The Last Day of Class- August 1

It is hard to believe that school is really coming to an end after three years.  It has been an amazing experience and I am so blessed to have the opportunity to learn about people and social work.  My internships have been great, my professors were amazing, and the 19 students in the Kaysville cohort have added so much to my life and to my experience as a student.

Kaysville Cohort 2014-2017

Utah State University

Sitting:  Gordon, Bethanie, Annie, Whitney, Alice
Mid-row:  Maddie, Cami, Amber H., Sylinda
Back:  Hailey, Amber S., Nancy, Curt, me, Rachel (bent down), Stephanie, Tara, Lisa, Suzie, Lori

Each one of them added so much to the past three years and we can tell stories about everyone. In fact, Annie and I did.  We decided to give awards to each person and to some groups of people in honor of our time together.  We did the group awards during the break and the individual awards when class was over.  We didn't know that CJ was going to visit Kaysville that night.  I think he learned a bit more about us than he expected to when he arrived.  He laughed so I guess that is  a good sign.

 Each individual award came with a certificate and a "gift" (from the dollar store).

Someone took this picture of us giving the awards--

Annie and I
Notice the screen in the background.  That is how our teachers
in different locations could teach us remotely.  It could be challenging on
some days with the mics and powerpoints, but it worked and we
learned so much.

For three years we have taken turns bring food for our class as we started school at 5:15 which didn't leave much time for eating.  It was such a great way to connect with each other and we had some amazing food along the way.  Tonight we were going out to eat together after class so Annie, Maddie and I provided some treats to get us through our last class.

I didn't take picture that night but here are some that my classmates posted on Facebook.

Alice, Rachel, Annie

Amber S. (at the restaurant after class)

Suzie and a look at one side of our classroom

Hailey and Suzie, two of the four classmates who
were pregnant during our 3 years together.
Tara and Annie were the other two
and all four had or are having boys.
I was pregnant with Jessica my last year of graduate school
the first time, so I know it is an additional challenge.

Amber H. and Cami

Amber has also passed her clinical exam.  During class, I teased her about taking notes since this was our last class and we had already passed the test---then she pointed out we still had a final to pass...that brought us back to reality and back to writing notes...one last time.

Alice in front, Tara in back

Tara, Whitney, Lisa, and Stephanie

Bethanie and Gordon

And Nancy and Gordon

 (I will add the remainder of the class when we finish our final on this Tuesday.)

And this post would be complete without a picture of our two main professors--they taught our online Law class.

From graduation:  Sean Camp, me, Susan Egbert

About three weeks ago, I wrote down all of the remaining assignments for my two classes on post-it-notes and put it in front of my computer screen.  It felt so good to cross things off when I got something done. Saturday morning I finished my final in Social Work and the Law.  Now it is just Pharmacology final that I have left. (Did I mention that I only have one more final until I am done???)

This is what studying for that final looks like:

(Notice the M&Ms!  Critical.)

Taking the day off today in reviewing my medications, effects, goal planning, etc., but will be back at the table tomorrow night.

The finish line is truly in sight!!!!