The Results Are In!

After much hard work and effort, phone calls, emails, and a waiting period that has seemed like an eternity, I have finally heard back from several of the graduate schools that I applied to! I am very happy to announce that I have decided upon....drumroll, please....my very own alma mater, Rockhurst! 

The day my acceptance letter arrived in the mail, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I opened the envelop. Thankfully the first word on the letter was Congratulations, which sent a wave of relief throughout my body, quickly followed by a surge of excitement! I think I just stood where I was, staring at the letter, until I finally processed what had happened. My first choice!

The reasons why I wanted to remain at Rockhurst are not only because it is the shortest driving distance from home (2 1/2 hours), that I already have the Rockhurst Speech-Language Pathology fleece jacket, or that the cookie twisters here are to die for. I feel that I have received a wonderful undergraduate education at Rockhurst, from some very smart and experienced professors. I love the fact that I am living in a city with over 90 different sites in which I can observe, volunteer, and/or potentially work at some day! While I did debate, for a time, on whether or not I should go out and experience what another school could be like, Rockhurst just seemed to feel right.

Now that I have a sense of security for next year’s plans, I feel more at peace and able to enjoy the last quarter of my senior year. It has absolutely flown by, but I want to enjoy as much as I can before I blink again!

Up, Up and Away!

One incredible spring break adventure that I forgot to mention in my last post was that I went skydiving. That's right, skydiving!! Ok, so maybe it was a skydiving simulation, but this experience sure didn't fail to send my adrenaline pumping. At the conclusion of our Disney World vacation, we were on our way back to the airport when we passed by a building with a sign that said "Ifly." Upon recognizing the building, David's dad pulled the car into the parking lot and told us about his experience at a similar indoor skydiving location. After hearing his story, I was sold on trying it out myself...for the most part. I must admit that I got a case of cold feet once I observed a group ahead of us. The skydivers each took turns flying in a glass tunnel, with air blowing up through the bottom. The tunnel looked a little intimidating! I saw a huge fan at the very top and couldn't help but be reminded of the scene in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when Grandpa Joe and Charlie nearly hit the fan in the burping tunnel. However, the maneuvers the flyers practiced seemed very simple, and my confidence began to rise when I realized that I could surely do the same (that, and the flyers were no where near the daunting fan!)
Before we could hop in the flying tunnel, we attended a little session where we were taught how to fly. The instructor had each person practice the position we were to use in the tunnel, which was basically laying on your stomach with arms out to your sides but hands in front of you, and legs bent. We practiced and practiced until I was pretty sure I could instruct a class on it myself.  We were given jumpsuits, helmets, goggles, and earplugs, and we headed to the tunnel.
The confidence I felt in our practice session was just about equal to my floppiness inside the tunnel. Everything that I had learned left me once the wind hit my body, and my muscles couldn't seem to figure out how to move! Thankfully the instructor was in there helping to position us. At one point, my body figured out what it was doing and I was flying solo- that is, until I felt myself going higher and higher. I tried to maintain my position but the thought of the spinning fan that hovered above me made me crumple and fall. I may or may not have smacked into the wall once...or twice...
I quickly realized that indoor skydiving was much more difficult than it appeared, and that I would not only need practice to gain skills in it, but private instruction! But I will say that I had a blast. And now that I conquered indoor skydiving, who's to say that my next adventure won't be the real thing??

Days at Disney

Although it fell early this year, I was more than ready for spring break. With the arrival of Friday afternoon, David and I wasted no time in kicking off our week-long break. As soon as my last class of the day ended, I ran home to grab my suitcase, and before I knew it I was on a plane flying to the happiest place on earth...Disney World!

This time around, we spent most of our time at Epcot and Magic Kingdom. We were able to travel around the different countries at Epcot, take a ride with Peter Pan, Nemo, and Winnie the Pooh, and have our photos taken with Mickey and his friends! What I think I like most about Disney World is that while it's geared towards children, there are a lot of neat things for older kids and adults to enjoy, whether it's roller coasters or attractions that are educational but fun at the same time.

I had a great time while in Florida, and now I feel refreshed and rejuvenated and ready to tackle the second half of the semester!

A Day at the Capitol

Last week, the Communication Sciences and Disorders department took a field trip Jefferson City, MO, where we participated in Legislative Day at the Capitol. I was pretty excited to go- I couldn’t remember the last time I went on a field trip! Legislative Day is sponsored by MSHA (Missouri Speech-Language and Hearing Association) and it’s basically a day for speech pathology students to let their voices be heard.

Leading up to this day, the senior seminar class wrote letters to our representatives, either asking for support of, or discontinued support of, a particular bill. There are many current bills relating to the health care profession, and many of them affect our field or the individuals we will one day serve. The bill that I asked my representative to support was one that called for familial involvement in treatment plans for the elderly. I know I don’t exactly have many years of experience under my belt, but from the observations that I have made, it is plain to see how much family and good social support can help with a healing/treatment process.

