Closing Time

Wow, it's been a while since I last updated this blog. I'm so sorry I've gotten behind, but with my last week of summer vacation combined with moving into my apartment at school, can you blame me? 

Since I know I'm going to be pretty busy this semester, I'm going to put blogging on hold. Hopefully, I'll return soon or even find the time to blog during the school year, but I can't make any promises. 

Wishing everyone a great last few days of summer and successful start to the school year!

Gina

The Final Countdown

With one week left in my internship and this amazing city, I've been quite busy. From walking the Brooklyn Bridge, enjoying drinks on a rooftop, eating more food than my stomach probably liked, and watching the fabulous performance of Les Miserables on Broadway, it's been such a great week. For anyone visiting the city soon, don't miss the Smorgasburg food festival in Brooklyn! The Staten Island Ferry also provides great views of downtown. 

This week, I'll be enjoying my last few moments in New York. Visiting Fordham, sipping on chocolate martinis, and humming along to Phantom of the Opera are already on the list. 

But now, on to the pictures!

Gina

Time Flies in the City

Happy Tuesday!

Another week is in the bag. How is time going by so fast!?

The last week was filled with so many fun memories, including another fabulous beach weekend and two movies in Bryant Park.

Since I'm already over halfway done with my internship, I feel like I owe it to all of you to explain how my program works and what a typical day is like for me. I'm an occupational therapy intern through NYU's Health Career Opportunity Program (HCOP for short). There are about fifty other college students from across the country in the program, spread throughout different NYUMC departments (such as OT, speech pathology, and nursing to name a few).  For four weeks, each student observes in a specific setting to really get a feel for what that part of the field is like. 

I'm with the hand occupational therapists at an outpatient NYU clinic. People come in needing therapy for all kinds of injuries, from sprained bones to post-surgical procedures. I've seen how to evaluate a new patient and decide a treatment plan for regular ones. Even though I've only been observing for two weeks, I've already seen multiple patients make significant improvement! After a few hours observing, all the program participants attend lectures and discussions facilitated by healthcare professionals in the fields students are observing. 

I have learned so much, and continue to learn more every day. I'd recommend this program to anyone who's interested in a career in healthcare, but is unsure exactly what field to enter.

Hope your weekend was as relaxing as mine!

Gina

A Place to Call Home

It's only been a week, but I've easily assimilated to the New York City lifestyle. I grocery shop multiple times a week, take the subway and buses, plus live in a studio apartment. 

On orientation day for my NYU Medical Center internship, I met my occupational therapy supervisor who I'll be observing for the next few weeks. She and all the other therapists who deal with hands and upper extremities were so welcoming and continue to teach me new things daily about different patients and their unique cases. Also, I was granted a lab coat to wear around all day; keep in mind though, it is an odd brown/beige color (picture soon to come).

On Tuesday, I practiced making a splint (the thing you wear after a cast) on my supervisor. It was probably one of the coolest things to get to do, and on my second day no less! Afterwards, I enjoyed a taco dinner with my best friend from high school who's also living in the city.

With the first five days of work over, it was off to the beach for me! 

Can you imagine spending a getaway weekend any other way?

With some time to kill this afternoon, I explored Dylan's Candy Bar and Roosevelt Island with a friend from Creighton. Despite the heat emanating from the concrete jungle, the views were worth it.

So with one week in the books, time to continue the learning experience both in the OT office and on the streets of the city!

Gina

Update from the City

Ciao friends!

NYC has been treating me well these last few days! I arrived Sunday, unpacked, and stocked up on groceries. I've already become fast friends with other interns and have (partially) mastered my bus route to work. Since I'll be writing all about my first week once it's over, enjoy these pictures while you wait for my next thrilling post!

Monthly Musings

Wow, this past week has flown by! It's been a bittersweet mid-July for many reasons. First, I finished up my last few days watching two awesome kiddos. I also got around to (finally) unpacking everything from Rome. Tomorrow, I leave Dallas to spend the rest of the summer interning in NYC. I'm so excited, but I've had to pack for the city as well as for Omaha since I'll be heading back to Creighton right after my internship. To top it off, I was seriously the luckiest girl today because I was able to grab gelato with my friend Emma from my semester abroad! It was so nice catching up and reminiscing about all things Rome.

But anyways, on to what's been on my mind recently...

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! I've already done my shopping, so hop to it! There are some spectacular deals that you really won't want to miss. 

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This week I received not only one, but two handwritten letters in the mail. Getting a letter always puts a smile on my face and writing one leaves me feeling very satisfied with myself. Reach out to a friend you haven't seen or talked to in a while and shoot a letter their way!

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I'm a book junkie; reading is probably my all-time favorite hobby. It's so easy to delve into a whole other world created by someone else. I just finished reading Four: A Divergent Collection and would recommend it to anyone who's read the Divergent series. You get a deeper look into a fan-favorite character, plus sneak a peek at what was happening "behind the scenes" so to say during Divergent.

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My two major pieces of luggage are London Fog beauties. While the price tag on these babies is quite high, Macy's is having a sale on practically every London Fog luggage piece!

I hope your summer days continue to be filled with happiness (and gelato) and unseasonably cool weather!

Gina