If At First you don't Succeed...

Yesterday was my last day of fieldwork and that is equivalent to an internship. In the OT world, there are two levels. The first is when you basically observe under a clinician and the second is when you get to be an indentured servant for the state. Lol. For some reason, when I was getting my final evaluation from my Supervisors, I found myself getting teary eyed.

Then it dawned upon me, I was supposed to be graduating this May. Life took me for a loop two years ago to be exact. Fresh from college, I applied to a graduate program that boasted of its unique weekend program. I leaped at the opportunity to attend school on Fridays and Saturdays while still being able to work almost fulltime. It was a match made in heaven...at first.

I have always been a good student and I didn't think I would have a problem. Not going to school until Fridays caused me to procrastinate until Thursdays. The material we learned was crammed into six-eight hour days (every other weekend) which was equivalent to other programs who had classes every day for 2-3 years. Suddenly the "good" student was struggling. Of course, failing never crossed my mind. It also never occurred to me that I was getting way too much information at one time and it wasn't being reinforced quickly enough.

In this particular program, more than 3 B- were grounds for dismissal from the program. I got 2 B- and one C. I had no idea I was getting dismissed. Sure all the signs were there, but I thought they would give me another chance. I would be a great OT and plus it wasn't like I was failing. The day I got dismissed was a hazy, bleary, and tearful blur. Going to OT school was in my five year plan and I had no idea what I was going to do, not to mention that I had to break the news to my parents.

To make a long story short, I was depressed for a while but I was determined to get back into school. I wasn't ready to call it quits. I applied to my current school who were appalled that with my grades, I had been dismissed in the first place. But could I really blame them, they had their standards and I guess I fell below.

I loved the new program and that was truly a match made in heaven. Transitioning wasn't easy. I had to go to school Monday-Friday practically all day and that cut into my working time. Actually I was forced to work only on the weekends so I was barely making any money. That first year was a financial hell, to say the least.

So my last fieldwork represented how far I have come. I'm not as far as I could've been but I didn't give up. Don't worry, this time next year, I will be an occupational therapist.