Refreshed!!

I finished both of my online classes with As. :) And I also got into BIOL 111 and CHEM 111 for the fall at the local uni. I'm #2 on the waiting list for anatomy, so we'll see if I get into that or not.

Now I need to get my loan in order, and then I will be set. Things are falling into place for PT, and I'm glad. I can do this.

The beach was great. I've never been to Myrtle Beach before, but I absolutely LOVED it there. Waaaay better than VA Beach. It was so much fun being with the girls, although I missed Jon. Haha. We have lots of great stories, laughs and pictures (I put them up on facebook!) I guess I can chill a bit and just take it easy til school starts on August 31. Woohoo.

Progress...

Here are my announcements because my brain is tired and doesn't want to think in full sentences. :p

1. Going to the beach in 14 days.

2. Finishing first online class in 13 days. (So I can breathe a little before the beach.)

3. Trying to cram for my psych class to get it done in 13 days as well.

4. I know what classes I need for the fall, I just need to fight to get the overrides.

5. Andi (my kitty) will officially go to Jon's house (her home) this weekend.

6. I love the show, Cake Boss on TLC.

7. Still teaching pilates 2x a week.

8. Miss Spinning way too much.

9. Wish I had a real biking buddy to ride outside with.

10. I think that is all I can think of right now.

Ghandi rules...

i have a new motto:

be the change you wish you see in the world.
I'm trying to let go of my stress. I've been having a rough couple of weeks but I think I'm on the other side of it now.

First two pre-reqs...

I got home from NYC on Sunday evening, but I have definitely been having the week from hell this week. Ugh. New York was amazing, as if I expected it would be anything less. It's so hard to leave there. The only thing I look forward to when I come back is seeing my parents and whoever I left behind. (Usually my friends, but this time it was Johnny Ty!)

I'm taking two online classes. Developmental Psych and Prob & Stats. I just did Stats for 4 hours straight tonight. I have everything done for the week, except I need to finish reading the chapter and take the second quiz. But I definitely already read the other chapter, took the quiz, did my discussion board assignments and my excel homework assignments. (Not all tonight... Tonight I did the second chapter and the homework assignments on Excel.) So, just a little bit more and then I'm done. The Psych class isn't demanding at all, which is nice, but I do need to pick up the book and read the next couple chapters.

K, I'm going to bed so I can get up at a reasonable time to do more school work. YES! Can't wait. Ewwww.

How to do it...

PT school figuring out is going. I'm not going to be able to fit all the credits I need into one year... Too many sciences, but I am tempted to try to do it anyway. I'm so impatient. Might be around home for 2 more years before I head to the city for 3 years of schooling.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to get a class or two this summer, although I already have a trip to NYC and a beach trip, so that's probably going to mess with what summer sessions I can attend...

Gotta get a good number of volunteer/shadowing hours in. It would be pretty sweet if I could get a job at a PT place so I could make money and get hours in at the same time.

Sometimes this adventure is so exciting I can't wait to begin it and other times I am so scared! But, I can't let fear stop me. This is my life and I've got to live it!

So... Hi

My week from h-e-l-l is over. Actually, that's a lie. I had a really good week, it was just really, really, really busy.

It's been awhile since I've written and I've been doing a lot of soul-searching. One of the reasons I wanted to go into exercise science was because all along I've been thinking about pursuing physical therapy. I thought I could use an exercise science degree to bridge myself into the health field. But, since that didn't happen, I have been thinking about other things.

I was looking at physical therapy school and it's expensive, really expensive. So, I thought maybe I would like to do a PTA program. I went up to a community college about an hour or so from my house and visited with the program head to talk about my desires to become a part of the PT world. After talking with him I felt a little more confident, maybe I can do this! So, I decided to call up a family friend, who is a physical therapist and do some shadowing with her. After spending 3 full (12 hour days) with her, I have pretty much come to a new conclusion. PTA is selling myself short.

I am a smart girl, and I've never really overly-challenged myself. I have had... oh, I don't know 3 people tell me to go for full PT and not to just do the Assistant.

2 of the 3 people told me that I'm a natural leader and should do PT, because I lead well. (I actually like to follow in some instances, but I suppose I can lead too. I like both sides.)

All of the people told me that I'm too smart for PT Assistant. Which, I guess is nice.


So...great! Right? Well, there is a big downfall... I am missing quite a number of core classes required for Physical Therapy school. I have to take about a year's worth of science courses before I could apply to PT school... This is going to be hard. PTA is less debt, less time but won't pay as well... I see pros and cons in both the positions, and I want to make the best choice for me.

The one really cool thing about physical therapy school is that it is now a doctorate degree. So, I would graduate with a clinicial doctorate and become a DPT.

Oh, and just in case anyone suggests it- there are only 3 programs in the entire USA that you can bridge from a PTA degree to a full PT... and I have been told by everyone that it is not a good idea to do.


So I have to decide one or the other. But, the more I think about it, the more I think I really want to push myself to do PT.

But, it's also going to cost me a shit-ton of money, which is deathly frightening to me. =/

Ok... Time to go lay down! I've been super lazy today and it has been fantastic!

New path... again

I think I've got it this time. Really, I do. Haha.

So- I am in the midst of getting into Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) school. Butler County Community College has a 2 year degree and they only accept 30 students. Last year there was a waiting list.


I've been emailing the program director back and forth all week long, he seems really nice. I'm going to go meet him in person on April 21st.

Before I apply I have to have 20 hours of volunteer/work experience under a licensed PT or PTA. Luckily, I know a lady pretty well that does this for a living; and has her own business.

So far I've gotten 3 hours in, and this coming week I should at least get 10+.

I'm getting it done as quickly as possible so that I can get that application turned in and get accepted.

The best part is for the first time since I've tried to change my career SOME OF MY CLASSES FROM IUP COUNT!!!! Woooohooooo! All my science, math and english courses count, plus my liberal studies (Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology...) So the only non-PTA classes I will take will be Anatomy & Physiology I and II.


So, keep your fingers crossed that I can get my hours super quick and get my application turned in, so I can hopefully get accepted!! (Also, Penn State DuBois has a program so I can try to get accepted there as well.)

The 3 hours I spent with the PTA and PT on Wednesday was awesome. It was EXACTLY how I thought it would be, which made me super, super excited! :)

So, yeah. New life plan #230498234098234. It's all good. I think this time I'm done. (I think... I hope. I can't take this too much longer.)