Year One is Done

Year one of grad school is complete! It has been for a few weeks but as per usual I am late at blogging about it. Technically during the summer we start considering ourselves 2nd years but to me it's still the end of the first year not the beginning of the second year.

The summer session has left me questioning some things. Mainly what population do I want to work with. I thought I was pretty decided on wanting to work with adults. Then I had two children clients and I really enjoyed it. I dressed up like a pirate and went on a treasure hunt, dressed like princesses (which just ight have included me putting on an old prom dress one day), played games, hopscotch, made cookies, and went skating! Working with kids can be fun. Working with adults contains a bit more structure. So the big question now is "adults or children?"

I know it doesn't have to be an either/or, and I'll actually have more opportunities with a desire and willingness to work with any age, but I guess I just wanted to find a job and just love it so much that I stay at it forever. Oh well.

I've had teachers and supervisors talk about getting excited about meeting certain researchers or people in the field. I didn't think I would ever get that interested in a person in the field. After working on the research paper and seeing the names Munroe and Derwing so much I want to meet them. They seem to be some of the leading researchers in accent and intelligibility/comprehension of non-native English speakers. I read several of their articles but there are even more I wasn't able to. SLP nerd status: achieved. Let's not talk any more about that research paper though. I'm not happy with it.

Year two of grad school will begin in 2 weeks! Ahh! I think the fall semester will be pretty relaxed though. Only 2 classes (Early Intervention and Dysphagia). 2 days I'll be at Promise Hopsital all day. I have strobe (stroboscopy) clinic which I'm pretty excited about. And the final four weeks of clinic I'll have AR (auditory rehabilitation). I need to be proactive about this semester though and not let myself get lazy because it seems to be a relatively easy one with lots of "free time."