Well sometimes things don't go according to OUR plan and we've got to learn to be flexible. And guess what? In my case, the "new" plan is full of so much opportunity and experience and it's actually better than my plan A!When I went back to school in 2015 (?!) to start this whole SLP journey, I was set on a certain grad school come 2017. Yes, I applied to other schools just to be safe, but my mind was made up. Or so I thought. I applied to one school that I honestly did not think I would get into, and I found out in February that I got in. I was SHOCKED and so excited. As soon as I saw that acceptance something in my heart was like, "HI NEW PLAN!" but I refused to shift my thinking. I was still "set" on option A. I found out last week that I was waitlisted from option A. But here's the kicker - I was actually RELIEVED rather than upset. That's when I knew that option B had become option A in my heart.
Turns out that this other school is a part-time, online program. Which means I'll be able to stop commuting to school AND I'll get to sit in on the lectures with my pups at my feet and stretchy pants on. I'll only have to look nice from the shoulders up since that's all they'll see of me during lectures (...yes these are the types of things I think about). I'll be able to continue working which is a MAJOR win because my husband and I are planning on buying our first house early next year. With the program being part-time, I'm hoping that school won't take over my entire life like it currently does. I'll be able to find a good work/school/life balance. And not like this matters too much, but my original option A school's SLP program is ranked #53 in the nation and this new option A is ranked #23 so that's another plus!
The only downfall is that the program will take an additional 9 months to complete but hey, if that's the worst of it, I'll take it. I've been conversing with a few girls who completed the distance program that I'll be doing and they have nothing but good things to say. I'll be doing my clinical placements in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, private practices, and schools that are local to me.
All of the pieces truly fell together so nicely. I feel like this plan is so much bigger and better than what I was allowing myself to see as being possible! My heart is so happy and I feel like all of my hard work paid off!
I want to encourage you to be brave enough to look outside of your tunnel vision. See the bigger picture. Sometimes things don't work out so that better things can fall together. Work hard because we really do reap what we sow!
xo, Jess
P.S. For curious minds, I'll be attending Florida State University - GO NOLES! (my husband is a Gators fan so we are officially a house divided, haha!)
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