April is Occupational Therapy Month! I wanted to kick off the month by sharing 10 reasons to be friends with an OT!
1. We understand how long ADLs can take. Running late to meet up with your OT friend? We understand. But we might also try to give you tips to make your morning routine more efficient.
2. We are good listeners. We work with people all day, everyday. We are great at listening and giving our full attention.
3. We’ll remember the important things you tell us. We are great at remembering information about many different patients so we can probably remember your favorite color, food, and type of wine.
4. We are great with families. We work with people of all ages AND their families. So if you need to swing by grandma’s house, babysit your niece, or have a family party to attend-we can fit right in.
5. We ask the right questions. We evaluate patients and have a short amount of time to gather a lot of information. We know what to ask and when.
6. We’ll make sure everyone gets home at a decent hour because we understand the importance of sleep.
7. We can think of the fly. Plans A, B, and C didn’t work out? That’s okay. Your OT friend can figure out a new plan in 5 minutes flat.
8. We are resourceful. Need help finding a new way to do your hair, a new gym to go to, a new bowl for your dog’s food. We’ll probably analyze the situation, help narrow down your needs, and make appropriate recommendations.
9. We will make sure everyone in the group’s needs are met. One friend wants to go somewhere playing music, another wants to play with puppies, and another wants to have a dance party….we’ll find a way to make it work for everyone!
10. We know how to have fun! Play and leisure are both occupations and we understand how important it is to make time for fun!
I wanted to start out by saying that this blog post is simply covering how I studied. There are many different materials and study techniques and you have to do what works for you!
How long did I study?
I stared studying around January/February of my last semester before graduation and I would study for a few hours a week.
Then after graduation, I committed to about 3 weeks of studying where I studied around 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. I would also do a little additional reviewing on evenings and weekends.
Where did I study?
I personally went to my local public library to study. There were less distractions here than at home. I would usually study in a quiet room for about 4 hours.
What materials did I use?
I used the TherapyEd book, took the TherapyEd course, and used the AOTA PDFs and online quizzes. My favorite study materials were the AOTA PDFs and online quizzes. I feel like these questions were the closest to those on the actual exam. I also felt like the PDFs were really thorough and covered almost everything I needed to know.
How did I study?
I took the TherapyEd course in February (4 months before I tested) and found it really beneficial. They basically teach you how to take the test which gave me peace of mind. Then when I began studying on my own, I went back to my tried and true study method. I had realized in college that I learn best by writing everything out. I would choose one or two topics for each day. Then I would go through the PDFs and TherapyEd chapters together and make my own outline of important information. I was then able to color code and make charts. I also made separate charts for topics that needed to be memorized, like developmental milestones, spinal cord levels, etc. I organized this in a big binder (we’re talking 3″ binder with dividers) and reviewed frequently.
I did AOTA online quizzes every study day. I would do questions to correspond with the topics I had studied that day. On weekends, and if I had extra time, I would take additional quizzes of mixed topics or to review sections I was scoring lower in.
I also found a lot of YouTube videos that were beneficial. I made a list of videos and would play them when I was tired of looking at the material.
Also, I did NOT study the day of the test. I took my binder with me, thinking I would study in the car as my mom drove, but decided against it.
How did I feel after the test?
This seems to be what everyone wants to know.
I felt fine. I walked over to Panera and ordered myself a full meal plus a cookie and smoothie. Then I went home and went to bed. (How you feel after the test is not a good predictor of if you passed or not!!)
I do recommend keeping yourself busy when your waiting for scores to come out. I had to wait a week and was so nervous. So plan activities with friends and family to keep your mind occupied.
Would I do anything differently?
Nope.
I think that starting to review early was the most beneficial for me because then when I graduated and started my more intense studying, it was more of a review as I had seen everything before. I know that everyone’s schedule is different and this might not work for everyone, but even watching the ocassional YouTube video or listening to a podcast
This was my go to study method throughout college and how I studied for the boards! I made a page for each topic, condensed all the info, and color coded it!
Usually by the time it gets to the end of December, I’m ready for a new year. I’m done, over it, ready to move on. But 2019 was a really good year and I wouldn’t have minded if it lasted just a little bit longer.
2019 started off with the very last semester of my BS/MS OT program. Semester 10/10 and the end was finally in sight. During this semester, I applied for OT jobs and accepted one. And in May, I graduated with my Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and finally got to add the letters MSOT at the end of my name.
I then took off to Nashville for a few days to celebrate before coming back and holing up in the library with my therapyed book and AOTA pdfs.
I took the biggest test of my life (the boards) the first week of June and waited the longest week of my life to find out that I passed!!! I quickly got licensed in North Carolina, making me an OTR/L.
I spent the next month packing, refinishing furniture, and going to the beach before making the big move for my first OT job.
In July, I packed a moving truck, my parent’s minivan, and my car to the brim and headed south to North Carolina. I moved into my first apartment and started started my first OT job all within a week (talk about adulting).
And I spent the last 5 months of the year working, exploring my new town, and making friends. I am blessed to have amazing coworkers who have quickly become close friends. And I am so happy to have found a church home that welcomed me with open arms. And of course I can’t forget the most important part-I’m an OT and get to help people every single day.
