So as you all might have guessed from your calendar and the many endless back to school sales…WE ARE BACK in school!!! I enjoyed my summer. The rest and relaxation was really needed. I also enjoyed both my summer jobs and all the new friends that I made. Yes, I said both jobs. Hey, sometimes one job is just not enough.

I want to welcome back all my fellow classmates who are returning students and Congratulate and Welcome all the new students. I promise you this year is sure to be filled with many adventures.

So let’s get right into it. This semester I will be starting my advance year, I AM IN BALTIMORE!! As I said last year for those who live in the Montgomery county area one of the accommodations that University of Maryland, Baltimore makes for us is to allow us the option to have our entire first year at Universities at Shady Grove, but your second year must be in Baltimore. This move brings up some mixed feelings.

I will miss the easy commute and most of all I miss the FREE PARKING. Yes, I said it FREE parking, but I guess $4.00 for parking is not really that bad seeing as how I am only in Baltimore once a week. So to ease my parking worries and so I do not have to carry cash all the time, I bought parking vouchers. The parking and commuter service office for the University sells them. It is great they are $40.00 per book. A book has 10 vouchers with a value of $4.00. No cash in hand, don’t want to write a check for $4.00 give a voucher. Who writes a check for $4.00 anyways??

So to address the commute problem, my friend Erica devised a great plan…CARPOOL. So simple and straight to the point. I am sure many of you out there are doing something similar. It is GREAT. Once a week either she will drive or I will drive. We both get to save money on gas, parking and mileage on our cars.

As for the classes, I am too excited about them. I set my schedule up so that I have all three of my classes on Monday. Hey sometimes it pays to wake up early for registration. I am moving into my concentration courses. Same as last semester, I am a full time student. I am taking 15 credits total, including my Field placement which is now 6 credits. Graduation here I come. It may be a little too early to think about that, but all people keep telling me is the time will fly by. This semester I am taking the following classes.

Classes
Court Based Research Juvenile Justice Center: Corey Shdaimah
Community Organization: Megan Meyer
Administering Employee Assistance Program: Jodi Jacobson

Field Placement –Three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)
First Advantage

I am so excited by the endless possibility my new internship and my new courses will really offer me this semester. FYI even though I have only been to my field placement once, it is hands down the BEST internship EVER!! So the best part is most of my co-workers, everyone from the director of clinician down to the EAP specialist graduated from UMB’s school of Social Work. This internship could not be a better fit for me. As an intern I will do everything from intake, case management to account management. The opportunity to learn all aspects of what an EAP specialist does at First advantage is endless. I will keep you all posted.
Alright my friends this is the beginning of a beautiful semester…Let’s keep that in mind around mid-terms.

Okay until next time. Please feel free to send me your comments and questions.

-Stella

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Posted by Stella at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)