Hi, I'm Eli! I've been working on my degree for some time now. Until this year, I've felt like a perpetual transfer student; I was always accumulating credits but never graduating. In the meantime, I've managed to change my major a few times, get married, and have a kid who is now 11 years old. I've also bought and sold my first house so I could move my whole family back in with my mom to afford this college thing again. I'm finally a senior not only by hours but also in the Social Work program. It has been a long road but the end is in sight!
As I mentioned, my major is Social Work. All of my classes last semester were actually directly related to my major. Still, I think the best one was our Motivational Interviewing class, and I wish it was open to non-majors. Even with the sudden switch to online courses after Spring Break, we still managed to have all our simulations and interviewing practice. Applying the content within fields of social work practice this year in our practicums should be challenging!
I feel like some of the most significant accomplishments last semester actually just relate back to changes due to the pandemic. Most of my classes made the transition to Zoom very quickly since the program uses it frequently to interact with the Tulsa campus. The bigger challenge for me (and my cohort) was finishing out several group projects with some people out of town or out of state.
I have too many favorite books to name - I spend almost all of my free time reading. According to my Kindle app, I have read at least one day out of the last 109 weeks and last year completed 387 titles. Admittedly at least 5 of those titles are textbooks, and I do not keep track of the physical books I read, or anything read through the Metropolitan Library's digital reader. My favorite TV show or movies are often whatever I find that looks interesting on Netflix or another streaming service. Although I do make it a point to keep up with the new seasons of Call the Midwife and Doctor Who.
We are currently a one-dog household, which is exactly the way Bernard likes it. He is a Chihuahua mix that has been so happy most of his people have been home since March. Heated blankets and any of our pillows are his favorite things.
Some of my favorite foods I have to make from scratch because I have Celiac disease. This means I cannot eat gluten - wheat, barley, rye, and a few other grains like triticale. So delicious things I used to enjoy, like soft pretzels or deep dish pizza are always homemade! It also means I am very creative with how I make things, and I'm always experimenting with different flour blends. (P.S. If you enjoy making chicken at home and aren't allergic, mix coconut flour into your breading! It's delicious. Also, chickpea flour makes excellent gravy.)
I did list Santa Fe, NM as one of my favorite places. Santa Fe has excellent gluten-free food, and the high desert scenery is beautiful. A favorite place I haven't been to yet because of travel plans cancelled by the pandemic is Italy. Despite being the land of pasta and pizza, or maybe because it is, Italy has many people with Celiac. Because of this, they also have a high number of restaurants where you can easily get Celiac safe gluten-free food.
I do have some hobbies besides making allergy-safe food and reading. I also like to sew, which makes my kid happy. Between my sewing and my spouse's metal and woodworking skills, we're basically a fabrication shop. This comes in handy for all the crazy ideas our child has come Halloween or any other time.
Hi Eli! I just loved reading your introduction post. I find it so admirable that you have stuck with school for so long even with all the twists and turns you've experienced, so I hope your last year is the best yet! I also love that you are such a fan of Santa Fe; I have family all over New Mexico and grew up visiting, so hearing about people sharing that love for a place so close to home for me makes me super happy. So great getting to know you through this post! Can't wait to see all you accomplish!
ReplyDeleteHey Eli! I really enjoyed reading your introduction post. I’m a senior this year as well, so like you, I’m ready to graduate and start my profession! That’s awesome that you have a kid and a dog, I bet they keep you on your toes 24/7! Santa Fe and Italy do sound like really neat places to go visit. I’ve always wanted to go to Italy as well. I think it would be neat to see all of the history and culture within the country.
ReplyDeleteHi Eli! Thanks for your tips on being gluten-free! I have a gluten intolerance and one of my roommates has Celiac disease, so we're ALWAYS on the hunt for new recipes to try!
ReplyDeleteBernard looks so happy under his blanket! My family has two chihuahuas, and, despite their constant bickering and sibling rivalry, I think they're happier as a pair. We tried having our first one (Terence) be a solo dog, and he was unhappy. Granted, he was also unhappy when he realized he'd have to share attention. I know chihuahuas have such a bad rep, and I understand why, but they are so loving and loyal when they're well-trained!
