time flies

spring break is almost over...and I am sad

My "No Break" Spring Break

So, as it turns out my spring break hasn't turned out to be what I expected.... actually it hasn't been a break at all to be completely honest. Last week was brutal as I completed papers for midterms and studied for my economics exam. Then, on Friday I had a job fair....the Friday that I "supposed" to sleep in. Then over the weekend I spent my time preparing for the Latino/a Social Work Caucus Silent auction because I am the committee chair. During that time I did squeeze in some fun ...but nevertheless there just isn't a real break. I also had to make recruitment calls during the weekend for my research assistant job. In addition, to all of the abovementioned I have internship this Monday and Wednesday and as it turns out I have two job interviews in the next week which I completely didn't expect. Now I find myself doing research to be prepared for my interviews and I've been polishing my CV and resume. However, I am yearning for a break! Seriously, this weekend I really need at least one day where I do NOTHING related to school, work, or internship.

Spring Break! Finally....

So Spring Break is finally here! With three huge midterm papers due on the same day I almost thought I wouldn't make it. I had a 15 pg. paper due in policy, a 15 page paper due in practice, and a 6 pg. scholarly analysis due in human behavior. I think I sat at my computer for an entire week straight. In my entire academic career, I have never felt pressure like I did this past week. Needless to say, Spring Break came at the perfect time. All I've done so far is shop, rent movies, and lay by the pool in this beautiful 87 degree So. Cal. weather. I love it! Time to rest up before the final stretch of final papers. I finally had an opportunity to get my hair done, spend time with my grandparents, and hang out with my friends from high school. This weekend was just what I needed. Unfortunately, the rest of the week will be a little more stressful since I have to go to internship on Mon and Wed, and write another long research paper that's due by Fri., but at least I won't have to go to class. I'm honestly a little burnt out on school right now. I just need to get through the next 7 weeks, and the nice, long summer break will soon be here!

Job Searching

I have officially entered the stage in the graduating student’s life know as, “oh dear, I have to find a job…no seriously I have to find a job.” Yesterday, I attended the job fair that is open to graduating MSW student in the local area. The experience was an interesting one. I was able to scope out who my competition is and I was able to distinguish what makes USC students different from student from other MSW programs. I found that the fact that we have an array of concentrations and dual degree programs really allows us to distinguish ourselves.

The job fair was pretty interesting, and I found a few positions that I am truly interested in. So, I have spent the last three hours revamping my resume and my curriculum vitae, and I submitted my application materials for one of those positions. I was really happy to find at least two positions that will allow me to continue doing research as it is one of my passions and two that would allow me to conduct research within the Latino/a community, which is an area that I am highly interested in. However, I seriously do not feel like I’m on spring break as I sit here and try to strategize about my job seeking process. I even developed a job position excel worksheet to track the status of the various jobs I’m applying for and the requirements of the job. I have come to realize that finding a job that truly fits my interests is particularly challenging because we can do so much as social workers. I have found myself at a cross roads professionally speaking because I can take the research route, the clinical route, or the public administration route, and I just can’t choose so I decided to apply to at least two jobs that fit in each of the abovementioned categories, and then I’ll take it from there.

I finally figured it out!!!

Today is not just another day for me. After 6 months of being in Southern California I finally figured out how to use 5 freeways, the 110. 101, 10, 5, and 405. I am so excited. Being from out of town is a bit intimidating at first, especially with California drivers. I used to put on my blinker to get into another lane in anticipation that someone would let me in...now I just simply put on my blinker and move in. Defensive driving is an essential part of the transportation system in L.A.
In other news, totally unrelated to driving I met with my field liaison and my field supervisor to evaluate my performance in my placement. I was a little nervous but all went well. I had great feedback that basically affirmed that social work is the right profession for me. I am really enjoying my placement. I am working with low income families and my clients ages range from 11-26 years old. I was pretty lucky to get the population demographics that I am interested in since you don't get to choose your first placement. Working with this population has been challenging at times don't get me wrong. I have a great supervisor who is always available when I need her. However, the best advice that I have received yet is to seek your own therapy when issues come up. My advisor called the MSW program an "emotional boot camp". Something I did not understand until I experienced my own counter transference with a client. It has been hard for me to work with this population. Even though it is my chosen profession does not mean that I have it all together. I grew up in a upper middle class family, and had the privileges that many Americans dream of. Therefore, becoming culturally competent with severely impoverished families was a struggle, it was something I had never seen being that I live in a suburb of a larger city but not as large as Los Angeles by any means. It is okay to struggle with your own issues as long as you identify them, self-awareness is a tool that I have come to utilize and it has gotten me through some really tough times.