Once we arrived at the Capitol, we were allowed to sit in on a Legislative session. We got to see the representatives talk about certain bills and introduce special guests. It was pretty interesting, yet vastly different from what I was expecting! I assumed it would be a very formal process. What I saw, however, was a room full of very relaxed individuals, texting on their phones and chatting to each other. After the session we hand-delivered our letters to the representatives that we wished to address. Unfortunately, mine was out of the office so I wasn’t able to speak with him.

Overall I thought this was a very good experience. It made me realize just how much political advocacy plays a role in the field of speech-language pathology- something that I hadn’t really thought of before. And I must say, the feeling of missing out on classes to go on a field trip wasn’t too shabby either. 

Senior CSD Majors

Switched at Birth

Recently I've been spending my free time catching up on the abc family TV show, "Switched at Birth." This show is about two teenage girls who found out they were (can you guess?) switched at birth, and how their lives continue to change as their families try to grow closer to one another. What I find most interesting about this show, however, is that one of the girls is Deaf. Being a speech-language pathology student, I get so excited when a popular TV show centers itself around a topic that is right up my alley! I've taken a couple sign language courses here at Rockhurst as part of my major, (by an awesome professor I might add- if you ever need to fill an elective, I strongly recommend these classes!) and through learning about the Deaf culture and how they communicate, I've really grown to love it. I see a lot of what I learned in class included in this TV show, and I must admit I'm becoming rather addicted to it! It's really cool to see how the main character signs with her friends at a Deaf school, and the way she handles everyday situations that I take for granted. Also, this show actually takes place in Kansas City! They mention places like Loose Park, Swope Park, the Plaza, and Mission Hills. It feels so weird when I recognize a location that they're at! 

Although I'm not all the way caught up yet, I'm getting closer. If you ever get the chance I recommend watching it. It airs on Tuesdays at 7:00.

http://abcfamily.go.com/shows/switched-at-birth

You Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me

Of the 22 birthdays that I've experienced, I think I can honestly say that this year has been the best yet. My actual birthday was Monday, February the 6th, but the weekend preceding it was chalk-full of fun, family, and friends. Because there's so much to talk about, I think I'll go with bullet points for this entry.

Friday:
- Attended a movie party featuring the final Harry Potter movie- put on by Rockhurst's Student Activities Board and Campus Ministry. This party was complete with truffles, cupcakes, dip, puppy chow, and of course, butterbeer! 


Saturday:
- Went to City Market in the morning and bought my fruits and veggies for the week
- Got lunch with David and his family
- Went to mass at Visitation- my favorite church in the KC area
- Ate a delicious homemade meal with friends
- Saw Aladdin the musical at the Kauffman Center for Performing Arts! I hadn't been to this theater before, and I have to say that I was very impressed. The architecture on the outside kind of reminded me of the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The inside looked very modern, with curvy walls and really neat seating. The musical was very cute. It was geared towards children, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite character by far was the Genie- some things never change :)

- Afterwards, we got ice cream at Winsteads

Sunday:
- SLEPT IN!!! WOOHOO
- Got lunch with my parents. It made me so happy that they drove 2 1/2 hours to see me on my birthday! I am so blessed
- Watched the movie, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I thought it was a great movie. I liked how it included a young boy with Asperger's Syndrome, and I thought it was portrayed very well. I recommend it- except be sure to bring tissues!
- Celebrated the Superbowl with my housemates. It was a great time! We had so many delicious foods, and we really enjoyed the commercials!

An Underground Run

Today marked the 30th annual Groundhog Run, and it was my pleasure to experience this event for the very first time. The Groundhog Run is a race- which includes a 5K and a 10K- hosted by Children's TLC (Therapeutic Learning Center). Those who participate assist in fundraising for Children's TLC, a school that provides educational and therapeutic services to children with disabilities. The race takes place in an underground venue, which really makes the "Groundhog" experience come to life. 

Although I wasn't brave enough, (and let's be honest...in shape), to run the race, I did volunteer with a group of classmates from my CSD senior seminar class. Our task was to work at a water station, providing water to thirsty runners. It was actually a much more stressful job than I anticipated! We definitely weren't prepared for the rush of runners during the 5K, so we had to work pretty fast. By the time the 10K began, however, we had mastered the art of filling water cups. Overall, it was a really good experience. We actually met a runner who was an alum of Children's TLC from 1972, which I thought was really cool. Throughout the race, runners who stopped by our table were so appreciative of our help, which made me feel like I was doing something meaningful. If I remain in Kansas City next year, the Groundhog Run is definitely something I would like to help out with again- whether I choose to run in it or, most likely, volunteer again!