Good luck in your last semester, and congratulations on continuing to pursue your dreams!
Congratulations on your winding edu-journey, Eli! I also dropped out of school and moved around until I found my niche... and Social Work is such a great project at OU; I'm glad that is where you have landed! And wow, "motivational interviewing" class sounds like it could be so useful for all kinds of majors (the most important issue IMO in education is motivation, but we spend far too little time talking about that, and way too much time talking about tests and grades). And yay for Kindles! If I had not been able to start snagging books on my Kindle, I might have had to move out of my own house because it would be filled to overflowing with books.
ReplyDeleteYour Bernard is beautiful; we had a chihuahua when I was little, so of course they are one of my favorite dogs.
I wish we could all make a magical trip to Italy this semester... but even if we cannot be there in person, there are plenty of Italian folktales and fairy tales so that you can travel there in your imagination. And tourism of the imagination is even more useful while we are figuring out how to get the covid under control! So, I hope you will have fun with the class, and maybe even find some stories to share ... child co-authors are always welcome participants in the storytelling too! :-)
Hi Eli! I think it's so awesome that you have worked so hard to get your degree. It is so awesome that you have not given up, and are so dedicated to your studies! Your dog is so cute. I had a dog when I was little, that loved all of the attention on him, just like Bernard! One of my roommates is in the social work program here at OU and she loves it so much. It is such a great program, and I'm excited for you to be close to finishing it.
ReplyDeleteHi, Eli! I'm also someone who started college late and it's very different being a student with a kid. I feel my priorities don't match with those who started school the usual college age. Do you feel the same? Also, wow! You've read a lot of books. Do you have any recommendations? I've also never been to Sante Fe, NM. What do you feel are the best things to do there?
ReplyDeleteHi Eli,
ReplyDeleteI definitely understand how you feel when it comes to college and being a student. My academic/college journey has been longer than the conventional 4 years and there have been times when I've felt unsure of what I was doing. I think it's great that you stuck through it and found something that you're passionate about. I love eating homemade fried chicken, so I'll have to take your advice and try coconut flour! I learned to sew several years ago and I feel like that's something I want to start doing again for fun. Were you able to use your sewing skills and make masks during this pandemic?? It was great getting to know you and best of luck to you!
Eli!
ReplyDeleteI am so proud of you for hanging through your journey and finally finding a light at the end of your tunnel. More than likely, there was always a light at the end, and a future for you. However, I understand how hard it can be sometimes to know for sure if you are on the right path, as you described, and the fact that you were able to finally find that, that's huge! I am glad that you have the confidence and motivation to keep going. Also - your dog is so cute! I am glad you found a partner along the way throughout your journey. I hope everything keeps going well.
Nice to meet you.
Hey, Eli!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being so close to graduating! I really admire students who manage to balance family and school; that's super impressive. Your major and classwork sounds really interesting, especially since I haven't met anyone at OU before that is studying social work. It sounds like you'll be able to do a lot of good in people's lives with that degree. As for your favorite shows, I LOVE Call the Midwife, too. I find every episode to be so emotional and interesting.
It must be tough to navigate the food world with Celiac disease, but I'm glad there are places like Santa Fe that are allergy-friendly, for you. Good luck in all your future pursuits!
Hi Eli!
ReplyDeleteI just want to start off by saying that I really admire your commitment to education! Most people wouldnt stick with it for that long. Also- totally a big reader over here. For whatever reason, i cant read on a digital platform, i think i like the feeling of a hard copy book way too much. You have a very cute dog as well, i miss mine a lot at home! I hope you have a great semester and good luck with the rest of school!
Hey Eli! What a journey you have been on so far! You seem to have a great outlook on life and I admire your pursuit to finish school with how much you seem to have going on. I am thoroughly impressed by how much you read, I have never been much of a reader myself, but that is awesome! I hope the best for you as you finish college and pursue the next challenges!
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