances a while ago (I've been perusing a grad school message board), so I'm not going to hold my breath. 

So, in lieu of crying and being depressed, which I haven't actually been, I'm just a bit bitter, I'm officially going to be moving forward with my Plan B. I will be attending The University of Akron for a post-bacc program in Child Life. It will end up taking me about two years, the length of a masters program, as well as a 480 hour internship. The field is relatively new, and kind of unknown, so here is a description the child life career from the Child Life Council website: 

"Child life specialists are trained professionals with expertise in helping children and their families overcome life’s most challenging events. Armed with a strong background in child development and family systems, child life specialists promote effective coping through play, preparation, education, and self-expression activities. They provide emotional support for families, and encourage optimum development of children facing a broad range of challenging experiences, particularly those related to healthcare and hospitalization. Because they understand that a child’s wellbeing depends on the support of the family, child life specialists provide information, support and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. They also play a vital role in educating caregivers, administrators, and the general public about the needs of children under stress. "

Working on an inpatient floor of a hospital for almost two years has shown me just how important these types of support systems can be. I'm excited to finally get a jump on my career path after sitting here, trying to get past the (seemingly) mean hierarchy of education ever since I graduated. I plan to take some general classes like anatomy and medical terminology this summer at Tri-C, to save some money and to just get going. I can't wait to expand my brain; I've been so bored. I'm also excited to defer my student loan payments.

I figure that I'll work for a few years, and get a feel for the field of Child Life. If I know in my gut that I really want to go back to speech-language pathology, I'll apply to grad school with all new grades, letters of recommendation, and views on life.

Since I'll still be here in Cleveland for at least the next two years, I applied to another part time job as an office assistant in the RAP Clinic at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. If my research is correct, RAP stands for "recognition and prevention," in regards to mental illness in children. I'm in the market for a change, and this clinic sounds incredibly interesting.

Hopefully I'll be able to provide many more posts and updates in the near future. I'll let you know if Virginia blows this plan up and decides to accept me late in the game. And now, I'll leave you with this quote that a fellow Facebooker posted about a week ago. I feel like it really applies to me, and I'm happy to live by it:

One day she finally grasped that unexpected things were always going to happen in life. And with that she realized the only control she had was how she choose to handle them. So, she made the decision to survive using courage humor and grace. She was the queen of her life and the choice was hers! - See more at: http://purelykate16.tumblr.com/#sthash.JayJrCWn.dpufasdf

One day she finally grasped that unexpected things were always going to happen in life. And with that she realized the only control she had was how she choose to handle them. So, she made the decision to survive using courage humor and grace. She was the queen of her life and the choice was hers! - See more at: http://purelykate16.tumblr.com/#sthash.JayJrCWn.dpuf

A Month Later and Some Updates

Hello everyone! It's been exactly a month since I last blogged, so I figured it was time for an update. I finally bought a new computer last month! It's a Macbook Pro and I'm really happy with it, though I'm having some internet issues, so I might have to make a run to the Apple store.

Another new thing, I started running. Yes, you heard that right. I randomly decided that I wanted to start running and I actually like it a lot! I've only been inside on the treadmill, trying to make at least 2 miles. I'm very inconsistent in when I run and how long I actually run, compared to walking, but I always go at least 2 miles. I would like to start going more often, and I also need to look up good running technique. I can't wait till I can try running outside!

I think I want to get this tank, just because of its irony.

Though, I REALLY want to get this shirt, because Daryl.

Ah, grad school. So far, I've been rejected from three schools (LaSalle, WVU, and Old Dominion), and five more to go. I'm supposed to be getting a letter from Loyola Maryland sometime within the next few days, so hopefully it holds good news. The only school that I REALLY want to get in to is Gallaudet, so I'm hoping and praying that it works out. If not, I've done a lot of research into the Child Life program at Akron, and I've even applied non-degree, just in case.

I haven't had too much going on, so I'm sorry for lack of content or posts. I do have a few more blog request posts to do, so I'm going to try to get those going too. I'm on my way to DC early Monday morning to celebrate IS Monday with that crowd, and maybe see some cherry blossoms (doubt it).  I'm aching for spring! I just looked out of my window and there's some snow/freezing rain falling right now. I just want sun and skirts! DC's weather isn't supposed to be much nicer, so I'm just going to have to pretend for now.

All in all, I'm just sitting here waiting, trying to work some extra hours and impatiently waiting to hear from schools. So, you know, the usual. Thanks for the good thoughts everyone, hopefully I'll have some good news for you soon.