Tag: Texas

and the countdown continues

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment

THREE WEEKS…and the excitement is currently overwhelming.  I get excited/overwhelmed and cry at everything.  I don’t sleep.  It’s going to feel like the night before Christmas for the next few weeks, and honestly it may get a little ridiculous.  I feel like a hormonal teenager, but I’m honestly just super excited.

This week everyone in my cohort found out their graduate assistantship positions.  By the grace of God and extreme devotion and hard work from our program director (and potentially others, behind the scenes), everyone in our cohort has 100% tuition remission for the fall and spring!  That means we pay nothing but fees for our first year in grad school!  If you don’t believe me, here’s the email:
TR

In other exciting news, I got my first book for grad school today!  Along with my professor, this book will teach me all about the DAS-II…don’t ask me what that is.  Just kidding…it’s a “psychological assessment instrument” (aka, a test) that measures certain cognitive abilities for children from the ages of about 2-17 years; at least, that’s what I gather from the first page. 😉 Here’s a photo of me with my happy face and my new book:
DASbook

I think I’ve really found where I’m supposed to be.  I’m ready to get to Texas.  I’m ready to start learning.  I’m ready for the next chapter.  I don’t doubt that it will be difficult.  I don’t doubt that it will take work.  I do hope, though, that for the most part it ends up being fun work, and I do believe that it will all be worth it.  I forgot how much I love to learn, and I’m just ready to get back in the groove.  I’m ready to have more of a schedule.  I’m ready for everything…except the rest of the packing that I still have to do.  Oh, and the drive.  I’m not ready for the 13-hour drive.  Other than that, let’s get this show on the road!

 

a big “to-do” for baylor

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment

Back when I thought I was going to China, I had a to-do list that I was updating fairly regularly here on athousandnewpaths.  (Sidenote: If you haven’t read about where the title for my blog originated, check it out here.)  Well I thought that I created a Baylor to-do list to replace the list for China, but I can’t seem to find it.  So, here it is:

Finalize my sell, donate, & keep piles for my room at home
Extensive cleaning and organizing of room at home
Sell items
Donate items

Pack winter clothes
Sell/donate clothes & shoes I no longer wear
Organize summer clothes
Pack dishes
Pack books
Pack mementos, crafts, & miscellaneous
Sew a canopy for my new bed/room

Register for classes
Order books
Pay bill online
Email mentor
Add class schedule to new Lilly planner
Add GA schedule to new Lilly planner (after receiving GA schedule)
Create a budget

Take my dog, Georgia, to get her yearly vaccinations
Take Georgia to the groomer
Find/purchase a small dog crate

Visit dentist
Check all refills for prescriptions
Buy more contacts

Change addresses
Bank accounts
Get car oil changed and tires rotated and balanced

Compile a list of freezer and crock pot meals
Purchase another crock pot

This seems like a long list of things left to do in less than four weeks, but I’m pretty confident that I can manage it!  Cason and I are getting very excited about moving to Texas.  It gets more and more real every day!  I will keep you updated!

Updated: 8/5/13–Only a few things left to do and just a few for days left to do it!
Updated: 8/13/13–I can’t believe the big move is almost here! I finally compiled a list of crockpot meals, which will help tremendously when I do my first round of grocery shopping at the end of this week. I’ve also succumb to the fact that some things on this list will need to be completed IN TEXAS. That’s actually rather exciting!

a class-y edition of baylor updates

Published on by Jess Stone7 Comments

Register for classes–CHECK! (This is the class-y part of the update 😉
Set up direct deposit to receive money from Baylor–CHECK!
Craft for new room–CHECK!
Planted succulents for new room–CHECK!

Productivity was at an all-time high this week.  Something about spending a week away on vacation makes me want to come home and be as productive as possible.  I’ve done enough this week for the past two weeks, I hope.  While it may not seem like much at first glance, I checked off some major tasks for the summer.

Registering for classes was not quite the nightmare that it was at Mercer, but there were still unknown registration holds to keep me waiting all afternoon.  Everything worked out, though, and I finally registered for courses in statistics, ethics of school psychology, testing, and exceptional children. Let’s take a moment to pause and praise since I no longer have to take unnecessary gen-ed courses!  I made a cute little schedule, and I will be adding hours for my graduate assistantship and hours at the BARC to it soon enough.  (The BARC is the Baylor Autism Resource Center.)

scheduleA

I’m decorating my room in Waco with a travel theme, which means maps, maps, and more maps!  This week I covered some light switch plates and outlet covers with some maps using ModPodge.  I also updated a cork/magnet board with some maps.  I added a diamond with washi tape to represent ADPi!  I thought it turned out really well.  I’m still thinking of what to do for the magnets, though.

IMG_3713

I also finally jumped on the bandwagon and planted some succulents, thanks to Cason’s help.  I used an old tin that I got from a thrift store, drilled some holes in the bottom for extra drainage, and planted a small cactus and three types of succulents.  I will have to add a photo later.

