Disoriented from Orientation
If I could insert a sound byte here, I'd probably use the sound a drawn-out, vocal, I don't care who's listening sigh. It's the kind of sigh you often hear yoga teachers instructing their students to emit after a challenging sun salutation or prior to one. In my case, it's after; and the sun salutation has been orientation week at work.
I could've told you I'd be tired. That itself was fairly predictable. We had 4 8-9 hour days of training on-site and one 4 hour training day at home. Two of the on-site days started at 7am and the other two started at 9am. Considering my commute is an hour long each way, I was waking up at 5am-7am most days this week.
Ummm need I mention I'm not a morning person? Those of you who know me will know that's as paramount to my personhood as my name. Hi, I'm Rachel. I'm not a morning person.
Not being a morning person has nothing to do with my attitude. I'm not grumpy in the mornings. I'm not hostile. I'm actually quite nice (sometimes especially in the mornings because I'm intentional about it). What "not a morning person" means is I'm adversely affected by waking up early. Waking up early is like a death sentence to the rest of my day (and week if the early rising continues). "Not a morning person" means I'm extremely disoriented and easily overwhelmed by things that a normal person would be un-phased by. Think "being hormonal" except caused by lack of sleep, not actual hormonal changes. It's a whole new definition for the term "morning sickness."
Anyway, I've been experiencing my own little psychological and physical repercussions from "morning sickness" this week as I participated in the orientation. Not only was it early in the morning (have I mentioned it was early in the mornings?) but it was also just a LOT of information to take in. I understand the need for protocol and paperwork in a residential/inpatient psychiatric unit… but seriously people. There's no way I'm going to remember it all until I practice it on-shift. Which means the odds of failing are 100%. Just like as a child, I need to get it wrong in order to get it right. You don't know how to ride a bike unless you learn balance (aka the art of getting back up after falling). Same with this… I won't be comfortable with all the protocols unless I get past the initial stage of unfamiliarity.
Anyway, I'm shadowing two shifts next week and then I officially start working "on my own" as they called it. No, I won't be by myself on my shift, but I will be more or less autonomous (or that's the goal anyway).
Next week is also "shadowing" for grad school: I have two orientation days wednesday and thursday. The following week is the "official" start week of classes! I'm also trying to set up practicum. I was going to do practicum at my workplace, but their schedule isn't aligning with my availability. Turns out it may be best just to work one day per week and do practicum at a different site, even if it's not with the population I want… That's not officially decided yet. I'm still talking with my supervisor at UNCG and such… I was hoping to have an answer about that today, but I don't. Patience is the worst, right?
Anyway, I'm super glad for the weekend and having a little bit of rest time before gearing up again. Next week I'm also hoping to incorporate some rest before jumping into classes.
I could've told you I'd be tired. That itself was fairly predictable. We had 4 8-9 hour days of training on-site and one 4 hour training day at home. Two of the on-site days started at 7am and the other two started at 9am. Considering my commute is an hour long each way, I was waking up at 5am-7am most days this week.
Ummm need I mention I'm not a morning person? Those of you who know me will know that's as paramount to my personhood as my name. Hi, I'm Rachel. I'm not a morning person.
Not being a morning person has nothing to do with my attitude. I'm not grumpy in the mornings. I'm not hostile. I'm actually quite nice (sometimes especially in the mornings because I'm intentional about it). What "not a morning person" means is I'm adversely affected by waking up early. Waking up early is like a death sentence to the rest of my day (and week if the early rising continues). "Not a morning person" means I'm extremely disoriented and easily overwhelmed by things that a normal person would be un-phased by. Think "being hormonal" except caused by lack of sleep, not actual hormonal changes. It's a whole new definition for the term "morning sickness."
Anyway, I've been experiencing my own little psychological and physical repercussions from "morning sickness" this week as I participated in the orientation. Not only was it early in the morning (have I mentioned it was early in the mornings?) but it was also just a LOT of information to take in. I understand the need for protocol and paperwork in a residential/inpatient psychiatric unit… but seriously people. There's no way I'm going to remember it all until I practice it on-shift. Which means the odds of failing are 100%. Just like as a child, I need to get it wrong in order to get it right. You don't know how to ride a bike unless you learn balance (aka the art of getting back up after falling). Same with this… I won't be comfortable with all the protocols unless I get past the initial stage of unfamiliarity.
Anyway, I'm shadowing two shifts next week and then I officially start working "on my own" as they called it. No, I won't be by myself on my shift, but I will be more or less autonomous (or that's the goal anyway).
Next week is also "shadowing" for grad school: I have two orientation days wednesday and thursday. The following week is the "official" start week of classes! I'm also trying to set up practicum. I was going to do practicum at my workplace, but their schedule isn't aligning with my availability. Turns out it may be best just to work one day per week and do practicum at a different site, even if it's not with the population I want… That's not officially decided yet. I'm still talking with my supervisor at UNCG and such… I was hoping to have an answer about that today, but I don't. Patience is the worst, right?
Anyway, I'm super glad for the weekend and having a little bit of rest time before gearing up again. Next week I'm also hoping to incorporate some rest before jumping into classes.
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