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64. First Days of School
Today was a slightly strange experience. I had my first day of OT school, and it felt like kindergarten and freshmen year of college all at the same time. But it was different in many ways, thank goodness. We’ll start with kindergarten…
I’m semi moved back at home, living in Cerritos for the days I have class and so my parents are a lot more involved in my daily schedule and activities. It’s taking a little getting used to, and honestly, I need a lot more patience to deal with them sometimes, but I know they mean well. It’s just weird, giving them a far more detailed picture of my day than I’m used to or sometimes willing to give. So this morning as I leave for school, my mom goes, “Have a good first day!” and I really felt like kindergarten again. Like as if she packed my sack lunch and will be picking me up after school or something. (She did not do either, thank goodness). Here’s a picture I found of my first day of kindergarten. :)
Second, I really felt like a freshmen again. I’m in an unfamiliar campus, having to look up things on a map, and make new friends, and share my toys with the other kids. Oh wait no, that was kindergarten. But anyways, it’s a lot of unfamiliarity, anxiety not knowing where things are, if we’re going to be late, what the classes are like, what the teachers will be like. It was a weird dejavu.
But it was a good beginning nonetheless. Here were some ways it was not like kindergarten or freshman year.
1. You have the same exact schedule as your classmates. Therefore we’re gonna see each other each day, each class, doing everything together pretty much.
2. We all have the same end goal. Since I’ve figured out I want to be an OT, it’s been rare to find people who even know what that is, let alone an entire class of people actually wanting to become one. It’s really cool. :)
3. Everyone is not the same age, and I’m probably the youngest. Our class comprises of people just out of college, most probably late 20s, and some that are older who are making their 2nd, 3rd, or maybe 4th career changes. It’s weird knowing I’m the youngest, but people much older than me are still considered my peers and colleagues.
4. I’m commuting, and it makes me feel like I’m sorta in the work world having to fight through the traffic and time everything a little better.
Even though being in 18 units of school again is kind of tiring just thinking about it, I’m so thankful I’m here. I’m excited to get to know my classmates better, excited to learn a ton more about occupational therapy, and actually have classes that are geared for what I want to do. I can’t say I’ve had many of those at UCI. Also, I’m excited because all the work isn’t coming at me high speed yet. :P
