New-found Path(s)

I have several items to cross off my weekend to-do list and only a few short hours of the weekend remain. So, why not pull aside and blog for a few minutes? : )

I have had a very tiring couple of weeks since I last posted about the snow. (It evaporated just as quickly as it had fallen, by the way.) I have finally come to the realization, or finally accepted, that graduate school is a whole different story than my college/undergraduate years. In this story are such chapters as: Sleep Deprivation Taken Up a Notch; No Time for Toe-nails (and other pseudo-hygienic matters); What Day is It?; and Progressive Caffeine Addiction.

In all seriousness, though, I did get to meet with my personal tutor (advisor) last week, and she helped point me in the right direction for my remaining 5 weeks (?!?!) of the first-year lecture sessions. I am very, very thankful for this direction, as I have felt so incredibly incapable of this self-guided study/research stuff.

To give you an idea of what we're doing...

- We have 8 different social work-related subject areas in which we receive lectures and have seminars each week. (the seminars are to discuss what we are "learning")

- We have NO exams, which sounds great but not once you realize...

- ...we are required to submit essays for our assessments, one for each of the subject areas, between Dec. 1st and January 31st (roughly). And then there are a few weeks provided to "re-sit" the assessments if we fail the first time around. (that's the scary part.) The essays incorporate what we've been taught in each area and an application to a case study- basically a hypothetical family who has LOTS of problems we can address with all our new knowledge!

- We then do stuff after Christmas until March/April to prepare us for practice, when we go for a Placement within a certain social work agency (basically like an internship)

- Then we start over again next fall for one more round of the above, from what I understand.

So, the main thing on my academic plate is researching loads of information on the 8 subject areas: Social Work Theory and Practice, Professional Ethics, Research Methods, Sociology, Social Psychology, Development and Behavior, Law, and Social Policy. I enjoy most of these areas, but I feel like we don't have nearly enough time to really dive in to the material; we're just skimming the surface and, I suppose, we will go deeper as we get into our practice time.

I currently feel lots of support from most of my classmates and our lecturers, which is improvement from previous week- I had felt so on my own and scared of the upcoming essays! We are finding it truly helps to discuss with each other what we're learning and about our essay assignments. Amazing how helpful it can be to just open my mouth, ask questions, share ideas, etc... : D

I am still greatly enjoying the Scottish aspect of being here. In fact I went on a brief, exploratory walk this afternoon. For the 2+ months I've been here I have wanted to find a way down to the river, and I've been curious if there's a path to walk along. Sure enough there is a nice little path and it will see my nice little (ha) feet a lot more now that I know it exists! I had such a refreshing time this afternoon, walking along the River Dee and stopping every few inches for some photographic fun. Here are a few shots I like the best...

all the colors are so vibrant right now! I really wish they could remain throughout the winter, but I am told that is unlikely ;)



I know, it's pathetic to take one's own picture, but how else could I prove that I really did brave the bitter cold to find a new walking path and take some pictures?! (my hands were red and swollen after coming inside...next time I will be smart and take my gloves!)

I must end here, as my tasks have not magically disappeared as I was sooo hoping they would. I will leave you with a fun-fact: the Scottish version of our 'John Doe' is apparently 'Joe Blogs'.

Yep!

Love love love,

jess : )