This week I sat down with one of my fellow classmates and one of the 4th year Dietetic students. We met for coffee and had a chat about the program thus far, and our expectations, hopes and fears for the coming few years. Gina, our fourth year mentor told us about her experiences with her first year in the program, as well as what her experiences have been in her fourth year. It was nice to meet in a casual environment and a coffee shop is quite conducive to a meeting such as this one. Gina provided us with some good tips and experiential advice, which I think will prove to be quite helpful in navigating the coming few years.
I felt very comfortable with both Gina and Janet, so was easily able to ask questions and get into a good conversation. We discussed our different course loads and the various activities that we are doing outside of school, such as work, volunteer and extra-curricular commitments. It was encouraging to hear that they are busy with all that they do, just as I am, and to sit talk about how to manage all the activities that we each do was quite comforting. It is easy to get overwhelmed with work, school and volunteering, especially when starting a new professional program, so talking this through with Gina and Janet was a great way to help put my mind at ease. It is very valuable to start a support network with fellow students, since that way you feel like you’re not going through overwhelming periods alone.
We discussed the Practicum courses that we are currently in, and we also talked about the practicum class in May. I am quite excited about this course, especially since it sounds like we are going to be exposed to quite a few hands on learning experiences, such as running a nutrition lesson in a classroom and practicing giving a counseling session. Since Gina has already been through these courses, she was able to offer some great words of wisdom, and for herself, the May course opened up a lot of professional avenues.
One thing we discussed quite a bit was the internship year. Since it is coming up quickly for Gina it was interesting to discuss all the different opportunities this year presents. Even though it is a few years away for Janet and myself it was still helpful to talk about all the different locations and possibilities for dietetic experience within these different areas. Internship year is a very exciting prospect, but it does not come without its own set of worries, some of which being financial and the possibility of moving. Discussing this with fellow students was very encouraging since it seems that we all have very similar thoughts weighing on our minds.
This meeting has helped me to realize the importance of getting in touch with different Dietetic students, both in my year and in later years. Gina has offered to field any further questions we may have along the way, which is very kind of her. I think from here I would like to contact other 4th year students, and perhaps some already in internship, so I can seek advice from others. This meeting has also encouraged me to reach out to more students in my year. The beginning of any school year can be hectic, especially when starting something new, but making new connections and support networks will be exceptionally helpful for the years to come.