Pet Therapy: The BEST Medicine

Meet my fur babies Chloe and Zoey 💕

Chloe (my fist fur baby)

 Zoey (my second fur baby)

These two are the perfect stress relief to get through finals. I was actually reading an article the other day that dogs have shown to decrease anxiety and reduce blood pressure. I feel as though any cute animal can make anyone feel better. Here are just a few reasons why fur babies can help you get through stressful times like finals:

·         They know when you need a break from schoolwork.

·         Sometimes when they are up to no good, they make you laugh.

·         They are the perfect pillow for when you need a quick power-nap.

·         They are always there to listen...or help you when you cry.

·         They are always there for a quick hug or cuddle moment. 

Now, I am not saying you should go buy an animal, but maybe you could go visit a friends.Having a pet is a lot of responsibility, money, and time, but they are totally worth it. Sometimes playing with an animal is the perfect break you need from studying. It is good to just take a mental break and walk away for a little bit. Let's also not forget about food, sleeping, chocolate, and coffee- the essentials. I am so grateful to have my two fur babies as my mental break and to keep me sane throughout grad school.

GOOD LUCK ON FINALS!

-Steph J.

The Semester is Almost Over- You Can Do it!

It is now time to finish the semester strong! I know going back to classes today was dreadful after having a nice little break because of Thanksgiving. But I was soon reminded that final exams are going to be soon approaching, so I have to stay focused. That is when I grabbed that extra cup of coffee in order to catch up on school work. Since finals are right around the corner, I want to provide you with some study tips that I have found helpful:

1.      Have time management- Even though you may feel that you have two weeks to study, it will approach really fast. You also need to make a schedule that works for you. Cramming may work for some people, but do you really retain that information? No. By making a schedule it can help you maintain your time management, so you are not that person that is cramming to remember information and setting your standards lower due to time restraints.

2.       Alternate study spaces- Studies have found that changing your study space can be helpful in retaining information. You also want to pick a space that you would be the most productive and feel comfortable in. For example, I am not good at studying in the library because I get distracted by people easily. Your personal study space preference could be different, but maybe change it up to find new spaces that may help you memory new information.

3.       Make a study group- I have found that study groups are the perfect thing to do before an exam. I know that myself and my peers will study separate and then come together into a study group in order to quiz each other. When working as a team, your friends could help you find a better way to remember information or provide you with a great explanation when you don’t understand something. Working in a group can also help you divide and conquer the schoolwork, like making a study guide.

4.       Make flash cards- I LOVE flashcards. This is the best way for me to remember information for a test and an easy way to quiz myself as well. Everyone has their own way to study though. I know other people who like to rewrite things over and over again. Personally flashcards are my go to when it comes to studying. I feel like flashcards are great because I am required to write down the information and then see it over and over again.

5.       Take mental breaks- Sometimes you brain needs a break! When making yourself a schedule, remember to include breaks. You also need to consider when you will be the most productive. Will you be more focused after eating a meal or following a gym session? I know that I will study for an hour and then give myself a break. Sometimes I just need to walk away, take a breath, and refocus myself before going back to studying.

6.       Don’t multitask- Even though you may think that you can multi-task- don’t! By only focusing on one thing, it can help you better retain the information. I remember in class participating in an activity that required divided attention and I learned how much information I was actually missing by trying to multitask. Even though I do catch myself trying to do more than one thing, I have found that when I do focus on one task it has truly helped when studying.

7.       Sleep!-I know that I will catch myself trying to stay up studying, wanting to just remember one more thing for the exam. That is when someone usually reminds me how important sleep actually is. As much as I don’t want to admit it, sleep is important and necessary. Just remember that finals are only going to be going on temporarily, so try to get a little extra sleep.

8.       Coffee and chocolate are essential, so keep them on hand :) - We all dread and hate finals! Always have chocolate handy for those moments when you feel a break down coming on. You also may find yourself drinking coffee a little- it helps!

