By: Jessica Shiel
Copyright 2011. Reprinted with the express permission of the author as it appeared on her blog Jezzabella’s OT Experiences
Editor’s Note: PediaStaff would like to welcome Jezzabella as a guest blog contributor. Jezzabella is a brand new OT student who has started blogging about her experiences in school. We thought it would be interesting to see what a student had to say. Hope you enjoy her perspective!
First of all welcome any new readers from PediaStaff, which is a metablog as well as a business among other things. Their blog is geared towards speech, physical, and occupational therapists. I am a Georgia girl who just started occupational therapy school today. I had been volunteering in the worlds of hippotherapy and special needs camps.
The first day of class will be tomorrow because today was just orientation. We were first introduced to the faculty and then to each other. The health center came in and told us about their services. Then the second years came to talk to us. They took questions and offered up some things to do around town. We each had as second year that was partnered with us. They brought us gifts. Mine was super sweet. She brought me a lot of candy, highlighters, a clipboard, and sticky notes among other things. She as well as many of the second years said the first few weeks will seem easy, but then October will hit and stress will build. The second years had just came back from camp and were very close. They seem to enjoy the program even though the lows. Then we had lunch. The last order of business for the day was going over the different policies. Not the most exciting thing, but it is over. We finished with questions. I was surprised by how many were on fieldwork and dressing for class. Fieldwork seems so far away, but it is definitely something everybody is excited about. Apparently, in fieldwork it is best to be flexible and they suggest going out of state. That surprised me, but they want us to learn the different laws. We have one teacher that does not like you to wear jeans to class, but mostly we can wear whatever unless we have a guest speaker.
Overall all the information was a little overwhelming, but it was good to be there. Everybody seemed to enjoy the program and I am glad to be part of the family. I’m ready to start learning.
Our Featured Guest Blogger: Jessica Shiel of Jezzabella’s OT Experiences
About the Author (from her blog): I am going to enter a Master’s Occupational Therapy program in Georgia in Fall ’11. I hope to impact the community with this career. I am also interested in crafting, baseball, and cooking.
Please support our contributors and visit Jesssica’s blog Jezzabella’s OT Experiences