A Week in the Life…

of a first year Speech Language Pathology graduate student (2nd semester).

 

[photo credit]

MONDAY, February 10th

12pm Independent Study Class. Work on research project that will be presented as a Poster Session at the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing conference in April.

4:10pm Neurogenic Speech Disorders Class. We learn about the “neural structures that are responsible for speech, the types of neurogenic disorders that impair speech production, and appropriate assessment and treatment strategies for ethnically and culturally diverse patients with motor speech disorders.”

6:40pm Early Intervention Class. We learn to assess and treat language disorders in children ages 0-5.

Day ends at 8:30/9pm.

TUESDAY, February 11th

8:30am-3:30pm Clinic at Charter School

(Administer assessment to student [Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-4], provide therapy for remaining caseload of 8 students)

4:30pm- 5:30pm Aphasia Support Groups (adults)

6:40pm-8:30pm Stuttering TEST!

Day ends at 8:30/9pm.

WEDNESDAY, February 12th

12:30pm Brown Bag Lunch with Occupational Therapy students. (as part of Clinical Practicum class)

4:10pm- 6:30pm Sociolinguistics Class. We learn the basis for “understanding language and cultural variation and applications for the clinical process in communication disorders.”

THURSDAY, February 13th

12pm Review Assessment for Comps (Independent)

Study for upcoming Neurogenic Speech Disorder midterm

FRIDAY, February 14th

9am Early Intervention Observation- Home visit.

Then I wake up the week after and do it all over again!

What’s a typical week look like for you?

[Preaching] Break

Dear Future Graduate Student,

If you’re anything like me, you’re an over-analyzer. You do your research before you dedicate to anything, or at least anything that will require substantial time or money. Graduate school is just like any academic endeavor; it’s not a light decision. It will be trying and it will stretch your human capabilities, but hard work does reap great benefits. Your hope is that the reward or end result will reap fruit for years to come. Future graduate student, whether you’ve been accepted/rejected or pending/preparing… I believe in you.

Even if you don’t feel like you measure up, or that you’re not smart enough. Push.

Can’t afford graduate school? Apply.

Second-guessing yourself about your career path? Pray.

Feel like you’ll never get into your dream school? Lies. And deception.

My point is: don’t limit God.

I’m a living testament that God works. How so? A few months ago, I applied to 4 graduate schools, and received 2 rejections. My self-esteem dropped real low when the same institution I had received my pre-requisites from didn’t accept me! Little did I know that rejection led to notice that I had gotten accepted to the last 2 schools. It’s not over until the fat lady sings, as they say.

The kicker is that I got accepted to my dream school. Knowing I could never cover tuition (even with a loan) I applied for a fellowship, and I got it! As long as I keep my GPA up– I’m covered until I graduate. You can’t tell me God doesn’t exist.

We have an advocate working on our behalf all the time, even when feel alone, forgotten and unworthy. Just step out on faith, and expect God to show up!

It has taken me a while to OWN my blessings, to understand THIS is the time, my future has begun. I’ve been hesitant to say where I am at this point in my life. But I can’t hide it anymore.

I’m a first-year graduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at a Historically Black University.

I’m a graduate clinician.

But above all,

I’m happy.

Future Graduate Student- so can you!!

Until…

For most of my academic life I’ve indulged in the priviledge curse of not being challenged enough. Not having to put too much effort into my degrees because for the most part what I chose came natural to me; writing and literature. I can honestly say that I’ve not experienced much true competition in life. I was not good at many sports, and to this day I’m anti-confrontation in more than one sense of the word. I attended City colleges and universities with minimal requirements in terms of admission. It didn’t take much to get accepted. The awesome thing about City college/universities is that they try not to turn people away, they want to be all-inclusive. It was an ideal start for me in 2004, as an immigrant with no real status in the United States. Eventually I got a merit-based scholarship, but the college work was easy peasy. I was an Honor’s Graduate (a great achievement- I sat on stage during graduation) but at an Associate College level, generally not very hard to do. What was the trade-off of my undergraduate education? Did I sacrifice a rigorious course load, professors who push and intimdate students to the point that they become more than sheep sitting in a classroom, and the opportunity to hear someone say “You went to SuchandSuch school, that’s impressive!”? I’m not sure, and I guess I will never know.

I’ve coasted. But a new leaf has turned.

My emergence into the Speech Language Pathology field was a little naivee. I really thought as a degree-bearing student the learning would come easier to me. But it’s been a ride, and last fall I was definitely in for a rude awakening. Last semester’s courseload made me question whether or not to even continue because if I struggle in undergraduate classes then how can I really expect to survive graduate school? Now that Graduate School decisions are still in reserve, and my future is in the hands of faculty-committees who decide if someone looks great on paper, and presents themselves with what they think it takes to be a successful clinician I wonder if I’ve been pushed to my potential in life. And if institutionally (or academically) I haven’t been pushed to my potential in the past then is there a way for ME to push myself now? Right now, when it matters most?

I’ve met my First Real Competition. I don’t know if Graduate School acceptance can be crossed off the short-term goal list yet. But, it’s not over.

Unequivocally,

She

7 Things I Learned from going back to School (At 26)

1. The concept of school was more appealing from a distance.
2. Nobody knows (and/or cares) how old you are.
3. Studying is painful, honed skill. It also has the word ‘dying’ in it.
4. Friend-making is harder now that you’re older and discriminant.
5. You’ll wonder if some classes should have really been called: Autodidacticism 101.
6. There will be days you also wonder if you’re the only one in the library.
7. No matter what, working towards a new goal beats the dead-end job blues.