This week my blog is going to be a little unorthodox in the sense that I am not going to be the one who wrote the majority of the content. With the goal of this blog being to connect with others, I thought it would be interesting to hear someone else’s story. Darlene is in my cohort and I reached out to her after receiving overwhelming support from her toward my own blogs. On several different occasions Darlene has been the editor prior to my posting because no one else that I know is consistently up and willing to grind at 5am. This girl puts in some serious work and is one of the most loving individuals I have ever met! So please if you would like to show me some support, take 5-10 minutes and give her story a read. Hi there, my name is Darlene and I’m here to tell you that if you didn’t get into PT school your first application cycle, IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY. Don’t give up. It all happens for a reason. I’m a California native currently living in the Midwest and a third year DPT student whose path after graduating undergrad did not go as planned. I did not get into graduate school during my first application cycle, but I learned from it and I didn’t give up. Yes, it was probably one of the worst feelings ever, but boy did it give me more fuel to be persistent and follow my dream. One, because I didn’t have a backup career choice, and two, because I knew that physical therapy was my calling. I used my time off to focus on building up my resume, making some money as an outpatient rehab aide, and traveling. I ended up scoring some great letters of recommendation and connecting with the PT community in my hometown. I re-applied the second cycle and before I knew it I was packing my bags to move to the Midwest, ready to start a new adventure. I wish the choice would have been as easy as writing that last sentence. I had to choose between a four-hour car ride and being able to go home more frequently and attending all important events or a four-hour plane ride with a restricted number of visits back home to California, naturally …… I chose the latter. Life is the biggest adventure you will ever live and I chose to live this three-year adventure away from my roots. I have a strong belief that everything happens for a reason, if it weren’t for my failed attempt, I would have never applied to the school that has allowed me to meet some of the most aspiring, comical, and caring individuals I have ever encountered. Sharing the same passion, struggles, as well as every waking scholastic moment creates a very special and unbreakable bond between peers. This is the part where I tell you to follow your heart. Even though I was a thousand miles away from home, I felt more at home during my interview in the Midwest than I did during my interview near home. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t settle, the next three years of your life will thank you for it. My life path changed direction multiple times to lead me to where I am today. I most certainly would not be on this blog post and you would not be reading this right now had my path been any different. I have made lifelong memories and friendships that will forever hold a special place in my heart. That being said, I am now expecting all my Midwest friends to visit me in California so I can repay their humble welcoming into the Midwest and show them our lack of basements, flat lands and hockey fans. The Midwest and the struggles of PT school hold some of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. lf you have a dream, chase it, push fear aside, follow your heart, and live your adventure. Thanks to everyone who took the time out of their day to read through Darlene’s story! I know there are a lot of students out there right now who are waiting for that acceptance letter and I felt like this blog really shows you that the grind will be worth it in the end! If you ever want to share your story with someone please feel free to reach out. I love to talk shop and even if you don’t want to write up a blog, I would love to get on a call and chat. Shoot me a message on Facebook or Twitter if you’re interested in writing a piece or if you have any questions! Happy Friday my friends—until next week!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorI am a new graduate DPT and am interested in personal growth and becoming a connector within my profession.
|