Better late then never!

I've often sat on trains and thought of good themes for a blog entry but then ultimatley failed to translate these good intentions!  I'm disappointed I haven't captured more of my thoughts as I would now have a lovely rich reflective account.  Therefore instead of dwelling on my endless capacity to write virtual blogs or my outstanding ability to procrastinate I will commit to writing this blog more often!  I may even go so far as to put it in my diary to do! 

A lot has happened since my last blog entry in 2010.  Many more trips around the UK visiting occupational therapy students, numerous meetings to ensure students are well supported by the College, I've moved from one side of London to the other, I've visited Venice and had two amazing holidays in my favourite place, Scotland, watched the Jubilee regatta from a boat by the London Eye, visited Chicago and attended the American OT conference in Indianapolis.  I've become both a godmother and an Auntie and had a significant birthday!  I've presented a paper at the COT annual conference, given keynote presentations and written a recruitment strategy.  I've become an iPad owner and am fascinated by occupational science.  I've changed my hair style a few times and completed my MSc!  At the moment I'm preparing to leave my job at COT after 8 years to fulfil a long held ambition to become a occupational therapy lecturer.  At the end June I'll leave London and relocate to Plymouth in Devon where I will join the OT programme team at Plymouth University. 

I'm busy looking forward at the moment - sorting out the logistics of somewhere to live and attempting to imagine how my lifestyle will change.  While at the same time I'm enjoying looking back at all the amazing opportunities I have had while working at COT and based in London. 

The concept of 'transition' is something we are familiar with as occupational therapists so I'm attempting to utilise my professional knowledge and insight to ease my own transition.  Many final year occupational therapy students are on the brink of a similar transition - leaving University life and heading out into the world of work as qualified occupational therapists.  So I have opted to theme this year's fringe meeting at the COT annual conference on 'transitions' as it has personal meaning and is often a concept that can get overlooked when dealing with our own challenges and not just our service users.   I'm currently reading the article;  Blair S (2000) The Centrality of Occupation during Life Transitions, British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63(5), p231-236.

Having fallen rather quiet on here for the last few years, I'm determined to use this blog to chart my own new transition.  I'm hoping to capture my thoughts and reflections on leaving COT and becoming a university lecturer.  Although this will be my personal journey I hope in the process I will provide some food for thought and continue to illustrate you never know where  your occupational therapy careers will take you! 

If only there were a Trainmiles loyalty scheme

Greetings from London!  Back in my flat for a restful weekend before heading off for another week of University visits.  So far I've been to London South Bank University twice, Derby, Oxford, Plymouth, Southampton and Bournemouth...plus manned the College's stand at Naidex South at the ExCel Centre.  This next week features Carlisle and Lancaster on Monday and then Norwich and Aberdeen.  If you haven't spotted me on your timetable feel free to contact me and I can confirm when I might be pitching up!  I'm trying to remember to take photos of the various student groups I'm meeting so keep an eye on the Occupational Therapy Students: Get Connected Facebook group.  Don't forget you can request me as a friend on Facebook and follow me on Twitter via; COTstudents

The most memorable bits of my visits so far have been the power cut about 4 minutes into my presentation at Oxford Brookes University, meeting lots of new graduates at Naidex, braking my umbrella walking to Bournemouth University in a storm, almost loosing my voice before my presentation in Southampton and having a student at Salford contact me via Twitter to check if I was visiting her group.  I'm sure this week will include many more memorable moments.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed the planned tube strike doesn't impact on my journey on Monday morning - I have a 7.30am train to Carlisle to catch!!

Although I'm spending a lot of time on trains at the moment and my consumption of cappuccino and train station junk food has hit its annual high - I'm enjoying the chance to 'meet' so many OT students.  Places were very competitive this year - so you should be very proud.  And although I breeze in...and breeze out of your lecture theatres I'm already getting a sense that my profession is in safe hands.  Keep in touch and keep up the good work :-)



Who are you going to call? Stressbusters

I spotted an interesting article in the September edition of OTN about dealing with stress as a student.  Written by a forensic mental health occupational therapists it illustrates some research into the various coping strategies individuals employ at times of stress.  The top five strategies for dealing with stress were; 

1  talking to friends and family 

2  taking a break

3  exercising

4  seeking help to solve the problem

5  analysing the problem

When I reflect on the above I'm very good at 1 and 2....I'm getting back into 3 after a very long break...pretty good at 5 and very bad at 4!  How about you? 