All in all, 2019 was a pretty gosh darn good year. One that I would’ve happily help onto a little longer. But I’m ready to see what 2020 has in store.
I visited Nashville with my mom following my graduation. We went for 3 nights which I feel was the perfect amount of time. I wanted to share more about where I stayed, where I ate, and what I did during my trip.
Where to Stay:
Hotels in Nashville can be really expensive, especially if you want to stay downtown. To save money, my mom and I chose to stay in an AirBnB. We picked a tiny house which was adorable. It was the perfect size for 2 people. The host was amazing and gave us a ton of restaurant recommendations. It was located in a cute neighborhood within walking distance of a few places and a short uber/lyft ride downtown.
Nashville has a lot of great food options and we tried to make a point to check out a popular restaurant for each meal (except one where we were on a time crunch and ate at the museum cafe, Here are my favorites my trip-
The first night we went to Monell’s for dinner (they also do breakfast &lunch) which was amazing. The food is served family style and included meat plus a bunch of side dishes. My mom and I were seated at a table with 10 ministers who were great company. They have 3 locations and I went to the one in Germantown. Their prices are also really reasonable, ranging from $15-23/adult depending on day and time (and it is all you can eat). I would call this a must do! You can find more information at https://monellstn.com/
The next morning we went to Puckett’s where I had a strawberry pancake the size of my face and a yogurt parfait. It was really good but I wouldn’t consider it a must-do. Their website is https://puckettsgro.com/nashville/
We just picked something out in the museum cafe for lunch because we were on a time crunch but then we went to an Italian restaurant called Mangia for dinner. I hadn’t heard about it but it was walking distance from where we were staying so we figured it was worth trying. And it was so good. No pictures were taken of the meal because it was eaten so quickly but if you go-get their homemade chips & dipping sauce as an appetizer. I highly recommend eating here if you are nearby. Their website is https://mangianashville.com/
We went to the Five Daughters Bakery the next morning and it was amazing. If you only eat one place in Nashville, this should be it. They have so many different donut flavors, including a whole case for those with dietary restrictions. I recommend getting a 100 layer donut. My mom and I ordered 2 different flavors and shared. They were so sweet and fluffy. I would go back to Nashville just for these donuts. Go check out their menu at https://fivedaughtersbakery.com/
We went to Martin’s BBQ for lunch. I usually am not the biggest barbecue fan but decided to just order something and go for it. My mom and I both really liked our sandwiches. Also, the staff was super nice and they have a ton of seating. Check them out at https://www.martinsbbqjoint.com/
For dinner that night we ordered from Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, which was within walking distance from our AirBnB. Once again, no pictures were taken because it was that good. Nashville is famous for their hot chicken and I would highly recommend having it while in Nashville! There are a few different places that have hot chicken but Hattie B’s is really good. I recommend ordering a plate which comes with chicken (you choose the heat level) and 2 sides. Their website is https://hattieb.com/
Our last meal in Nashville was at Fenwick’s 300 which was a really cute, kinda retro, diner. I ordered french toast which came with fresh berries and was delicious. You can find them at http://fenwicks300.com/
What to Do:
Nashville is known for country music. My mom and I are both country music fans so we made sure to check out the country music attractions. But I will mention a few things to do that aren’t related to country music below-
Our first night we went on a Hearse Ghost Tour which definitely sounds weird but was really fun. We didn’t see anything creepy but our tour guide was great and told us a ton about the history of Nashville. The tour started at the Union Station Hotel which is a really cool, old, converted train station. If you are nearby, I recommend checking out the hotel. If you want to do something out of the ordinary, you can find out more information (and about their other tour options) at https://amerighost.com/
We went to the Ryman Auditorium the next day which was great. It was fun to learn about the history of country music and see where so many big stars performed. More information at https://www.ryman.com/
We then went to the Country Music Hall of Fame which is huge. I loved seeing all the outfits that different celebrities wore. Their website is https://countrymusichalloffame.org/
Within the same building as the Country Music Hall of Fame, is Hatch Show Print, which has made posters for the stars for years. My mom and I took a tour and got to make our own posters with the printing press. Check them out at https://hatchshowprint.com/
We then made our way to the Grand Ole Opry for the Backstage Tour which was really fun. You get to see the dressing rooms where the celebrities get ready. You also get to go on stage which is really cool.
We went back to the Grand Ole Opry at night for a show which was amazing. Kelsea Ballerini and her husband, Morgan Evans, performed as well as a bunch of other country singers. While I didn’t know all of the performers, they were all amazing. If you are in Nashville, make sure you get tickets to the Opry. Tickets for the Opry, as well as the backstage tour, are available at https://www.opry.com/
We also went to the Johnny Cash Museum. While, I did not know a ton about Johnny Cash before the trip, I really liked the museum. I wouldn’t call it a must-do, but worth checking out if you have extra time. You can learn more at https://www.johnnycashmuseum.com/
See the Honky Tonks. You can’t go to Nashville without seeing the honky tonks the city is known for. My mom and I just walked up and down the streets, listening to the live music, and going in and out of the bars.
Check out all the murals. I happened to stumbled upon the #whatliftsyou mural. The “I believe in Nashville” mural is next to Draper James.
If you find yourself visiting Nashville, I hope you find these recommendations helpful & enjoy the city as much as I did!
Becky B OT 