Student Blog
The Hunger Games From An Occupational Therapy Student’s Perspective ⟩
March 29, 2012, by Chelsea
After completely obsessing over the book series The Hunger Games, I finally got to see the film last weekend. Talk about occupational deprivation, if the citizens of the capitol have no better way to occupy their time than to watch a reality TV show of teens brutally killing each other then I think they are in need of some serious occupational therapy. I know that the games are a way to repress the districts and showcase the undying power of the capitol annually, but if the capitol just provided its districts with healthy, meaningful occupations and decent conditions to live in then there would be less cause for the districts to revolt and no need for such barbaric circumstances. Sure, call me biased because I am a student of occupational therapy and would make sure everyone had healthy occupations if I could, but I couldn’t help thinking “what if?”
There are many instances of relevance to occupational therapy in The Hunger Games. When Katniss becomes a victor of the games, she no longer needs to hunt in the woods because she is given plenty of food for the rest of her life, but she continues to break the law and hunt because hunting is meaningful to her and it defines who she is as much as being an occupational therapy student helps define who I am. In addition, although the capitol suppresses the districts of almost all meaningful occupations, even they seem to realize the importance of occupation and expect all the victors to take up a new occupation before their victory tour since they no longer need to work for a living. Peeta takes up painting, which becomes meaningful for him as a way to channel his anger and to manage his undiagnosed yet inevitably present post-traumatic stress disorder. The people of the capitol do not seem to have many occupations aside from altering their physical appearances and drooling over the victors of The Hunger Games. It seems odd that they are not the ones on a reality TV show since their lives are so unrealistic and strange. Unfortunately, the people of the capitol are not too unlike people of our society in their obsession with reality TV stars.
Is the book The Hunger Games a social commentary on how obsessed society has become with the voyeurism of reality TV shows? Millions of Americans are glued to their TVs during reality shows such as Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Jersey Shore, Sister Wives, Teen Mom, The Bachelor, and many more. I guess the term “reality” is a bit misleading because most of these shows are dramatic exaggerations of daily life that give unrealistic expectations of how reality should be. So if these “reality” shows actually do affect our perceptions of reality, how are they affecting our daily occupations?
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OTD Admitted Student Meeting ⟩
March 21, 2012, by Alix
This afternoon I finally got to see all of my fellow OTD classmates in the same room at the same time. :lol: The Division held a meeting to tell all of the admitted OT students about what to expect from the program (which starts in the fall), how to register for classes, and how to find a residency site. It was fun to see who I would be spending the next year and change with and to learn more about the amazing projects that OTD students have completed in the past. While I already know that I’ll be working in Lifestyle Redesign with the Faculty Practice here at USC, I’m not 100% sure yet what I will be doing as a project. I’m hoping that it will have something to do with bolstering OT’s presence in oncology and/or integrative medicine. Either way, it’s definitely starting to seem more real and imminent now that we’ve had our first official meeting. If you’re new to USC OT and want to learn more about the OTD program, you can find it here.
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USC OT Ranked #1 ⟩
March 13, 2012, by Floyd
US News & World Report rankings of the best graduate school programs in the nation just announced University of Southern California’s Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy ranking #1!
I am so proud to be part of the Trojan family and to receive the greatest education throughout the nation. When you sit in the lectures offered by renowned professors in the field, you can understand why USC OT was ranked number one. USC is always in the cutting edge of research and evidence-based practice. When I graduate this May, I feel confident that my education will follow me throughout my years of practice. I understand that time will establish my clinical expertise, but I know that the foundation that I have set at USC will enhance my skills into fruition.
Not only will I have a great education, but I will also have wonderful colleagues who I spent 2 remarkable years with. This kind of networking and fellowship is something that money can’t buy. When I go out into the “real world” and start practicing, I know that I am not alone. I have over a hundred other fellow practitioners who I can bounce ideas off of and support each other’s growth.
FIGHT ON, USC, FIGHT ON!
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Spring Break Plans ⟩
March 5, 2012, by Floyd
It’s already the middle of the semester and I am anxious for the week of spring break that I have been anticipating since the beginning of the year. I have booked myself busy every day of the week. Friday, I will be having dinner with some of my classmates in order to catch up outside of an academic setting. That weekend, I will be going to Las Vegas for some fun and buffets. My friends and I recently learned the game of Pai Gow, so I may very well test out my skills at a casino in between sightseeing, shopping, and eating. The first couple of weekdays when I get back, I will be working in the office. Just because I am on vacation, doesn’t mean the work doesn’t start piling up. The next weekend, I will be attending an anime convention where I will be tabling and selling my art, so I will be scrambling to get as much work done before then. The convention is in San Diego during the whole weekend, so I am excited for the hotel and fun adventures that will come about.
Wow, somehow I will throw in sleep and naps here or there. =)
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March . . . ⟩
March 1, 2012, by Kimberly
Living in LA School/Life Balance
. . . is awesome. Since it is the first of the month and school is not providing me with blog material, I thought it would be good to discuss why March is such a great month! First, our spring break is in March (and in California that means beach days 😊. Second, for us sports fanatics, March is both the time for March Madness and spring training. Third, there are lots of holidays in March, the most popular being St. Patty’s Day when we all get to wear green, my favorite color. And to top it all off, March is officially the first month of spring. I love spring, mostly for the flowers. East-coasters get to experience the seasons for real, but here in Cali we still get to see all of the winter bulbs finally bloom. Walking the neighborhood becomes a colorful display . . . sigh. So Happy March Everyone!
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