Student Blog
School/Life Balance

My Occupations in 4 Words: Disneyland and Fight On! ⟩
September 13, 2013, by Clarissa

Getting Involved Living in LA School/Life Balance

Since we don’t start our Level I Fieldwork until the fourth week of class, I had this past Tuesday free and I decided to spend it at Disneyland with three other occupational therapy students. We all got annual passes last year and escaping reality in Disneyland is one of our favorite occupations. One perk about living in Los Angeles is that Mickey and Minnie Mouse don’t live too far away.

As one of the social chairs for the Occupational Therapy and Science Council (OTSC), fall semester not only means Halloween decorations at Disneyland but also that it’s time to plan interdisciplinary tailgates for football season! For the game this past Saturday, I coordinated with the socials chairs of physical therapy (PT) for a joint tailgate. The people setting up had to get there at 6:30am and the tailgate lasted until 7:00pm! As you can see, football and tailgating are HUGE parts of USC student culture. PTs and OTs share the same building, so tailgates like these help make the hallways a friendlier place. Interdisciplinary events are also great because they provide students with the opportunity to educate one another about our professions. Over the summer at my Level II fieldwork site, I would co-treat with PTs all the time. It is so important to understand what they do for the benefit of our patients. I’m a big advocate of interdisciplinary cooperation, especially after having worked in an interdisciplinary setting in the Student Run Clinic. In the past, we’ve also done tailgates with pharmacy and I’m also planning a tailgate with the public health program in the future. Did I mention that I also befriended an adorable half dog and half Trojan creature?

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Finding Balance ⟩
September 10, 2013, by Jen

Getting Involved School/Life Balance

Yesterday in my “Health Promotion and Wellness” course, we discussed finding balance (or lack thereof) in our lives. A balanced life includes leisure, individual care, free/unscheduled time, and efforts in school/work activities. It may not surprise you that an overwhelming majority of my day falls in the “efforts in school/work activities” category. Thankfully, I greatly enjoy what I do in school and the work I do outside of school. Something I am very involved in is USC’s Occupational Therapy and Science Council. I am currently the chairperson of the organization and it is a busy time for me because elections are underway for the first-year master’s students in the program. I am looking forward to elections being over, because I remember how excited I was to last year to find out I received a position on the council and want this year’s first-year students to have that same feeling. Because our program at USC is two years long, the term for each of the positions on the council are two years long. Tonight is the night that voting closes, so I’m sure the candidates are eagerly awaiting the results. Good luck to all!

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One of My True Loves: USC Football ⟩
September 9, 2013, by Kate

Living in LA School/Life Balance

Let’s be honest: this past weekend was bittersweet. I am a huge, and I mean HUGE, USC football fan, so let me explain a bit more . . .

Once of the best perks about being a USC student (undergraduate or graduate), is that you can buy a discounted season pass for all the home football games. Before each home game, occupational therapy students put on a joint tailgate with the students from the physical therapy program. We rally around all things USC and spend time getting to know each other better outside of school. It is a great way to spend your Saturday!

However, not all Saturdays end with a “win.” This past Saturday was USC football’s home opener against the Washington State Cougars. I attended the OT/PT tailgate with two of my best friends. We laughed, played games and were excited for our USC Trojans to beat the Cougars! The game itself was exciting. It was a perfect summer night, not too hot, not too cold. But when the game was over, it was not the ending we had all wanted. The Cougars beat the Trojans 10-7, and we left a bit broken-hearted. Not all was lost, though; I remember the great time I had with my friends, fellow OT students and new PT friends. And like all Trojans, we will Fight On!!

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Conference and pageant ⟩
May 1, 2013, by Alisa

Classes Community Getting Involved School/Life Balance

Yes, I made it to my last class as a Master’s student! In Lifestyle Redesign class today, I facilitated my healthy eating group on the topic of superfoods. I hope to work in health and wellness in the future, perhaps owning my own business and implementing Lifestyle Redesign concepts into my practice. I learned a lot from the group members and added to my OT toolbox. I few more hurdles to jump before I graduate. I can’t believe it.

