The awe of childhood

Today was my first day back in Wilmington. I spent the day doing necessary things such as unpacking, cooking, doing laundry, and grocery shopping. I decided to go to Walmart because there were several random things I needed in addition to the food items. I met someone wonderful while there.

As I waited in line at the register, a young boy (probably about 8 years old) and his mother were in line behind me. I overheard the boy ask, "Why does this say 'Why did he do it?'" referring to a magazine headline. The mother explained calmly that it was referring to the man last week who shot the children in the school. The boy asked a lot of follow-up questions in which the mother calmly explained the best she could what had happened. What I admired most was that she said "The man needed help that he did not get." She did not make judgements about the situation, she did not show anger towards what had happened, she just calmly told her son what she knew about the situation and that there was no rational explanation for what had happened. Another comment from the boy that I remember is that he said "I bet those were very nice kids." and the mother replied, "Yes, I'm sure they were." And the boy said, "I bet the parents are very sad."

The whole conversation made me realize that we all try to make sense of the tragedy that happened in Newtown Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary, but there is nothing logical about it. No matter how hard we try, there will never be a satisfying explanation.

After the conversation between the mother and child ended, the boy approached me and said, "Ma'am?" (Have I mentioned how much I love being called 'ma'am'? "What kind of kitty do you have?" He saw my cat scratcher on the conveyer I was purchasing. I proceeded to converse with him about my cat and his cat, etc...

I'm so glad I got myself out of the house today and was able to meet this wonderful young boy. He will grow up to be an intelligent man who I think will do great things. He is lucky to have such a great mom. Sometimes I forget how smart kids can be and how refreshing it can be to converse with someone who is so young.

State to State Differences

I have been living in Wilmington, North Carolina for about 4 months now, and it is finally starting to feel like home! I have come across several differences moving from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. I have also noticed many differences coming from Ursinus College (a small liberal arts college) to UNCW (a medium sized state school).

Philadelphia, PA to Wilmington, NC

1. People really do address you as ma'am!
   
   Some people don't like this, but I will say I LOVE IT! I feel warm & fuzzy & loved when I walk into a store, for example, and someone says "Can I help you ma'am?" It really feels like they care!!
   
   
2. People have different (sometimes low) expectations of food.
   
   I have realized I took advantage of the delicious food at home (probably because of the proximity to a big city). Especially with sushi, I had a very hard time finding good sushi. The places people suggested were mostly awful. I finally found a place called Tamashii (http://www.sushiandspoons.com/), ironically the sushi chef is from the Philadelphia area. It was worth the search, and it quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite restaurants. There is good food here in Wilmington, it just has been a little more difficult than expected to weed through the bad to find the good.
3. Oooh the weather!
   
   Today, I thought it was a bit chilly out, but then I saw the facebook statuses of friends back home proclaiming that it was snowing!! So I stopped my complaining.
   A few weeks ago I went to the beach - YES - in November! 70 degrees in November is GREAT.
   
   
   
   
4. Back to 1992.At my internship in Bolivia, NC, I had to make phone calls to conduct a survey. I discovered that rural areas of NC do not require an area code. I was astonished to learn this and felt like I was back in the dark ages again.
   
   
5. Wilmywood.
   
   Surprisingly, Wilmington is the third most frequented location for filming. Unfortunately, I have not seen any celebrities yet, but I keep hearing about them!!!
6. The Down South.Yes, people have accents here, and there is more country music. I like country music now and I like the accents people have. It is strange to hear people on the radio with heavy accents (does not happen back home) - but it makes it more interesting and helps me experience a different culture here.
   
   
   

Ursinus College to University of Wilmington, North Carolina

1. So many bikes!
   
   The campus here is a lot bigger than Ursinus (e.g. over .5 square miles), so it takes longer to get from building to building. Often, just going next door (Psychology Building to McNeill Hall).
2. Graduate student expectations.
   
   It feels like us graduate students are more like colleagues with professors. I do not feel quite at the same level, but I am now a lot more comfortable with professors than I was as an undergraduate. I feel more respected by the professors and like I am working with them rather than under them.
3. I have a car!
   
