Cue the classic Green Day ballad, ‘Time of Your Life’ because it is Graduation Season!!!
I graduated from college seven years ago. I can still remember the excitement and promise that entering the “real world” held. Lots of money, extended holidays, and no more deadlines. 24-year-old Meagan was blindly optimistic.
Over the past seven years, I have learned a lot of important lessons. The type of lessons that are gained through making mistakes (a lot of them) and acknowledging that well, maybe I don’t know everything,
As a fresh new graduating class is about to pour out into the “real world” (we are all so excited to meet you), I want to share some of the lessons I learned over the past seven years of my career as a Recreation Therapist.
1. Continue To Learn
Wait, what?! – Meagan I literally just finished 4+ years of learning, why do I need to continue to learn?! Well my friend, if you go about life the right way, you will be learning till the day you die.
Especially being in the highly accountable field of health care, staying up to date with evidence based practice, treatment modalities, emerging research and trends in the field will be part of the joy of your work.
The good news is that there are many ways for you to continue your educational pursuits. From self-directed research, to conferences, to online courses, there are many options available to meet everyone’s needs.
2. Take Your Exam
I wrote my NCTRC exam as soon as I was able to post-graduation. It sucked studying for another exam right after I graduated, but I knew it was necessary for two reasons.
1.) I believed fully in the certification and knew to have it was not only helpful to me, but helpful for the field of therapeutic recreation.
2.) I was still in the “study mode” from college, so continuing good study habits was much easier than waiting a few years and attempting to get back into ‘that study life’.
3. Track Your CEU’s
I hope I am not the first person to tell you this, but once you become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist you will need to obtain 50 hours of continuing education units every five years in order to keep your CTRS credential active.
My tip is to aim to get 10 credit hours every year, that way you are not left scrambling at the end of the five-year time period to get all your CEU’s.
Also, create some way of documenting your continuing education units for your reference and in the case that you are audited by NCTRC.
4. Be Open to Trying Different Jobs
You may struggle slightly to find a job post-graduation. If you are needing to find a source of income that hopefully utilizes all the knowledge you crammed into that very smart brain of yours, don’t limit yourself. Your degree can open doors you may not be aware of.
With some experience under your belt, your search for your dream recreation therapy job may become more successful.
Looking for some inspiration on your job hunt? Check out my post, 14 Jobs you can get with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation.
5. Avoid The Social Media Compassion Trap
How is So-and-so traveling Europe again?! That-dude is at Coachella for the third year in a row!? I can’t believe that Whats-her-name just bought such a beautiful home!?
Sound familiar?
Do not get stuck in the trap of comparing your moments of doubt and humble beginnings to someone else’s highlight reel. I love social media just as much as the next millennial, but I learned to do it in healthy doses. If you find your Instagram habit is doing more harm than good, it may be time for a social media detox.
6. Continue To Develop Social Connections
College was fun – you had class-mates, house-mates, and best-mates, all within arms reach. Life after college is usually a hard transition for most people.
Social connections go from happening organically to requiring quite a bit more conscious effort. It is extremely important to continue to build life-giving and supportive relationships.
A few tips – Sign up for adult recreation sports teams, volunteer, and as I have come to learn – as awkward as this sounds – just straight-up ask people to hang out.
7. Focus On Your Holistic Health
You learned it in school. So now it is time to take your knowledge and apply it to your own life. Do not neglect your holistic health! Do something at least every week that feeds into your physical, cognitive, social, emotional, spiritual and intellectual health.
Check out my previous post all about how to be your own recreation therapist
8. Get Enough Sleep
I don’t care if it is the season premiere of Game of Thrones, you need to be getting your 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
You want to be the best version of yourself for those you serve! Also, this may go without saying, but your late-night partying ways from college will need to change whether you like it or not.
Check Arianna Huffington’s 12 Tips for Better Sleep here.
9. Be Willing to Fail
Brace yourself – I have some hard-hitting life facts.
You will most likely not get every job you apply to. You may plan an amazing program and watch it crumble in front of your eyes. And I am sorry to say it, but you may go on some pretty-shitty dates before finding Mr./Mrs. Right.
Failing sucks. I have had some massive failures in my life that took me down a peg or two. But with the appropriate amount of self-pity (and listening to Taylor Swift) at some point, I needed to pick myself up again.
When you fail, take a moment, take a breath, and then get back up! Apply for another job, plan another program, and go on another date! Life is good.
10. Don’t Give Up On Therapeutic Recreation
The field of Therapeutic Recreation is growing.
What we do is life-giving and important. Don’t be discouraged if you must explain what it is that you do a regular basis. See it as an opportunity to spread the awesomeness. Check out my post on how to develop your own Therapeutic Recreation Elevator Pitch here.
Not too sound cheesy, but you are the future of the profession! No pressure or anything 🙂
I may not have known everything when I graduated in the spring of 2012, but what I did know for sure was that I was ready to take the health care world by storm (and I had a very expensive piece of paper backing me up).
My hope for you is that you feel the same way as you enter this, albeit anxiety provoking, but exciting period of your life. I believe in you! Let’s get it Class of 2019!!!
Do you have any tips to share with the Graduating Class of 2019? Please share with this growing Therapeutic Recreation community by commenting below.
