Back to School Bucket List

Where did summer go? There are only a few short weeks until I’m back on the school grind. I’m a little torn between being very excited, and also anticipating how crazy this semester is going to be. One of the differences I’ve noticed between year one and year two of OT school is how the newby nerves have calmed down. I was so excited and nervous to start grad school, this time around I feel a lot more relaxed and prepared.

As much as I love school, it’s important to forget about it for a while. After summer semester there is a lovely six week break between summer and fall. It has been amazing. I’ve been able to forget about classes, responsibilities, and studying. However, fall classes are right around the corner, so I decided to put together a bucket/getting-ready-for-fall list.

1. Go somewhere new. Getting out of Salt Lake for a few weeks always helps me push the refresh button. There is something thrilling about seeing a new piece of the world. Whether that’s in your home state, or on the other side of the country. Get outside and experience something different. Travel, whether it’s for a few weeks or a few days. Just go do something! I went on a mini camping trip to Bear Lake with my roommate. We had an amazing time exploring, swimming, and improvising our adventure. I think being uncomfortable in new situations is very healthy. It pushes you to do something different and be more independent. Also, I got to use my fire building skills that I learned during Summer semester, so double bonus.

   

   Bear Lake, UT

2. Read for the sake of reading. Very rarely as a graduate student you get to select what you want to read. Take the summer as an opportunity to read something NOT related to school. Enjoy every second that the reading you are doing is not a requirement of your program, rather that it’s something you get to do for you. You will never regret the time spent between the pages of a good book. One of the books I read was Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson. To say it was amazing is an understatement. She is hilarious, witty, and I wish I could write like her.
   
   

1. Spend lots of time with your family and friends. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve sent texts to friends during the semester apologizing for my lack of communication. It’s really hard to balance school and your social life. Granted, you should definitely make time to see your friends and family during the semester--it’s just more of a challenge. During the summer you have a lot more free time, spend it wisely.
2. Order your textbooks early. I hate getting through the first week of class and not having the required books. We’ve all procrastinated purchasing textbooks at some point--they are expensive and heavy and a little depressing to buy. I typically buy/rent my textbooks through Amazon.com. They are usually the cheapest and it’s really nice not having to go to the bookstore. Amazon also allows you to rent textbooks, so if you don’t want to keep your copy at the end of the semester you can send it back for a fraction of buying it. Here’s one of the pediatric books we are using this semester.
3. Get into a regular gym routine. I have the hardest time maintaining a consistent gym schedule during the semester. I love working out and reap the benefits of getting some serious exercise. But it’s easy to get overwhelmed with school and skip a day or two. Establish a routine before the chaos of the semester sets in, this will help keep you mentally, emotionally, and physically healthy. I like signing up for classes held at the Student Life Center, they are really inexpensive if you attend all the classes and keep me disciplined. During spring semester one of my classmates and I signed up for a TRX class together. It was awesome having a buddy to keep me motivated and accountable. Also, the U of U does a free week for all of their classes the first week of school. That way you can try out all the exercise classes for no cost. It’s a win-win.

All in all, I love the beginning of the year. I get overly excited/nerd out on everything I get to learn. I love what I do, and I love with whom I get to learn. What more can one ask for?