College and Scholarships - 9/14

I was asked to search for some colleges and narrow it down to certain schools that fit my preferences. The three colleges that fit me the best were Mercer University in Macon, University of Georgia in Athens, and Georgia Regents University in Augusta. A quality program of study for me would include open study halls, independent assignments, and free time that allows me to compete on a cross country team. All of the Universities that I listed above have the criteria that I listed. I know this because I also have friends that go to these colleges and they hold them to the same criteria as me. The size of the school does not really affect me that much as long as it is not over crowded. I'd like the school to be within 100 miles of home as well, just in case of any family emergencies, or when ever I come back to visit. I also do not mind what type of people go to the school either, I get along with people of all races, shapes, and sizes. The school I apply to must also have a cross country program, because that is my one passion other then physical therapy. The school I am most interested in is Mercer University which is ranked around 200th in the country out of physical therapy schools, it may not be the best, but it has the environment and athletics that would make up for it. Three scholarships I can apply for are the Tommy Aaron/Charlie Aaron Foundation Scholarship, the Holcomb Family Education Scholarship, and the Jim and Dee Snow Optimist Scholarship. These three scholarships include graduating in the hall county area which I will try to take advantage of.

College Websites:
www.mercer.edu
www.gru.edu
www.uga.edu

Time Management - 9/8

Many high school students juggle multiple responsibilities. I for example, am one of these individuals. Without proper time management it would be nearly impossible for me to handle all of my responsibilities. I start off the school day with early morning cross country practice at 6:00 with school following right after. And on two of those days I go to my mentorship immediately after school, which consists of helping out physical therapists for two hours. I am also deeply involved in my church, and I lead a small group on Tuesday nights and further my faith on Wednesday nights. Along with all of these, I have a part time job, and I have to squeeze in time for homework. Without time management there would be no way for me to get all these done. It helps me get all my work done with as little stress as possible, and as efficient as possible. This will definitely help me when arriving at my mentorship, making sure I get everything else done on time. It is also important for each physical therapist to pay attention to each patient, equally distributing the time when there are more than one person in need of help. Also, there is a time for paperwork, and a time to help those in need of therapy. And it's always important to stay caught up on paperwork, but it should not cut into the time of the patient. That is how time management is necessary in my career study, as well as in my own daily life. It may be the most important thing when it comes to getting your responsibilities done with the best results.

Internship-8/31

Tim Elmore wrote an article about a bad experience one of his friends had with summer interns. He invited six college students to intern at his company and he wanted them gone by the month of June. These college students didn't get the necessary preparation for the line of work. To change the view on an internship, Tim called it a "twelve week interview." He does so because it is like a career simulator preparing you for the job you will have one day. Necessary attributes are teachability, initiative, responsibility, and energy. These talents can lead to a great experience from both the interns, and for the growing leaders that teach them. Tim's blog can be found at  http://growingleaders.com/.

This applies to me because Physical Therapy is the career field I want to go into and I am going on a year long interview. I want to be able to search for what needs to be done and complete it. I also need to complete any task given to me and complete it respectfully and responsibly. If I don't learn from my mentorship than I will have nothing to apply to my career, so I will do everything necessary to give myself the best experience. Therefore, if I come into my workplace with a passion to work and the right work ethic than I think my experience will be a great one.

Work Ethic

I learned that work ethic is usually divided up into three categories: Interpersonal skills, initiative, and dependability. Individuals with good interpersonal skills are often very good at communicating, whether it be in their professional lives or personal lives. They also work very well in groups, and are great when interacting with consumers or clients. Workers without initiative usually procrastinate or miss some golden opportunities which can lead to the loss of a job. Dependability includes honesty, reliability, and punctuality. These types of workers are valued by employers. Workers that aren't dependable can be expensive and result in a loss of resources. These are the attributes that are necessary for work ethic and each one is just as important as the other.

I learned that there are some areas that I need to improve on in my work ethic. Usually I'd like to think I'm a good worker but I still have my struggles. One of them being procrastination. I always wait until the last minute which can cost me missed opportunities as well as poorer results. I have to carry theses things over to my mentorship and really work on my punctuality, dependability, and initiative in some ways. When working with physical therapists I need to be respectful, be patient, and be willing to be there when they need me. I expect to further my experience in this career field as I work on these qualities of work ethic.