Feeling a little overwhelmed?

October 18, 2012
by Ricky

Fieldwork School/Life Balance What are OS/OT?

So I was looking at my calendar the other day. I got a lotta things on my plate right now. I am a full-time student, I have a part-time internship, I have a part-time job, and I’m planning a wedding. It also doesn’t help that I live in the Inland Empire, go to school in LA, intern in Whittier, and my fiancée lives in Bellflower. Each day is different and I have had to get creative with my commute to save time and money. But you know how they say, “there’s always gonna be someone who has it worse than you do.” Some people in my class have it pretty rough too. I know this woman who is a mother of 3 and commutes from South Orange County. The life of a grad student is no joke. I get angry when people look at me as if to think “oh, your life is cake,” when I tell them I’m a student. “Trust me, I’d much rather have a 9-5 schedule, buddy,” is what I’m thinking, haha. But anyhow, it begs the question, “why do we do it?” Well, as for me, it’s because I believe in OT. Each fieldwork experience, I meet individuals whose lives have been improved because of OT. They tell me themselves. Like the lady at the rehab hospital who leaned over to me during her OT session and said that in her eyes, her therapists were angels. Or all the parents at the SI clinic who keep telling me that their little one wasn’t able to do this or that, until he/she had started OT. This stuff changes lives. That’s my motivation. I want to be the best OT I can and help as many people as possible, but even if I just help one person in the profound manner that I have seen at fieldwork, that would be worth it.

I want to give a shout-out to the guy I met at the OTAC conference, who said he reads this blog to stay motivated as he completes his prereqs to get into OT school. Bro, I’ve been there, and that can be just as rough (or more). Trying to get the classes is a feat in itself. I’m sure many of you prospective students are juggling jobs, parenthood, and a whole variety of responsibilities. To all of you, stay up and keep at it. I am pretty busy right now, but I don’t regret it one bit. Being here feels right . . . like I’m supposed to be here. I love me some OT.

I say we all pat ourselves on the back.

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