A WEEK AGO I THOUGHT THIS DAY could not come soon enough. We finished our last class of the semester on Saturday at approximately 1:15 p.m., and several of us went to celebrate at a nearby restaurant. Although most of us were wiped out from working late into the night for a couple of weeks, it felt good to break bread with my classmates.
There is something very comforting about knowing that I am not alone in this process. Yeah, we all have to produce our own work, and we spend a lot of time alone with our books and computers, but it's nice to know that others are walking the walk with me.
At the celebration, we vented and commiserated and laughed, and talked about our accomplishments. It was good to put some closure on one of the toughest semesters we've had. One assignment that held our feet to the fire involved a semester-long research project that involved creating a research tool for a client, and it culminated with the writing of a 15-plus-page research paper, a brief, as well as the creation of a poster, and a presentation of our findings.
Everyone who presented did an amazing job. I was very proud of my classmates, and I felt good about my work, too. In the end, I actually felt like I learned a lot, and I came away with a deeper understanding of single subject research design.
Our other classes were interesting, too. From field instruction to clinical to crisis intervention, we are taking our final steps toward becoming professional social workers. After 15 short weeks beginning in January, we will complete our graduate degrees.
For now, however, I am taking a long-needed break from all of it. I plan to relax, sleep in, watch movies, read fiction, spend time with my husband, dog, and friends. I might do some deep-cleaning of the house if I get motivated. I hope to exercise and hang out. We have a trip to the mountains planned.
I'm sure I'll do a bit of planning for the final semester. But just for today, I plan to take a deep breath, exhale, and do a whole lot of nothing!
~Ms. T. J.
<span style="">Thanks for sharing! I will finish my last class this week...Yeah!!! I had an Abnormal Psychology class that really gave me a run for my money. We had to do case report every week, with approximately 10 pages long. This class consumed most of my time, compared to the other classes. The good news – I learned a lot and I’m almost finished!! I will be celebrating this weekend!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take care!</span>
ReplyDelete:-D I am so excited for you T.J.!!! You are almost there!!! I thought about you on Saturday, as I sat and worked on some readings for my Human Behavior & Social Enviorment: Life Course class. Oh how I can not wait to be done with my BSW in a little over a year!!! I find relieving to know that there are other students (younger and older than me) who have the same stressors that I have as a social work major. Enjoy your time off! You need it!!
ReplyDeleteShould or Shouldn't I go to grad school? That is the question right now.
ReplyDelete-I have not applied to any Grad schools, but have three in mind.
-I have a family, no job & loans fr undergrad which I finish next week.
-But the question is can I continue esp. having to attend class on campus with younger, often unfocused, students.
-Thinking of group work which I hate due to younger students that never want to get the work done until near the end.
-The endless boring lectures of out of touch, bias, unapproachable professors.
Social Workers out there.......help
Oretha-
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear from you. By now you are almost finished. Congrats to you and I hope you have a great celebration.
~Ms. T. J.
Hi BSW~
ReplyDeleteYou are almost there! It will go faster than you can imagine, and at times, it will feel as if it will never be over! Yes, there are so many of us students out here, and isn't it great to know we are all in it together, in some ways?
~Ms. T. J.
Sista~
ReplyDeleteIt's great to hear from you.
If I've learned one thing during this graduate school journey, it's that I have a goal, and I must keep my eyes on the prize. I can't compare myself to others, nor can I always count on others to help me when I need it.
I have had to learn how to take care of myself, who I can trust and count on when the gong gets tough (and it will), and where NOT to look for support.
Sometimes the best lessons are hard-won, and there is no exception to that rule when it comes to getting a Master's degree.
I wish you only the best in your quest for answers.
~Ms. T. J.
Congrats TJ!
ReplyDelete