Finals will be over before you know it! Hopeful my study tips above will be helpful. Please feel free to share any tips that you may have. The semester is almost over, don’t give up now!

 Thank you for reading!

-Steph J.

Have an Escape

Graduate school is going to hit you with its fair share of work (who woulda thought?). At the end of some school weeks, it will feel like Monday was a month ago. We all know what we signed up for and that requires us putting in major time and major effort to accomplish our goal of acquiring a higher degree. Putting in hours and hours of time on school work daily is stressful. When you feel that you have put in enough time (for now), you need to have an escape. The purpose of having escape is so you don’t absolutely lose your mind.

An escape can be a reward for all the work you have done or an escape can be something that is physically needed for you to continue on with your work a couple hours later or the next day. Everybody has a different escape plan. Some people escape to the gym to work out frustrations and let the mind be free, while others go out for ice cream with some friends (treat yourself!). Other escapes can be watching a movie, going for a walk, or the ultimate escape, sleeping.

I have several escape plans myself. Whenever I feel my stress boiling over I know it’s time to put one of them into effect. One of my favorite stress relievers is singing. I usually call up my friend who plays guitar and we sit around for a few hours and sing whatever comes up. They say music is good for the soul and I think there’s no better way of describing it. When I have the time, another escape of mine is cooking. There’s nothing better than having a home cooked meal. Cooking a good healthy meal is rewarding and takes your mind off of everything else temporarily. When you eat good, you feel good.

Finally, my last escape is my internship. Every couple Sundays I take the trip up to East Rutherford, New Jersey where I intern for the New York Jets. Walking into Met Life Stadium absolutely clears my mind. I grew up a huge Jets fan, so it’s still surreal to me that I get the opportunity to work for them. Being within that atmosphere and witnessing the games is the ultimate escape for me (although this season hasn’t gone as planned). The perk about my final escape is that I also get to see my family when I go North for the games. When you think you have had enough, go to your escape, and then come back with a determined attitude ready to take on whatever is next.

 

No better escape than spending time with your dog!

                                                                                                                    - Matt

How to Feel About Your First Day of Graduate Classes.

Anxious, nervous, excited, worried; as I mentally prepare myself for my first day of graduate classes starting this September, I have felt all of these emotions. Do I really want to put myself through two more years of writing papers, late night studying, and everyone’s favorite in-class presentations? And time and time again my answer is… yes.

As the first day approaches, the usual jitters are normal. Remind yourself that you got into grad school because of what you have accomplished so far as a student and an individual. These combinations of emotions are all acceptable. As an undergraduate moving on to graduate school, you are jumping into the ‘unknown’.

The ‘unknown’ is scary, but it’s also awesome! If you think of every new step you have taken in your life you can look back and truly see how far you’ve come. If you are anything like me, you have anxiety about everything. I get anxiety thinking about anxiety. The one thing I have learned however, is that you cannot let anxiety dull who you are. Have a voice in class, be professional, and remember to take everything in before it’s all gone. This will also translate to who you are as an individual in the real world. You can feel how you want about the first day of graduate classes, but the fact is that they’re right around the corner.

You can have all of the feelings and emotions in the world, but alongside these sensations, what you should feel is READY.

Go get ‘em!

                                                                                                         - Matt

What You Can Expect: Undergrad vs. Grad

Since this is my first time posting on the blog, let me introduce myself. My name is Stephanie Jurkovic and I am a student in the Master of Science in Communication Disorders program at Stockton. In addition, I currently am a Graduate Assistant (G.A) in the Office of Graduate Studies. I began my graduate school journey a little under a year ago. It is crazy for me to think that a year has already gone by! One thing I remember asking my friend (who was already a year into the program) was what to expect this coming year. I now can tell you from experience that graduate school is different than undergrad, that’s for sure. Graduate school is different for a few reasons, and here is what you can expect:

1.     Graduate school occupies a lot of your time

You will feel that your social life has disappeared and all extra time is spent doing work. It is okay though because those around you will understand. Also, you aren’t going to be getting a graduate degree for the rest of your life, so this is only a temporary sacrifice. The time will fly by!