I feel like the word stress and the concept of being 'stressed' is over used into today's society with people self diagnosing  when things get a bit busy.  Although, Lazarus and Folkman (1984) define stress as the relationship between a person and their environment which is perceived by the individual as exceeding their resources and threatening their well being.  Therefore, everyone seemingly has a different threshold for stress. 

Being a student brings a unique set of stressors - the article describes them as; academic level of coursework, volume of coursework, commitments outside the course, examinations and hours of study required.  Gulp!  Don't be put off!  You have all those coping strategies to use remember - plus your own personal strategies you have developed over the years!  You are in good company too - everyone else on your programme is probably feeling just the same! 

Planning and prioritising is also the key.  And don't suffer in silence - I wasn't very good at visiting my personal tutor while I was a student and would attempt to work things out by myself.  Far less painful to go and talk things through in reality!  Plus don't forget the other popular concept of work life balance.  Something we encourage our service users to achieve but sometimes we overlook on a personal level?  Support each other and enjoy the challenges academic study brings - it is all worth it in the end :-) 

References:

Lazarus RS and Folkman S (1984) Stress, appraisal, and coping.  New York: Springer Publishing Company

On your marks...get set...

I completed my first presentation for the new academic year today....just down the road at London South Bank University.  A group of roughly 50 accelerated students just a few days into their OT programme.  It was good to dust off the old memory stick and give a presentation after the summer break, although I return to the office with plans to tweak my presentation slightly. 

I realised the other day my 10 year anniversary as a qualified OT is just around the corner - 2011!  I've got plans to organise a reunion for my fellow 'Course 98' peers back in Cardiff.  I can remember my first day at university very vividly.  Lots of introduction, tours, forms to complete and instructions on how the programme would run over the next few weeks.  It was very exciting but with a healthy dose of scary thrown in for good measure.  Although 10 years have passed I'm pretty certain these feeling still apply for the students I met today...and the many other students starting in a few weeks. 

But as one group starts...new graduates all over the UK are considering their employment options.  Although jobs are more competitive today then for me 10 years ago the opportunities are far greater.  Today, an occupational therapist can achieve consultant status - something that certainly wasn't possible 'back in the day' when I graduated!  Standing out from the crowd when it comes applications is relevant in every profession  but for an occupational student getting involved in the professional body is a great way to do so - and ironically not something that I ever considered!

I will look forward to meeting many more students over the next few months.  September, October and November will see my memory stick and I travel all over the UK.  I've become very knowledgeable about train stations and best coffee shops in each of the towns and cities I visit - so watch out I might be appearing at your University very soon. :-)

Confessions of a invisable blogger

As you may have spotted, I've taken rather a considerable break from writing this blog! I'm not going to bore you with lots of excuses...but instead will just say "I'm back"!!!!

Recently lots of exciting things have got underway...the new academic year has started for many - and I've got trips to Derby and Oxford planned to see the new 1st year OT students. Strictly Come Dancing and X-Factor went head-to-head in a ratings challenge, London Fashion week showcased this seasons latest trends, the party conference season got underway with the Lib Dem conference in Bournemouth....to name but a few! Oh...and obviously I relaunched this blog!

Starting new things can both be scary and exciting....and depending on what you are doing they will bring a unique set of challenges and rewards. Personally, I think being contestant on Strictly Come Dancing would be far more scary than providing a presentation to over 250 people!

Good luck to all the 1st year OT students I meet on my travels around the UK over the next few weeks and months. Sorry I don't get to talk to your properly...and often breeze in and out of the lecture theatre within an hour! I wish you all well with your studies and practice placements. Some things may feel a bit scary and daunting at times but it is worth it...and you have the support of your tutors and professional body.