   At Ursinus, I did not have a car and walked to class every day. Now, I live in an apartment with my lovely boyfriend and beautiful kitty, Lilly. I was ten minutes late to class today due to traffic, no parking, and leaving 5 minutes later than usual (Lilly was being very friendly this morning). It's still a bit weird driving to class, and another contributing factor that makes me feel more like an employee than a student.
   
   
   
4. Professors are awesome everywhere.
   
   Doesn't matter if you're going to a state school or liberal arts college - professors are just as spunky, friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic here compared to Ursinus. I love it here just about as much as I loved Ursinus and the professors make the experience even better. It's an honor and a privilege to be taught by these knowledgeable and enthusiastic people.
   
   
   
   
   That's it for now :)

Academic Generosities

After being away from school for a year and being given the wonderful opportunity to return, I have realized some academic "pluses", "extras", etc. that schools give their students. All on this list will be things inexpensive or free and of academic or cultural nature. Things I appreciate and enjoy in being a student.

1. Guest Lectures
I realized I really missed the opportunity to be invited to guest lectures on campus. I just went to one titled: "The behavioral and neural basis of MDMA (‘ecstasy’) - induced memory impairments: What animal models reveal." Dr. David Harper from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand was the guest. I really enjoyed listening to his research, findings, and implications. There is so much wonderful research being done around the world; being a student in college gives you a plethora of opportunities to learn about just a fraction of what is being done.

2. Cultural Performances
I love that dance performances, plays, poetry, etc. are available right on campus on multiple occasions. I enjoyed many at Ursinus, but have not been to any here yet. I hope to attend one soon.

3. Interest Groups
At Ursinus I was involved in Active Minds, Psychology Club, and started The Running Club. Here at UNCW I am involved in PGSA and NAMI on campus. I love making a difference in these student-run groups and meeting others passionate about what I'm passionate about. I have had nothing but positive experiences in campus groups.

4. Studying
There, I said it. I enjoy studying. Well, it's not as simple as that. I enjoy being challenged to fill my brain with facts and methods (some feel more relevant than others), and being tested to see how well I did. No, I do not particularly enjoy the test itself, or receiving the grades, but I love the challenge.

5. Other Students
Being a student in college is one of the best opportunities to meet people from all over the world with all different experiences. Especially in grad school, I have really enjoyed getting to know people I would never have met had I not come down here at good old UNCW.

6. Professors
College professors are definitely one of the nicest AND smartest population of people I can generalize about. Here at UNCW every professor I have met has been very friendly and enthusiastic. My mentor here and my TA advisor (the two professors I am in closest contact with) are extremely helpful and encouraging.

7. Writing
I love writing and doing literature reviews. In my year off from college, this is what I missed most. I am currently working on publishing my undergraduate research (a slow process), and have lots of fun doing it. I hope to get it submitted somewhere by the end of the semester. I would love to have a publication before applying to Ph.D. programs. Reading and and all research about schizophrenia is definitely one of my unique hobbies that I will never give up :).

There it is. I definitely have things I like MORE about grad school than undergraduate, but I will save that for another post ;).

First Official Week

So it is just about the end of my first week. I have met the majority of people from the program (although not everyone). Everyone I have met is very friendly and nice. Everyone is from different areas of the U.S., which I think is pretty cool. There is a pretty wide age range as well, a good amount of people took a year off as I did. There are three programs - ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis), General, and SATP (Substance Abuse Treatment Psychology). I am in the general track - the goal for the program is basically to get you more experience to be a strong candidate for a Ph.D. program. The other two tracks are preparing to get licensed and work after graduation.

We had 3 orientations - one for the psych department, one for the grad school, and one for TAs (teaching assistants). They were all pretty informative, but pretty tiring as well (each was 3 hours long). Who knew they had so much to orient us about? At least we got a free t-shirt out of it :).