2.       You have more responsibility

In graduate school, it is up to you to decide when you are going to complete assignments. You will receive the syllabi the first day and it is your own responsibility to know what is due when. You will also have to re-evaluate your time management skills because you will have more work on your hands then before. Your professors definitely hold you to higher standards in graduate school.

3.       Procrastination is NEVER a good idea

In undergrad you could probably get away with procrastination-everyone does it. Even waiting until the day before to study for a test. In graduate school, procrastination is not something that is recommended. In the end it just causes you way more stress than it is worth in the long-run.

4.       You will have a new definition of the word stress and flexibility

There will be times when you will look back to your undergrad years and think about how you whined about assignments: you will now see that those task where easy. You will also put your  multi-tasking skills to the test. You may find yourself eating, doing homework, while also completing another task. Whenever you get the chance, you will end up working on an assignment.
 

Don’t worry though, plenty of people have made it through the adjustment. You just need to stay positive and know that you can do it!

Keep checking our blog for tips on how to survive graduate school.

 Thank you for reading!

-Steph J. 

My Journey of A Lifetime

It is hard to believe that after 2 years and 3 months, my journey as a graduate student has come to an end. There have been many stressful moments, late night study sessions, missed social events/time with family & friends, sacrificed relationships, pig out sessions, and so much more but, it was all worth it!!! I am proud to say that I have passed my speech-language pathology praxis examination, my comprehensive program examination, and have officially completed my Master’s Program as of August 10^th! I would have not made it through this journey without the support of my amazing cohort, family, fiancé, work family, and friends. It takes a village to conquer graduate school! 

I have officially accepted a tenure track position as a speech-language specialist in an elementary school, where I will be working with children from preschool to 5^th grade. It is crazy to think that this coming fall I will be starting school as a professional instead of a student! Talk about a major role switch. Before I leave, I wanted to leave you all with some tips that helped me pass my praxis, comprehensive examination, and overall how I got through my graduate school journey.

Passing the Praxis

Don’t wait until the last minute but, do not over study!!! So, like most of us, I am not a good standardized test taker and tend to give myself a lot of anxiety. You want to make sure that you study yes, but you don’t want to over study to the point where you confuse yourself or forget what the difference between morphology and syntax is (this happened to me one day lol). With the stress of finishing school, completing assignments, applying for jobs, and everything else your brain is already in overload.

The praxis book recommends studying at least 15-30 minutes a day. What worked best for me was studying in 20-30 minute increments. For example, I set aside one whole day or block of time (4-5 hours) and would read a section/take the chapter quiz, and then go watch television, play with my dogs, take a nap, make a snack, go for a walk, or just browse the internet. I did anything to help relax my brain and step out of the “praxis world”. This is key, because it truly can consume you if you let it. It is all a mental game, and you need to believe in yourself.

 About a month and a half before my test date, I started studying. First, I read the chapters where I didn’t have my classes yet, and then moved to areas where I felt I needed the most refreshing. After each chapter, I took the chapter quiz and gaged how well I understood the material. If I did well, I moved on, if I did not do well, I marked it and went back to it later. About a month before my exam, I started studying with one of my friends. We would meet twice a week and take a chapter quiz together (all pre-planned and organized so we would review the material prior). THIS REALLY HELPED! You don’t realize how much talking out a question and seeing someone else’s perspective helps you. Soon after that I started studying with another one of my friends who I have studied with throughout my entire program. This was an even bigger help for me because, she truly is my balance and helped me to not “over think” questions, which is a big part to taking the praxis. When taking the praxis and answering the questions here are a few things that helped me:

1.     Think of the answer that the Praxis Book would want, not what you learned in school and your clinical practicums. This is hard but, remember the people who wrote the praxis book also wrote the praxis. This is the same for if you take a test for a class, you would give the answer your professor would want.

