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Becoming a Speech and Language Therapist

Monthly Archives: March 2018

Why this time of Year can be Challenging

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It’s usually at this time of year that I get pretty stressed out. I’ve noticed that since 2016- about halfway through the first year- things felt quite overwhelming and I struggled with feeling confident about what on earth I was doing at around this time.

This could be for a number of reasons. For most modules, we only have a few more weeks of teaching left; our brains are full of information that, fairly soon, we’re going to have to consolidate and get to grips with for our written exams. As someone who finds taking information in during lectures quite challenging, this is starting to feel like a bit of a daunting task. This year- like 2nd year- we’re also starting to think about filming therapy for our clinical exams. This involves getting consent from a client/their parent or carer, planning and delivering a session that you then watch back with your clinical tutors, delivering a verbal report about the session and then answer the tutors’ questions. Last year’s exam went pretty well and it definitely wasn’t as scary as I has anticipated on the day, but the work leading up to it (planning, consent, filming) means you have be to very organised. I think I have a student to film with, I’ve booked a camera, so I’m on the right track to being ready, but it’s still taking up a fair amount of headspace. I’m being given more sole responsibility for my therapy sessions, following up from last term’s groups and running training for school staff- all great opportunities and challenging to juggle.

I’m also starting to really think about exams. This may sound a little premature, considering they start in May. With a short attention span and motivation to get better grades than I achieved last year, I’m planning on putting some of the reading and consolidating notes before we enter the revision period at the beginning of April. I’m also working quite a lot; I’ve been promoted to a Senior Student Ambassador position, kind of like a team leader for student ambassadors who work at marketing events throughout the year. It means more opportunities to work at applicant and assessment days that are happening across the university. It is also a chance to get experience managing teams, thinking on your feet and talking to loads of new and enthusiastic propespective students, so it definitely keeps me feeling enthusiastic about university and the course.

So, yes, my head is a bit all over the place, but that’s OK. We have a reading week coming up, a chance to take a breather and get a couple of last written assignments done for the year. I’m making sure I’m doing the things that keep me calmer, like going to the gym, seeing my friends and taking time to do creative and cultural things. PLUS IT IS SNOWING I DON’T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED….. So I am off to sledge ever-so-safely down some south London hills.

 

 

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