I’ve never felt more tired and sleep deprived until this week. Grad school isn’t easy, but it’s manageable. This past weekend I attended the American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in San Diego. This was my second conference I attended. One perk about attending USC OT Program is that the division sponsors a number of students to attend these conferences, and I was fortunate enough to be one of the students chosen to attend! I realize how small and big the OT community is. I ran into my past supervisor and met my future supervisors there. I also ran into a student from Samuel Merritt University who presented a poster on oncology there as well. I remember hanging out with her last year at the conference in Indianapolis. I also saw a student from CAL State Domiguez Hills who did fieldwork at the same place as me last summer. That’s not it. I also ran into a prospective OT student whom I had given a tour to earlier in the semester. The conference is open to everyone!

I also met new people as well . . . in the jacuzzi. I met three wonderful USC PhD graduates, who now hold faculty positions at universities across the US. One of them in particular, Dr. Pollie Price from Utah, co-authored one of my favorite articles that I’ve read! I remember reading the article Mother Becoming: Learning to Read Mikala’s Signs by Pollie Price and Stephanie Miner in my clinical reasoning class last year and how I really enjoyed it. A lot of the articles and books that we read in class also come from our very own USC faculty, so I feel that I’m very fortunate to have picked the best school to go to.

I was sad that I had to miss the Alumni Reception at the Conference because I had to come back early and prepare for Miss Thai New Year Pageant. I volunteered to help out the temple by participating in the pageant. This was my second pageant (the first one I had done last year just for the heck of it). I ended up helping the temple raise close to $1,000 by selling balloons at the event. The total amount raised by all of the participants were close to $2,000. It was amazing to know that there was so much support and joy at the event. There was also a talent show portion that I was very surprised to have gotten second place for singing Tian Mi Mi, a classic Chinese song. The last portion of the pageant was to dress in a Thai traditional dress and pose. How hard could that be right? It was actually a pain to figure out how to best wear the traditional dress, but without the support from family, friends and strangers, I wouldn’t have survived the event. I ended up getting dehydration and a headache that lasted two days afterwards, but to know that I’ve helped a great cause in raising money for the temple, I am grateful.

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Final Post! ⟩
April 29, 2013, by Amber

Beginnings and Endings Getting Involved School/Life Balance

After an action-packed year serving as a student ambassador for this wonderful Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, I am excited to say that today is my last day! I came into the office this morning happily exhausted from spending the past five days in San Diego at the AOTA Annual Conference. Over 200 individuals from USC OT traveled to the conference to learn, network, and celebrate our wonderful profession. It was an impressive turnout, contributing to this being the 2nd largest AOTA conference in history! There was so much to see and do that at many times it felt overwhelming. The sheer number of educational sessions provided something for everyone in every practice area. The networking opportunities were fantastic, and the addresses were inspiring. The keynote speaker this year was Aaron Ralston, the adventurer who amputated his own arm to free himself from entrapment in a remote canyon in Utah. He was introduced by his OT, who spoke about her treatment of this unique case. When Mr. Ralston came to the stage, he said that he truly loved occupational therapy and unveiled a USC OT pin which he wore throughout his speech! It was very special to be present for our own Dr. Florence Clark’s farewell address as AOTA President, and to feel the pride of hundreds of Trojans at the USC Alumni Party.

Although I am continuing on at USC to pursue a doctoral degree, I still feel that this moment is an enormous milestone. This is my last week of classes, and I have a major project due in each one. Finishing up these tasks will keep me very busy this week. Then, this weekend I will immerse myself fully in studying for our comprehensive exam, which covers the foundational coursework from the entire program. After Monday’s comprehensive exam, I will gear up for my last final examination on Thursday and our Division’s end of the year celebration on Friday. I have spearheaded the planning of this celebration, which will take place on a privately chartered boat in Long Beach. After the boat celebration, I will spend a long weekend away in beautiful Ojai with special friends I have made in the program that are moving away right after graduation. I will return from Ojai just in time for my family to arrive from Northern California. I graduate with my wonderful class on Friday, May 17th, and start fieldwork the following Monday.

It has been wonderful holding this position over the past year, and I feel grateful for all the wonderful people I have met and the opportunities I have been given. To everyone that has read this blog, thank you for your support!

Your student ambassador Amber signing off!

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