2.     Take your time when you are taking the test. I read each question 2-3 times, especially if I don’t understand it. 

3.     DON’T RUSH! You have 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete 132 questions, you have time!!!

4.     Believe in yourself and remember that you know more than you think. Trust yourself!

Passing Your Comprehensive Examination of Your Program (COMPS)

            Studying for my praxis really helped me with my comps. The information that you have learned in your classes and from your Praxis book will all begin to overlap. This helps the information really stick! Additionally, the week before the test a few people in my class and I all met up and divided up courses from each semester, and comprised a study guide. This was one of the best things we did because, it really helped break down the important sections from each course. You learn so much in your program sometimes it is hard to remember all of the key sections. Finally, the key to successfully passing was NOT STRESSING OVER IT! I went in with the mindset that I knew more than I thought, I passed my praxis, and I know I can do this. Remember to take a deep breath and reflect back on how well you did in all of your courses. Plus, as you are reading your comp questions you will be amazed at how much information comes flooding back to you!

Getting Through Graduate School

Some of the main things that helped me get through graduate school included:

1.     Support from my family, friends, and fiancé. This was crucial for me because some days you will find yourself asking why you did this or how you will make it through. It’s nice to know that people are around you and supporting you every step of the way. 

2.     Having a positive mindset. You have to tell yourself the reward will be worth it in the end and that you can do anything you put your mind to. I took each semester class by class and towards my last semester It was day by day lol. The work always gets done, you will always do well if you try, and you just have to believe in yourself!

3.   My cohort was a big help!! Knowing that I wasn’t alone and having other people to turn to for clarification, help, and support was a blessing. Not to mention, I met some amazing people who have become close friends and was able to go through this journey with one of my best friends.

4.   Rewarding myself! When I finished a big assignment, a midterm/final, or a semester i treated myself to a night out, ice cream, a wine night, a night of no work at all, and so forth. All work and no play will drive you crazy! Take the time to reward your successes, no matter how big or small!

5. Taking time to Reflect! Their will be times you ask yourself why you did this, times you want to cry, and times you want to just give up. DON'T! Think back to why you did this, what made you embark on this journey. Most of all remember this, if it was easy everyone would do it. You were chosen to be a part of this graduate program for a reason. Just keep on pushing forward day by day, assignment by assignment. The work will always get done and the grades will come!

Your graduate career is going to come and go, take the time to enjoy it and be proud of all of your accomplishments. It has been an honor sharing my stories with you for the past 2 years. I hope my experiences and advice have helped you in your graduate programs. I have no doubt you will all do amazing things. Even though this will be my final post, I know you will be in good hands with Stephanie and Matt. I look forward to reading their experiences in their programs! 

Remember, you are stronger than you think and braver than you could ever imagine!! Best of luck in all you do and thank you for letting me share my graduate school journey with you!

<3 Jessica 

How to Survive Your “Breakdown Moments” in Graduate School!

             Being in Graduate school pushes you to limits you never thought existed both mentally, physically, and emotionally. The long nights of studying, stress and anxiety of tests and homework, and most of all the always being busy with school work and having to give up you social life time. After a while you start to miss being able to do whatever you want on the weekends, coming home from work and kicking your feet up, and being able to go with the flow of life and attend BBQ’s, parties, family events, and have nights out with your friends without planning ahead. In the chaos of it all, we often find ourselves saying phrases such as: “why did I do this to myself?”, “Why did I think this was a good idea?”, “I am so over it!”, “I just want to be done!”, “I don’t care anymore, I am so over it!”, “I just want to give up, I am so tired!”, and more.

