PT Decision

Well let's see.  I left off yesterday after coming back from Italy...

When we got back to the US, it was time for me to find a job.  I had postponed this decision as long as I could.  Before my senior year of college, I had thought that I wanted to become a Sports Psychologist.  After doing and independent study, and some research, I realized that it wasn't going to be for me.  It just didn't interest me enough.

I eventually got a job in Lancaster as Therapeutic Staff Support (TSS) for children with mental disabilities.  It was a great job for me.  I was working with kids, providing emotional, physical, and social support.  I felt like I was "doing good" with my life.  I was in an inner-city school making a difference in a child's life.  Unfortunately, the pay wasn't guaranteed.  When the students were off from school, I didn't get paid.  I don't like to think that the reason I left the job was because of money, but the truth is, it was.  I had student loans that were coming due soon, and I needed to pay them.  At this point, I was also living with my girlfriend at her parents' house.  It was great opportunity to save money, but it wasn't home for me.  It didn't matter how long I stayed there, I still felt like a guest in their house.

After about 2 months working as a TSS, I switched to my current job.  I work nights and weekends as a Library Assistant at a college library.  At various times, I had been flirting with the idea of becoming a Physical Therapist.  Previously, I always had excuses why not to be a PT; didn't want to touch unclean people (HS), didn't think I had enough time for the education necessary, didn't think I was good enough or smart enough to get in to school.... etc. etc..  Cara, my girlfriend, and her parents, were huge in helping me talk though this decision.  At this point, I wasn't completely sure that PT was for me, but I decided to take a class, and see how it went.

One of the benefits of my job is free undergraduate classes.  I figured I'd enroll in a class, and see how it went.  I only had to pay for the books, so it wasn't much of a financial burden.  By this time, Cara and I had moved out on our own, and I felt better about my living situation.

The class I took that first semester, I took Anatomy & Physiology II.  Throughout the semester, I realized that for the first time, I was really interested in the information presented in class.  It wasn't difficult for me to study, and I enjoyed going to class.  It was during this semester, that I decided to push forward with PT school.  Unfortunately, I would have to wait and apply for Fall 2012 entry.

That's all I have time for now, but next time, I'll actually get into the meat of the PT process, and what I've done so far.

G