COTA Life @kat-bix-otas - Tumblr Blog

Sweet Cases Fundraiser

Hello! I'm doing this fundraiser for Together We Rise which raises money to supply kids in foster care with decorated duffel bags and includes necessity items (teddy bears, blankets, coloring books and crayons, and hygiene kits) so that they don't have to use trash bags to transport their belongings.

Once enough money is raised, some friends and I will be having an assembly party to decorate the inserts with drawings and motivational quotes and packing the items before sending the bags back to be given to kids! This provides kids in foster care with the care and items they need and deserve!

Here's a link to the fundraiser! I appreciate any support!

<p>This year, I have chosen to support Together We Rise in changing the way youth navigate through the foster care system with my online fun

#fundraiser #fundraising #donation #fostercare #love #togetherwerise #sweetcases

How Kinesiology Led to my ADHD Diagnosis

I've never struggled academically, until my last semester in my OTA program. I found myself struggling to understand concepts, putting off studying and lacking the motivation to study or do ANYTHING for that matter. But there I was, sitting on the couch doing nothing, full of anxiety about all the things I should be doing, COULD be doing, but unable to physically bring myself to get up.

I struggled in other areas of my life in a similar way, but I actually thought it was 'normal', that it was just how being an adult was. Being exhausted all the time and lacking the motivation to do anything productive, not having hobbies or a lack of interest in my old hobbies, really just being a shell of a person.

This was, obviously, not normal.

A friend recommended I get tested, due to my difficulty in grasping this darned kinesiology class, so I found a doctor and did. Turns out, I do indeed have ADHD-Primarily Inattentive. This explains why I had such a lack of interest in practically everything, give or take. I was prescribed medication, and low and behold, my brain fog cleared, my thoughts were linear instead of a jumbled mess of spaghetti, and I even started up my old hobbies again. Not to mention, my grades soared, even in kinesiology. I'll never forget that feeling of clarity, those emotions of "Why couldn't I have felt this sooner" and "Is this how normal is supposed to be?". It brought me to tears, knowing that it was possible for me to function normally, to live. A whole new world opened up.

I still have my problem areas (medication doesn't fix everything), but it did give me the functionality to be able to research and plan and organize so that I utilize my time efficiently and productively.

I finally feel capable, driven, motivated, free.

#adhd #primarilyinattentiveadhd #studentlife #OTA #COTA #kinesiology #occupational therapy #late diagnosed adhd #motivation

First Year

Year One... Complete!

This year was full of trials and tribulations but was also one of the most fulfilling, educational, and motivating years I have ever had. I am an 'older' student, having already been to college in years past, but it didn't pan out the way I had expected when I was younger. I started working in a job I found was emotionally draining, unfulfilling, and meaningless in my opinion. I wanted to get back to doing something I wanted to do, something that had depth, something that would help me help others. I was not a stranger to OT, yet something had kept me from pursuing this when I was younger. Now, after years of spinning my wheels I finally found myself in a place where I was emotionally, mentally, and financially capable of pursuing something that was more than beneficial to just my bank account.

I still needed a push though, and that's where my husband comes in. He encouraged me to further my career so that I had independence not only in a financial light but also in a mental aspect so that I would be happy in my career and build a successful set of skills. I could never put into words just how much his support has fueled me through not just the application process, but through my first year of study as well. Studying is a habit, and when you spend years not having to study it's really difficult to re-learn how to even start.

The first semester was a breeze, classes were fairly easy, but I learned so much still. The basics, the conditions, the language. The second semester was the tough one. Though there were fewer classes, the content was so extensive and difficult. We were warned this would be the most difficult semester academically, but we weren't expecting it to be THAT hard. But, we all pulled through, and now we can breathe and look forward to our next (and final) year. Honestly, the fact it's a two-year program for our degree says a bit about how much information and content is crammed in. It's basically four years of academics smooshed into two years. Prayer is welcome lol.

Even though this program is difficult, I'm thankful that it's so intensive. It just shows how important the things we're learning about and the things we're learning to do really are. If we don't have these skills, we won't be effective OTAs. Which in turn is a disservice to those who need us. I am already feeling capable with my knowledge despite some anxieties and all I want to do is keep on learning!

Here's to Year Two and all the skills it brings me!

#occupational therapy #occupationaltherapystudent #OT #COTA #firstyearstudent #secondyearstudent #adayinthelife #studentlife