Coursework & Fieldwork Calling all OT students: stress cope

[OTgirl29]

hello all! Wow, it's crazy several months ago I was stressing out about getting into a program, and now I'm on my 2nd week OT school of my first summer term. I won't lie, I am a very good and hard working student and so happy to be in the program, but man I have been stressed out with this work load and can only imagine what it will be like as the semester goes on. Any tips on stress management and balance?

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[kgprospot]

I am about to start my program, and I am feeling very anxious about it. I can tell it will be a lot of work. Good luck!

 

[APT1215]

You'll habituate to it. You get pretty immersed in the material you'll end up analyzing and observing the way ppl do things and carry themselves without even thinking about it.
Study Hard. Drink lots of coffee. Find yourself a good group of classmates that each of you have your strengths in and learn from each other. And Google is your friend.

 

[OTfromIT]

Totally agree with APT1215 in that finding a good subset of your cohort to study with is key: it has helped me stay on pace, get different perspectives on material, and just have a group of people to commiserate with - even my family doesn't quite understand the stress and rigor of OT school.

Another thing that I found is useful is practicing mindfulness. I thought it sounded a little hokey at first, but it has allowed me to clear my mind and slow things down. It is not meditation per se - you are not guiding your thoughts as much as clearing them and becoming hyperaware of yourself and your environment. There are a bunch of good YouTube videos of it - may not be your bag of tea, but it certainly has helped me.

 

[jdak226]

hello all! Wow, it's crazy several months ago I was stressing out about getting into a program, and now I'm on my 2nd week OT school of my first summer term. I won't lie, I am a very good and hard working student and so happy to be in the program, but man I have been stressed out with this work load and can only imagine what it will be like as the semester goes on. Any tips on stress management and balance?

I had the same feeling when I first started OT school. There tends to be a lot going on at once and it can feel overwhelming at times. I agree with the suggestions that you've already been given. One thing that also made a huge difference for me was identifying specific ways to stay very organized. Keep your calendar updated and check it regularly, make lists, organize binders in a way that makes sense for you. It seem obvious but this made all the difference for me.

Also, take it one step at a time. It can be overwhelming to look ahead at all of the upcoming projects/assignments but each one by itself is very attainable. Good luck.. you can do it!