My first classes were on Thursday (I have a T/Th schedule, some students do have classes Wednesday). Physiological Psychology will be good, I always love neuroscience classes so I am looking forward to that. We didn't get too much into the material but I know I will enjoy it, as always (I <3 Neuroscience).
I met with my TA and he was very nice. I will be doing a lot of grading, maybe some proctoring, maybe teach a class. And I got a free textbook (he is a coauthor on the book for the class)!!
Research Methods was.....research methods. It's strange, I love research when I am participating in data collection, plugging in, analyzing, etc...but the straight numbers tend to bore me. I am going to try hard to improve my understanding & love of math and statistics. I really need to improve to be a better scientist/statistician/researcher. AND it might help with the GREs :). It was not excruciatingly boring though, so that's a good sign!
Oh and I got to see my lab. There is a brand new Psychology building that was built (actually just finished the week before classes). Each professor has their own lab space - ours is 3 rooms with 3 computers and a lounge area. It is a really nice space essentially just for me and my mentor (I am currently the only grad student). I think I will be using it a lot :).

So I got my student ID and parking pass. It's official - I am a UNCW student :). I am really excited to be back in school. The year off actually upped my motivation to be in school and reach towards my long-term goals. I imagine things will be getting very busy very fast. I'm not sure what to expect for graduate school - all I keep hearing is that I will not be bored and it will be challenging. Sounds good to me!

One more week

I am slowly feeling like I am knowing my way around the area a little better. First with my food endeavors. On Saturday, I went to a place called Carolina Farmin' (http://carolinafarmin.com/) that I heard from several sources is a great place for locally-grown, inexpensive produce. Well, I was not disappointed! I got peaches, plums, kale, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and squash all for about ten bucks!! Finally, a grocery store I really enjoy. They also carry inexpensive bulk items (I will be coming back when I run out of flax seeds :)). The main chain grocery stores around here are Food Lion, Harris Teeter, and Lowes, none of which impress me. I have not been to the local Whole Foods or Costco, but I have heard good things about both.

Other lovely places I have been include The Ivy Cottage, World Market, and Fire and Spice. The Ivy Cottage is a large consignment/thrift store. They have a lot of interesting things there if you are into antiques. All are appropriately priced (I hate consignment shops with a bunch of used junk that is way overpriced). World Market is a chain store that I have never been to (not sure if there are any in the Philadelphia area). They have lots of different things, including jewelry, furniture, decorations, and gourmet food items. I will definitely be returning here to buy gifts and home decor :). Fire and Spice is a small gourmet foods shop that is located in the Cotton Exchange (building with several shops) in downtown Wilmington. I enjoy this store for its local items, large selection of hot sauce, and random delicious-looking food items.

I have been cooking some lovely meals for myself as well. I made a few too many unhealthy meals, but am now getting back into eating healthy. I got a large amount of vegetables recently so am going to be eating those up:). It is not excruciating for me to eat healthy because I do enjoy getting flavors from spices rather than fats. And I know my body feels better when I eat better. To go along with that, I have been trying to do some type of workout every day. I was doing Insanity for a while but today did the Jillian Michael's '30 Day Shred' and remembered how much I liked it. I think I may try to do it all the way through this time.

It was nice having this time to explore the area and get myself settled, but I am definitely ready for school to start. Having a structure is good for me. Orientation is Monday August 20th, one week from today :)!

Getting in the groove

Wow, in two more days, I will have lived here for two weeks! The city is growing on me the more and more I am here.

I have tried out some delicious restaurants - including Wasabi Sushi, Genki Sushi, and Flaming Amy's. I am trying to find the best sushi restaurant around here because I LOVE it. I have previously tried Nikki's Sushi (a small chain around here) and was very disappointed. Matt and I used to go to Bonjung Sushi in Collegeville when I went to Ursinus and LOVED it. It was definitely one of my favorite restaurants of all time. Right now, of the three I have tried, Genki Sushi is winning. Flaming Amy's was delicious as the reviews stated - I got a speciality burrito with chicken and it was very yummy. The Copper Penny is definitely winning overall though. It is a Philadelphia sports bar in downtown Wilmington - but that's not the reason I love it. The food is bar food - but awesome bar food.

