So in my last post I mentioned I had a CARS tutoring session scheduled. Well me and my tutor weren't able to connect. But the bright side is I thought I did pretty well on the CARS practice! I didn't do a lot of practice at all, I only did 9 passages from EK's 101 Passages. And I actually ran out of time because I tried doing the same amount of CARS passages that would be on the MCAT in the prescribed time. So time was an issue, but the positive was I got a lot of questions right and I aced a few passages as well. I don't know what percentile I would've scored as I haven't calculated it yet but just knowing that for my practice so far, I'm able to answer most questions right, is very comforting to me because I was very concerned I would bomb any CARS practice because growing up I hated reading novels. I just couldn't understand them. I also reviewed the EK verbal book and it had so many good tips and made so much sense. And having the structure from the book was comforting too. But anyways I am VERY optimistic on CARS. I think I have the ability I just need to do less contemplating on questions and more "going with my gut". This will speed me up. I also have to do my best to understand the passages the first and hopefully only time I read them. Oh and before I marked my passages, I thought I bombed them. Like I had hardly any idea of what was right and wrong. My theory is that it feels that way because when we write science tests we feel so much certainty as to what is right or wrong, so something like CARS is much different, but not sure why haha.
Anyways, in sum, it appears I have a baseline level in CARS, but I still have to refine my CARS approach, finish reviewing the EK book, read a variety of things in the arts, and practice, practice, practice!
So I had a two day volunteer training session at the hospice this week. The experience was so awesome! I learned so much and the group was wonderful. It was so moving hearing everyone's stories as we all brought our own perspectives to the non traditional group learning format of the training. We had to schedule a "training exit interview" as well to determine where we want to volunteer, and I had mine today. I expressed my interest in joining the hospital team that visits palliatative patients there at the hospital, as there are lots of different role opportunities through this hospice society, but the hospital is what interests me the most. Well the coordinator agreed and though I can't remember her words she was clear that I would be excellent in that role. It was very nice to hear that because I could tell it was not just lip service, but rather she recognized that my skill set overlaps with what is required to be successful in that particular role in that hospital environment. (And I just realized now that I should mention that this hospice is offsite from the local hospital, so that is why there is a special hospital team that goes there. Most other volunteers volunteer away from the hospital at the hospice building itself). But anyways the hospice training experience overall so far was quite incredible and it will no doubt be a great piece to the puzzle.
But the training isn't over yet, as to work in 1on1 situations with the hospice it is required that a volunteer does further training to the tune of 1 day per week for seven weeks at 5 hours per day. Only then after that will I be able to start my clinical volunteering. That further training doesn't start until October but I am able to work in non clinical roles, such as reception, until my training is over. I may or may not do that. Haven't decided yet. But I will certainly do the further training and start doing clinical volunteering after.
All this positivity to report, and I haven't even mentioned the best part yet! I met the most incredible person at the hospice training. I can't go into more detail right now because I'm on my iPad in bed and I have way too much to write about her and I should be getting to sleep. I know what you might be thinking and no it is not a potential partner or a female I'm attracted to. It's something else. I'll devote a post to it later because it is just that special. Speaking of which, I forgot to ever write that post about my most favourite class ever that I was in last summer, Psyc 304 at UBC. I'll post on that too. But for now I'll hit the hay! Talk soon and take care.
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