Information Overload!

Hey All,

I just wanted to do a quick check-in as my time is limited at this point due to midterms. I have my economics exam which I have been preparing for over the past three weeks, and its time to take it today. I hope all goes well, but seriously I have overloaded my poor lil' brain with postmodern microeconomics concepts that I probably won't be using after my exam. Anywho, I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on a harsh week that is almost over. Once I get through today, I will be home free but til' then I have to continue reviewing what seem to be endless notes on econ. : )

My long day! And a plug for the Out of Towner Support Group!

Do you know the feeling when you just can' t seem to get in the right mindset to write an important paper?? It's one I'm struggling with right now! I have a research paper due on Friday, and I've only written 2 out of the 7 pages! I need to find my motivation to do it since it's Tuesday already!!! Tonight, I want to write 2 more, and then 2 more on Wednesday, so that on Thursday, I can wrap it up, make a conclusion, and have a good paper! Today has just been a long day! In my policy class, we turned in our midterm paper, which I was really pleased with. (Although now since it's turned in...I should move onto the next part of my work for policy...composing personalized letters to send to California's state senators!) Then after that, I had an Out of Towners Group meeting, which was a lot of fun!

The Out of Towner's group was formed to help make "out of town" social work students feel more at home, connect an awesome group of people, and figre out how to get around Los Angeles! This group was a HUGE help when I first came to USC. Moving here without knowing anyone was scary, but getting to know people who were in the same boat REALLY helped. I was immediately connected with a bunch of people that I could easily relate to, since we all just moved far away from family and friends. In any case, at our meeting today, we were given a map, and we had to identify a bunch of cities!! It was a really fun game, despite the fact I lost. Oops! I've managed somehow thought right? :o) Then after that, we talked about one of our activies coming up (we're taking a tour of LA at night! We're going to locate some hot spots/highways/and hang out!) and then our leaders lead a great discussion about what is going on for us in our lives. We have two wonderful second year students that are leading the group. They are so supportive, accessible, and just all around winners. If you are coming to USC and are unfamiliar with the area and are looking to meet some cool people, I think joining the Out of Towners group is a good idea!

After the meeting, then I had to go to my next class...practice, where we had a guest speaker come in. The speaker was a leader of a battered women's shelter in the area, so it was really interesting hearing about her experience and the work she's done. She was also a great professional friend to make! (think about the job possibilities in the future! connections, connections!) Next, I booked on over to the main campus to have a meeting with the dean about some of the organizations on campus. I just got home, quickly ate some left overs, and am now onto homework! Woo!! What busy day for me! 12 hours long of stuff! :o) Get ready kids, this is quite the ride, but it's a lot of fun.

The perfect Balancing Act!!!

This past weekend was lovely. I had a friend come into town and enjoyed a weekend full of fun. However, I neglected my readings, my papers and my other responsibilities. It was fun to take some time and entertain a friend while she was in town, but trying to play catch up is a lot harder than it looks. With spring break nearing it seems all the papers are due and the pressure is on to get it all done. There seems to be a never-ending amount of reading to be done and as many professors will tell you, sometimes all you can do is triage the readings. I understand that having a perfect balance is almost impossible but it seems having a healthy balance is almost required. I have heard many of peers say that they too feel obligated to entertain their friends when in town and feel guilty it they put their education before their peers, however does it have to be this black and white? Can you not have the best of both worlds? It seems to me that after a weekend full of fun and no work it is something that I too need to work on. Grad school is demanding, the amount of work is a lot more than undergrad and sometimes I feel as if all I do is work, work, and more work, but when I play...I play hard. I suppose there needs to be a balance between play time and work time.
Often times I talk to my clients about balance, yet I forget to practice it myself. Sometimes following your own advice is the best feedback ever. This week is filled with reading, papers and fieldwork, which means that it is time to get down to business and work towards a better tomorrow. A lesson has been learned today, that if I play hard all weekend the following week is going to be filled with anxiety, headaches and plain old exhaustion. The next time a friend comes into town, I think it best to enjoy some quality time together but plan a head the week before and make sure that my goals are attainable for the following week. Playtime is great fun but make up time is simply NOT!!!

Spring Break is Near I can feel it!