I have done a lot of shopping and exploring the area as well. From my location, it usually takes me about 15 minutes to get where I need to go - which is fine with me. Pretty much the same situation as I was living in West Chester - any shopping I needed to do was in Exton usually, about 15 minutes away. It will also take me anywhere from 10-15 minutes to get to school (depending on traffic). Anyway, there is a Target, Homegoods, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and lots of other chains. I will miss Wegman's, H&M, and DSW a lot. The only problem with Wilmington is that if it does not have the store you want (which it usually does) you have to go pretty far to get it (either Charlotte - 3.5 hrs or Myrtle Beach - 1.5 hrs)

I volunteered with Cattails adoption agency stationed at Petsmart. That was fun (can't wait to have my own cat!!!). I went to the farmer's market - that was nice, I probably will visit again (it's every Saturday). I went to the DMV to take my driver test to get my new NC license (which I PASSED by the way). The same day I went to Walmart. If you want to see the "rough" people from Wilmington, I advise to either visit Walmart or the DMV :). I have been slowly decorating and unpacking just about every day. It is finally almost done! Above is a picture of me sitting in my office/2nd bedroom. I really love the natural light that comes in. I got nice blue curtains (for $3.29 a pair at goodwill by the way) for each room that still need to go in the office (I ran out of nails and had to wait to do those). And I went to Antique stores on Castle St. (there are a ton of cool antique shops here - still plenty to visit that I have not yet).

The weather here is very strange lately (I am not sure if it is the norm yet or not. People have told me that it's normal around here than others have said it is very unusual and not normal. So I don't know!). Yes, it is hot. But just about every day has rained at very varying intervals of time. It is usually extremely unpredictable rain. It will beautiful blue skies one minute, then ten minutes later a thunderstorm! Yesterday, I was doing my errands, and driving I could barely see and the roads were flooded and there was thunder and lightning. It slowly rained a bit lighter but the sky was still dark. I went into a store for about a half hour and came back out and it was beautifully sunny and lovely blue skies. STRANGE!

I met with my mentor last week and am meeting with her again tomorrow. We went to mental health court and met with the judge and the psychologist and the rest of the treatment team. It was a new and enlightening experience. I will either be doing research here or with a new project starting with cognitive enhancement therapy (I am hoping this one goes through, as it is more closely related to my research interests). I am very glad I can get started on things before school starts. I am excited to start. The week of the 20th is when orientation and classes all start. Whooohooo!! I have been ready for graduate school since last year and I am so excited the time is finally here.

Today's agenda is.....Insanity (workout I currently love. I wanted to lose a few more pounds before school starts but it has been harder than I thought. I have trouble in general when I do not have a busy and set schedule. We will see what I can do :)). Clean up/ organize the living room and my bedroom. Check the mail. Oh and read my articles I have been putting off too long!
Goodbye friends

My new journey

Hello world!
I thought I would start a blog documenting my new ambition to earn my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Today is the third day I have been moved into my new apartment in Wilmington, North Carolina. My family and boyfriend helped me move in on the weekend and left this morning. I have been slowly unpacking and decorating all day.

My first thoughts about the Wilmington area are optimistic but still unsure, of course.

Pros:
Lots of restaurants (I have become quite the foodie in the past year or two)
Near the beach (more of a pro for Matt)
New culture (I really like the idea of finally experiencing a different area)
Many shopping options
Warmer winters

Cons:
Far from home (relatively)
Hot weather (has been very hot and humid this weekend and is raining right now!)
Lots of big roads and not as many residential areas (prob will figure this out when I get familiarized with the area)

BUT the real reason I am moving here is not the area but the school. I will be getting a wonderful research opportunity here. I will be getting my Masters degree in General Psychology at UNCW (en route to my Ph.D. somewhere else afterwards). I am very excited to be getting back into research - my true passion. I worked in a psychiatric rehabilitation program this past year. I liked it - but it made me realize how much I really love research. I missed research a lot when I was away from it.

I will specifically doing schizophrenia rehabilitation research. If all goes as planned, my mentor and myself will be starting a new project related to cognitive enhancement programs for schizophrenia. I originally thought I would be working on an ongoing project related to mental health courts and serious mental illness. This is loosely related to my research interests - but cognitive rehabilitation is more what I want to do. I am very happy my mentor was able to start a new project so closely aligning my research interests!

This week I will be unpacking and getting settled, maybe meeting with professors before classes start in a few weeks. I have never lived in another state but it is exciting!
More to come later......