I’m getting super excited about moving to Texas, and keeping busy helps the time pass more quickly.  Busy is exactly what I will be for the next several weeks.  This week I am taking engagement pictures, going on vacation to the beach, and attending both bridal and baby showers.  I will be attending weddings of four friends from RUF in college the first two weekends in August.  Busy, busy with loads of wonderful things.  I suppose I will find time to pack somewhere in there, but that will come.

Also, another update that I almost forgot: Cason found a place to live that’s within his budget!  What a blessing!  Well, I will be back when I have more updates!

 

kickstart your summer with a summer bucket list

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment

The summer is my favorite time of the year, and what better to do than to make a bucket list to get the most out of my summer?!?  This summer’s list seems longer than ones from past years.  I packed this summer full of activities, hoping that it would make my last summer at home the most memorable one yet.  I’m also hoping that keeping busy will make the summer fly because I am eager to get to the grand finale–the big move to Texas!

Without further ado, here’s the tentative bucket list for the summer of 2013:

Summer Bucket List 2013

It’s been proven that people who keep a list of their goals are much more likely to achieve the goals they have than those who do not write them.  So, I always like to include goals for organizing my life and forming more healthy habits.  In the past it has been easier for me to develop certain habits over the summer and work towards maintaining them in the fall.  I actually prefer summer goals over new year’s resolutions, as I have had much more success with summer goals in the past.  So if you haven’t tried a summer bucket/goals list before, I encourage you to try it and let me know how it goes!

I’d love to hear what you have planned for the summer.  Feel free to post your summer events in the comments box below!  Happy Summer!

 

state pride

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment

Over the past couple weeks I have been busy starting my new job, but I have also been working on some fabulous prints to go in my bathroom when I move to Waco. I’ve had so much fun making these prints in Photoshop that I’ve decided to list them on Etsy for anyone who may want their own custom prints. Click here for the shop and check out mine below!

columbusgaprint

USAtravelMap

wacotexasprint

How I decided on a graduate school

Published on by Jess StoneLeave a comment
  1. I decided on a program.
    I wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, but I decided to pursue another passion in college, psychology.  Along the way I realized that I still wanted to be in a school setting and make a difference in the lives of children.  Then I discovered the field of school psychology and I realized that I was made for it.  So I looked for graduate programs in that field and to my excitement found a 3-year Specialist program.  This would give me a year of full instruction, a year of instruction and work in the schools, and finally an internship year.  When I first realized I would have to go to grad school, I honestly was not thrilled about more school.  However, this program seemed to be tailored to my needs in that it would allow me to actually start doing what school psychologists do under the supervision of professors and other school psychologists.  Plus, more education in a field that I am thrilled about is actually appealing to me now.
  2. I decided on a region.
    When I was young, I was a homebody.  I never ventured far from my parents.  As I’ve gotten older, my comfort zone has expanded somewhat, and I knew that I still wanted to be in the south for graduate schools.  I looked at schools in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas.
  3. I applied to most of the schools with my program in the region.
    I applied to Georgia Southern, Appalachian State, University of Alabama,  and Baylor University.  School psychology is growing but still relatively new, so it’s not a program that everyone has.  I know it looks like I was pretty selective in where I applied, but I honestly had pretty slim pickings.  The good thing though is that these are all incredibly amazing programs.
  4. I interviewed with schools via Skype and in person.
    Georgia Southern accepted me without an interview, but I Skyped with three of the faculty from Baylor, and then I did an all day interview with the five faculty at Appalachian State.
  5. I made a pros and cons list.
    This is somewhat of an inside joke for anyone who saw the pros and cons list.  One school had all the pros.  We will just leave it at that
  6. I picked the program that was the best fit for me…
    …and that program is BAYLOR UNIVERSITY!  I am so pleased to announce that I have been accepted to their school psychology program for this fall, and I have accepted their offer.  (Many of you know this already, but it feels more official now that it is on the blog!)  I will actually be visiting next week, and I am thrilled!

JWalkerBaylorChevron

I was so excited once I finally accepted their offer that I could not sleep.  I stayed up making poster prints like the one above to hang in my apartment in TEXAS.  This feels like an absolute dream come true, but looking back I realize that I worked my whole life (up until this point) for this.  The goal has always been to do well in school, find a job that I am passionate about, and do what it takes to get there.  This is just another stepping stone along that path, and I am so blessed by and thankful for everyone who has helped and supported me along the way.  I recognize that this achievement cannot be credited to my work alone.  I needed the help and support of my parents, family, friends, and teachers.  Who I am and what I have achieved is a combination of my experiences and interactions with others, and I don’t take that for granted for one second.  Finally, I must acknowledge that my Creator and God had his hand over all of this.  I can look back and say that there were definitely times along the way when I wanted to give up, and I would not have made it through without my relationship with Christ as the foundation of my life.  All the glory goes to Him and the way He has placed people and experiences in my life to form me into the woman I am today.