It’s here – the day I take my comprehensive exam for my masters degree. This exam is supposed to determine whether I know what I need to know to graduate in May and go out into the world of counseling as more than an intern. I have mixed feelings about this exam based on the fact that it’s multiple choice (since when is counseling that straight forward?) and people from past years have said that it is not exactly difficult.
Obviously I don’t want it to be so difficult that I’m worried about failing, but my masters degree is riding on this, shouldn’t it be a bit more than 50 multiple choice questions? Maybe I’m totally wrong. I could walk out of the exam at 4pm today wondering if I even passed. Either way, I know what I’m doing as soon as it’s over. Tonight is tapas night!
Some of the girls from my program and I like to get together for dinner and drinks on occasion and we love a local tapas place near campus called Tasca. Because I’m on their email list, I got a coupon for the month of January that I need to use before it expires. If we have at least six people we also get a free bottle of champagne. What better to celebrate this test being over, right? So regardless of how the test itself goes today, I’m having a belated birthday celebration with an awesome group of people so this day is already awesome!
I have high hopes that once this exam is over I’ll also have a bit more free time on my hands, but who knows if that’s actually true. I have a case presentation on 2/5, the outline of which is due this upcoming Tuesday. My final paper for the weekend course I took is due this upcoming Monday, along with my final reflections about the course. I have really enjoyed working on everything for the course, but it will be nice to finally wrap it up a bit.
Most of all I’m excited about getting back into a routine that includes daily exercise and eating well. I have been struggling a lot lately with how I have been feeling about myself and recorded a vlog for you all last night to help explain it a bit better. In the meantime, wish me luck on my exam!
what a great vlog becki! i think it’s so cool that we both did our first vlogs this week
vlog twins! we are AMAZING!
you are so honest here and i’m SO proud of yourself for not succumbing to triggers and going back to old bad habits. it can just be so easy in the short term to turn to that so i really am over the moon happy for you that you could a) recognize the urges and b) fight them! YES giving yourself credit is so key, you know i am trying to do more of that for me.
love the shoutout to meg’s f-word post too. i totally feel like crap a lot of the time if i am anything beyond simply satisfied. for me the f-word aligns with another – failure. i’m working to break that association and i know you’ll support me in that!
ps. haters gonna hate. i can’t think of a single negative comment about the vlog
http://www.caitplusate.com
Thank you so much, Caitlin! I’m trying so hard to give myself credit for the little things lately and I’m so glad I was able to be honest in recognizing that I was feeling triggered and that there is still so much work I have to do. <3
I LOVE Tasca – that’s my neighborhood! Enjoy it. I love the vlog – there is nothing wrong with having those feelings. Clearly you’re going through a very stressful time right now! When we are stressed, negative feelings always find their way of creeping back up. It sounds like you have a handle on them right now. Stay strong, Becki! You’re doing so great!
http://blondebostonian.com/
You’re so right, it’s definitely harder when I’m stressed out. So much cognitive loading already happening that my coping skills plummet. Listen to me, you can tell I took my comprehensive exam today, right?
Hey sweetie! You’ll be done your exam now, so I want to wish you a WONDERFUL evening of tapas with your lovely friends! SO WISH I WAS THERE!
You have no idea how proud I am of you for posting this <3 I'm sorry you had to deal with such awful thoughts, but hey they come and YOU battled through them. YOU are SO strong, girl and you KNOW I am HERE FOR YOU. All of the time.
It's ALL about celebrating your small victories – you got it girl! I mean, it is high five Friday right??
SMALL victories count too!!!!!!!!
Gosh, girl – I love you and am really really proud of you I really cannot tell you how much you mean to me – LOTS!!
Thanks for the shout out. Means the world to me <3 you are such a special friend.
Seriously, text me whenever you need to chat <3
LOVE YOU
Meg, you are the best! I have felt so lifted up by you and I’m so happy I have you in my life! I think I’m going to have to come visit you sooner rather than later.
It was so hard for me to record this (and even harder to commit to posting it), but knowing that I have support from my friends made it all possible. Love you so much!!!!
Good luck!!
http://glutenfreemuse.wordpress.com
You have said this so well. For me, I have found that It’s funny how easy it is to get caught in my own head and feel alone in having thoughts like these; this is a good reminder that these problems are common but not commonly discussed. Right now I’m trying to figure out Newton’s first law — “objects in motion stay in motion” — which I have found to be true… for periods of time. Finding what ends up disrupting my inertia has been really difficult, but I know there must be some answer that will help me stay on track rather than take care of myself in bursts.
Great job!
That’s pretty much where I am. I need to find the common factor that keeps derailing me and knock it out. Just have to keep on trucking!
Great Vlog Becki! I’m so proud of everything you’ve accomplished and how far you’ve come. For not giving in to your triggers too! I love that you’re always so real, and honest about your struggles. It gives me hope that I don’t have to be perfect to be healthy!
Ignore the negative comment. People say terrible things because they feel terrible about themselves!
http://kelsa.blogspot.com
Thanks, Kelsa!