This is when we have to look in the mirror and give ourselves the reality check we need. When all else fails, have a vent session with your parents, best friend, sister, brother, significant other, whoever your person/people are. How I personally get through my “breakdown moments” is by either venting with my best friend who is also in my program which is amazing because, she understands first-hand, or I call my mom! We are human and this happens! It is so easy to get distracted by the stress of the now and forget why we are doing this. This is when you have to remind yourself of a few things:

1.       Your reason for going to graduate school in the first place.

2.       How having your doctorate or master’s degree will better your life in so many ways.

3.       If it was easy everyone would do it!

4.       In the long run all of your hard work is going to pay off so just keep on pushing!

When all else fails some things that I do to help me when I feel like I just want to give up and have lost all motivation are:

·         Working out: Working out just makes you feel better on the inside and out and personally helps me focus better.

·         Take a break: I take a break from school work and go enjoy myself for a day. All work and no play makes for a very unhappy person.

·         Look up inspirational quotes: This sound cheesy I know, but sometimes I just need a little pick me up about life.

·        Indulge: I will treat myself to a nice dinner, ice cream, cake, and so forth. I work by butt off and shouldn’t deprive myself is what I tell myself to make me feel better lol.

·         Watch a movie: sometimes escaping into another world is just what my mind needs.

·        Vent: I am the type of person where sometimes I just need to get it all out. I let my frustrations, anxiety, and stress build up and if I don’t vent I will simply blow! This is when it calls for a serious mom call or chat with my best friend.

Most of all remember that you are not alone, we have all felt like this at some point during graduate school and ITS OKAY!!!

          These are just a few things that help me get through my “breakdown moments”. I would love to hear what helps you get through your “breakdown moments?”

 

 

                                                                                                                                -Jessica

How Can Having a Pet Help you in Graduate School?

Meet Daisy (my first fur child)

And Meet Buddy (the newest addition to my family)

Best Friends

I never realized it until recently how much these two little animals influence me in all aspects of life and school. Especially Buddy,as he is still a baby (8 months old), he requires much more attention than Daisy who is 7 years old. Both owning a dog and being in Graduate school have one major thing in common, they are both a BIG responsibility and commitment that should be carefully thought out.

How have my dogs influenced my life during school:

 Motivation

·         Like clockwork every morning between 5:55 and 6:15 Buddy is up and ready to go. His alarm clock of choice is licking my face and sitting on me! I on the other hand would like to hit the snooze button on my alarm until 6:30 or stay in bed for a while lol. He gives me motivation to get out of bed and start my day off early. Sometimes I will work out, read a chapter of my book for class while eating breakfast, play outside with them, or simply relax before work or school. When the weather is nice this is even more of a motivation for me to exercise, do things outside, take the dogs for a walk, or play with them. They motivate me to get my work done so I can play with them or take a break instead of being stuck inside all day staring at a computer. Most of all, they keep me going and help increase my energy.

Stress Relief 

·         There is no greater feeling that snugging up next to my dogs. They know when I feel stressed and need comfort and are always there smiling at me and wagging their tails. They make the best study/homework buddies and will stay up with me through all hours of the night. As much as Buddy and his new found love for “marking his territory” in my house annoys me lol, I wouldn’t trade having him or daisy for the world. They simply make me happier! Not to mention I sleep 100% better at night having them in bed with me.

     Responsibility

·         I consider myself a very responsible person to begin with however, having two dogs forces me to not just think about myself. I need to make sure they have food, water, get taken out, plan trips accordingly, and so forth. This forces me to be very organized and manage my time more effectively. This is a very valuable skill in graduate school.

        Patience

·         Buddy’s new found behavior of marking his territory is really testing my patience these days. However, both of them have tested my patience on more than one occasion. When we first moved into our house Daisy used to go to the bathroom in our bedroom out of spite. When we first got Buddy, he hated his cage and would cry all night long. Not to mention go to the bathroom in it and wake up 4-5 times a night. They have both taught me to count to 10 and realize it’s okay, there are worse things that could be happening in life.

