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By Kaitlin Wieczorek, Student, OTA Program, KU Jacksonville

Beginning Anew: An OTA Experience

The holidays seemed to fly by and although I felt that the time with my family and friends was simply not enough, it was exactly the break I needed. The new semester brought new classes, new cohorts, and new beginnings. My first day back in class came with a host of new feelings as to what this new year would have in store for me.

As I progress in the program I look forward to new learning opportunities and how they build on one another. Knowing we would have an adjunct professor for Neurological Disorders, many of us were apprehensive, having struggled through both kinesiology and musculoskeletal. I’m not sure if it was the holiday break or the help from Ms. Walker, but the class helped to instill my confidence as a student again.

Along with a new class, came a new cohort, Cohort 17. As I walked past Ms. Sevestre teaching Introduction to Occupational Therapy, it felt as though I was just sitting in that very room, on my first day. Now in my second semester I often think about what my first day of fieldwork will be like and cannot wait to begin. I am excited for each class that comes along every month; it is an opportunity for a new learning experience.

At the end of January it was our turn to host the luncheon for the new cohort. It was an opportunity for all the OTA cohorts and professors to come together and enjoy the afternoon as a family. It was a success! We welcomed Cohort 17 and were able to spend time meeting new students. We shared advice and the best ways to approach each upcoming class. The best advice I could give to upcoming OTA students is to support one another. This program will not always be easy, but coming together will make for a purposeful journey. Good luck, and welcome Cohort 17 to the blue army!