Name: Kelsie Jordan

Undergrad: Oregon State University

Hometown: Portland, OR

Fun Fact: I hiked Longs Peak the weekend before finals week (along with some other classmates – who needs to study, right?)

Take a deep breath. Now, let it out slowly. Soak in this feeling of relief. At least for this moment, you have nothing to be stressed about – you actually are  accepted into physical therapy school. The applications are over, the interviews are complete, and you’ve survived that awful waiting period when your future was in the hands of an admissions team. Now, after what may have been a grueling process of endless pros and cons lists for some, you have finally decided which physical therapy program you are going to call your own. Doesn’t that feel amazing?

So…now what? Well, the good news is you’ve already done the hard part and this period between being admitted to PT school and actually starting is pretty much smooth sailing! Here’s what you can do to navigate this in-between time:

Study and review anatomy

Just kidding! Do not worry about reviewing anything. You’ll have the entirety of PT school to do all the studying your heart desires. You’ll also have a whole semester dedicated to learning anatomy, which will likely be much more in-depth than your undergraduate course, so looking over muscle attachments before starting school won’t give you any advantage. So please give your brain a break. Don’t review any material. Seriously. Don’t do it. Got it?

While living at home during my year off, I took full advantage of the nearby Columbia River Gorge

While living at home during my year off, I took full advantage of the nearby Columbia River Gorge

While living at home during my year off, I took full advantage of the nearby Columbia River Gorge

Graduate college

If you’re still finishing up your last year of undergrad, finish strong. Enjoy your last couple months of college, and then really enjoy your last true summer vacation. After all, you’ll have summer classes during PT school and afterward, you’ll be out in the real world!

My mom and I at the Portland Shamrock Run 15K…it rained the entire time

Get in touch with your classmates

Most, if not all, programs have some sort of Facebook page for their incoming class. Join it! Introduce yourself, ask questions, creep on your classmates, etc. It’s always a little awkward trying to get to know people you haven’t met yet, but down the road, it’s always fun to share stories about first impressions of profile pictures with all your friends. Plus, this is a great way to find roommates, if you’re looking.

Using extra free time to visit friends in Seattle.

Take care of logistics

Check your new school email regularly to make sure you stay in the loop by receiving all the updates and information regarding your cohort. There are probably a few compliance requirements you need to take care of, such as submitting immunization records and getting CPR certified. Also, don’t forget to apply for financial aid and scholarships – FAFSA is due on April 15th! Non-logistically, it might be a good idea to make a bucket list of things to do in your new home so that once you’re waist-deep in midterms, you don’t forget all the fun adventures you want to try.

More hiking in Portland, just prepping for life in the Rockies.

Find housing/roommates

If you’re moving somewhere new for school, you obviously need to find somewhere to live. Again, if you’re looking to live with classmates, Facebook is a great tool. Zillow is also your best friend. Better yet, if you can swing it, try to visit the area so you can take a look at housing in person. I’ll say from personal experience that living close to campus is pretty great, but there are a lot of other factors that determine your ideal place to live. Definitely use current students as a resource because we all have varied experiences.

A year without IM sports? Might as well join a city league team!

Sleep

Don’t set an alarm and instead sleep in on the weekends. There will be fewer opportunities for this in grad school, so sleep it up!

Wine tasting in the Willamette Valley and beer tasting at the Oregon Brewers Festival

Wine tasting in the Willamette Valley and beer tasting at the Oregon Brewers Festival

Spend time with your friends and family

If you’re moving away for school, you’re going to leave a lot of friends, family, and maybe even significant others behind. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll grow apart, but you’ll obviously have less time to spend with them. So before you move, do as many things as you can with all of those people! Maybe even plan ahead and figure out what you will do to keep in touch. Even if PT school is in the place you currently live, it does take a lot of work to balance your new schedule, new friends, new responsibilities, and new life with all the people in your old life. So make the effort to prioritize those people more than ever before you transition to grad school.

My friends and I spent 4th of July weekend on a houseboat on Lake Billy Chinook in central Oregon.

Travel

Spend some time traveling, whether it’s to another country, another state, or just that one part of your hometown you’ve never been to before. While there are plenty of school breaks, those breaks won’t allow as much time or flexibility for travel as you have right now. Trust me, I’ve enjoyed a bunch of trips during PT school, but when there is an academic calendar to adhere to, vacation time tends to be a little more structured. Also, if you don’t feel like you have the time or money to take an extravagant trip, try to make a road trip out of your move to school. That’s what I did, and it was a blast!

My extended family had a family reunion trip in South Carolina, so I had fun being a history nerd in Charleston

Have fun and honestly do whatever you want

Relax, take a breather, and let your brain rest (especially if you just finished undergrad). Even though there will be plenty of free time to explore and have fun during PT school, most of the time those experiences come alongside the knowledge of looming deadlines in the back of your mind, so enjoy the freedom to do what you want without anything making you feel like you need to study. Travel, sleep, drink at a beer festival, read a book, binge watch Netflix, go to a concert…If you currently have a job that you’re planning to leave right before grad school, think about leaving a few weeks early to unwind. Also, I would honestly advise that you not worry too much about saving up money – you’re already investing a lot in your education, and the couple hundred dollars that you might save by not enjoying your freedom right now won’t make much of a difference in the long run. This in-between time should be a period of rest and fun, so make that your goal.

My parents road tripped with me out to Denver! Along the way we stopped in Salt Lake City and spent a day exploring both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

My parents road tripped with me out to Denver! Along the way we stopped in Salt Lake City and spent a day exploring both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

My parents road tripped with me out to Denver! Along the way we stopped in Salt Lake City and spent a day exploring both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

Basically, all of that advice can be pretty much summed up into two words: do nothing.

Take care of the things you need to take care of to be compliant and financially prepared when you start school, but otherwise, just take a step back and enjoy your time however you see fit. As always, feel free to contact Erin, the Class of 2020 Admissions Representative, and I with any questions. Congratulations on finally reaching this step, and good luck in the Fall!

“PT school, here I come!” –Me, when I finally got to Colorado.

My email address: kjordan002@regis.edu

Erin’s email address: elemberger@regis.edu