So Spring Break start Friday and I am so excited for the time off from school. This semester is brutal. This week alone is crazy. I am working on a teen violence group for my placement, my policy paper is due tomorrow along with a presentation, my scholar analysis is due tomorrow for behavior, I have to work on my 12 page practice paper that is due on Friday, my research quiz and design assignment is due Thursday and on top of all this I have people visiting me all this week. Craziness, absolutely crazy. At this point I'd say I am a bit stressed. I find myself talking really fast and loud, as if this is suppose to ease my suffering. Anyways, it will all get done eventually, it's just a matter of how much I will end up torturing myself by waiting till the last minute. (DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE NIGHT BEFORE TO DO A PAPER). Very stressful! I digress, like I said before it will be over soon and I will be able to relax for a bit, catch up on some homework and have a little fun. Can't wait but for now it's back to work!

Up late and thinking

Up late with my friend, and only a third way through my goals for the night. Why do I do that....set my goals way too high? I guess if I didn't, I wouldn't get anything done.

Anyways, I was speaking to my friend...who is at the moment sitting across from me...at 3am...stressed as I am. She is in the Mental Health Concentration. We came to realize and were amazed that we really are studying immensely different topics. Currently, she's writing a paper on eating disorders and I'm writing one on reinventing the government.

I know they say, "in the end, it doesn't matter which concentration you choose," but I think it really does matter. It matters because our education takes such different paths. Therefore, it makes it that much more important to TAKE THE TIME to ask yourself: "where do my interests lie, what would challenge me, and in what concentration would I learn the most?"

A mentor told us...pick a concentration that is in a topic that you like so much you definitely wouldn't mind studying more of it, or go into a concentration that you are interested in but know nothing about so that you're challenged. I chose the challenge route...and I have to say that since then, there has not been one day that has gone by, where I regret making that decision....GO COPA!!!!

SPRING BREAK is almost here!

It is finally Friday and the week before spring break is almost here. There are a lot papers due this coming week and that can be stressful at times, but just thinking about spring break seems to get me through it. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy writing papers because we get to choose our topics and that makes it quite enjoyable, however a break is much needed too. I am fortunate that my field has allowed work two Friday’s so that I can take the week off and go home. Being so far away from home is hard sometimes. Yet, it seems we have a break every 3 months where we can go home or take a break from school for a long weekend and enjoy the sunny weather and take some time out for ourselves.
Anyways, as spring break approaches due dates for papers are fast approaching. I cannot believe that we are almost 3/4 of the way done with the 2006-2007 school year. It seems like just yesterday I was packing up my car and making the long drive to L.A. I remember the day that I left feeling so scared that I would not make any friends and that the year would go by so slow. WOW...was I wrong, it seems like the year has just flown by and as for friends everywhere I walk on campus I run into someone I know. It is such a great feeling to know that you are not alone and that everyone is on your team. The year is not over but it soon will be and the thought of not seeing these people of the summer has a bit of a "bummer" feeling. It is amazing how close you get with these people when you are in classes twice a week with them and many of you are experiencing the same feelings. Life turns out to be pretty wonderful sometimes. :)

Done with financial aid! (well...almost!)

Today was a great day because I turned in all my forms to the financial aid office! Early in the week, I completed my FAFSA on-line, and then today, I just had to turn in my tax returns and my supplemental financial aid form for graduate students. Standing in line is kind of a pain, but it only took twenty minutes, which wasn't too unbearable! :o) When I got to the front of the line and gave her my forms, she asked me for my W2....the one thing I DIDN'T have. Boo! So tomorrow, my Mom is going to be the best mom ever and fax it in for me. Of course, tomorrow is the deadline, and I'm sure the fax line will be packed, but hopefully it will all work out! I'm just glad it's done and I've turned it (well most of it!) in! Thank goodness! Financial aid is a lot of work, and sometimes it's a little stressful because you have so many other things you have to do too. But it's a part of the USC graduate experience! Or if you are really lucky and don't have to deal with financial aid...well...let me know...we can talk about how you are going to help me fund this expensive endeavor! Of course, it's all worth it. There are moments when you panic for a few seconds, thinking "Oh my goodness, I'm never going to pay this all back! It's going to take YEARS!" and then you go, "Yeah, but I've learned so much, and I'm really happy I'm at one of the top ten institutions in the nation." At least, that's what works for me. :o) My advice for you though is to get it done as quickly as possible, when you aren't busy with work. The FAFSA form only takes about an hour the first time you do it...but luckily for me, I just had to basically renew my last one, so it took like...10 minutes! Small victories people! Hahaha. Just stay on top of everything and it's manageable. You'll get it done...we always do. Just try to do it with as little stress as possible!