Owning a dog is not as easy as it sounds especially when you have two. Having any pet is a big responsibility in regards to time, money, and sacrifices that you may have to make. At the end of the day though, they will be a loyal best friend and someone who will love you not matter what each and every day. I am thankful to have my fur babies on this grad school journey with me <3

How have your pets helped you during your graduate school journey?

-Jessica 

Relax and Unwind

Whether you just finished your semester or graduated with your Bachelor’s degree it is time to relax and unwind. This weekend marks the official kick off to summer, and you should ENJOY every minute of free time! For those of you who just graduated, this will be the last summer you fully have to yourself for a while so make the most of it! For those of you who just finished your semester enjoy your few weeks off before summer classes begin, or if you don’t have summer classes, use your free time wisely to get ahead and relax. You just worked your tail off, lost hours of sleep, ate your stresses away, and most likely missed social outings, and spending quality time with family, friends, and significant others. It is time to make up for lost time and reconnect with your family, friends, significant others and most of all yourself. All work and no play can make a person go stir crazy. Our bodies and minds need a break. You want to go into your next semester refreshed, relaxed, and ready to go!

Some things you could do this summer to help yourself relax, feel better, and develop good habits for the fall!

·        Catch up on sleep and all of your favorite shows you may have missed during the school year.

·        Eat healthy (junk food is tempting but, think about how you feel after eating it all the time).

·        Treat yourself to dessert, a drink, and etc. (everything in moderation and you should never deprive yourself).

·        Go to the beach, pool, or wherever your relaxation spot may be and just “veg” and clear your mind. For me personally, that is the beach.

·        Take day trips with family/friends, go on a mini weekend getaway or week vacation if you can, and most of all enjoy your time.

·        Start/continue to exercise and get into a routine. It is beyond hard to start but, once you get into a routine you will start to feel better physically and emotionally.

o   Take a walk/jog on the beach, walk your dog, walk at night with friends.

o   Go to the gym.

o   Try yoga or meditation.

o   Ride your bike, scooter, etc.

o   Do laps in your pool or community pool.

o   Take a dance class or try a new exercise class.

o   Do workouts at home.

(Anything you do is better than nothing. Take 25-30 minutes of “me” time a day to focus on your own well-being. If you can’t commit to 5x a week then set a goal for 3x a week. Make a routine that will work for you).

Most of all enjoy the warm weather and do what makes you happy =)

-Jessica

A Big Congratulations!

         A big congratulations to our fellow Masters and Doctoral graduating Graduate Students, at Stockton University. Today is the day you have been waiting for, all of your hard work and dedication was worth it. Stephanie and I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors. Remember that no matter where you go in life, you will always have your Stockton Family! Cheers to this next chapter in your lives and Congratulations again!

Jessica & Stephanie

Video Blog Post

I hope you all enjoy our very first video post. Feel free to comment below or email us at gradschool@stockton.edu with any questions!

-Jessica

Exciting News for the MSCD Program at Stockton!

          Stockton University Masters of Science in Communication Disorders Program has aligned with Adler Aphasia Center to provide the Aphasia Communication Group.  Masters students from the Communication Disorders Program will be working under the supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist and clinical affiliate, JoAnn Sabo, M.A., CCC-SLP, to assist with group facilitation as part of their clinical externship experience. This wonderful partnership allows the students to gain valuable experience while giving back to the community.

        The Aphasia Communication group is a free group open to the public. The group will meet twice per month to help patients with aphasia to practice speaking, develop alternative communication strategies, cope with the challenges of living with aphasia, and meet and interact with others with aphasia and their family.  The group will meet on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Stockton University’s Kramer Hall in Hammonton, NJ starting in March 2016.

       For more information, directions and to pre-register, contact

Wendy Greenspan at: 

• Phone:973.530.3981 or email at wgreenspan@adleraphasiacenter.org.

Directions also available at:   http://www.stockton.edu/hammonton

*Please note, you can join the group at anytime*

-Jessica