All We Have Is Now

It has been a busy two weeks since I last posted. Sorry for the delay!

Classes have been going well. I'm still not completely sure of my schedule because some classes and clinics and such have still not begun. The classes that I am currently taking are:

HSL 713 Advanced Topics in Normal Language Development
HSL 714 Advanced Topics in Speech Science
HSL 763 Clinical Procedures for Communication Disorders
HSL 765 Seminar in Diagnostics in Speech-Language Pathology
HSL 774 Clinical Practicum: Speech-Language Pathology
HSL 746 Clinical Applications of Sign Communication
ASL American Sign Language II

It is quite a schedule, unlike any other semester I have ever had in high school or college. There are always things to be done! I enjoy taking these classes but it has hit hard and fast these first few weeks and there is no sign of slowing down! I begin working with my first client next Tuesday (which excites and scares me!). It is all one big adventure!

Also during the first week of classes, I switched roommates. My previous roommate, Desiree, and my suitemate Kristina were becoming fast friends with similar schedules while myself and my other suitemate, Nicole, were becoming good friends. It just seemed right to switch roommates and all enjoy each other! It was a mutual decision from all 4 of us, and it is working out really well!

We all still really enjoy being suitemates, but the scheduling and morning/night people are in their respective rooms.

This picture is of Nicole (my new roommate!) and I. We moved all the furniture around and have it set up pretty nicely. Here are a few photos of our room and suite! We have matching bedspreads! My bed and desk are closest to the window while Nicoles bed and desk are closest to the closets and doorway.

Above is a view from our doorway

Above is a view from my desk corner


Above is our suite hallway (with our amazing new fridge--Thank you Mark & Marsha Matthews for helping with that crazy adventure!!!)

In reference to the above caption, I ventured out to Walmart with my roommate, Nicole, and two of my friends from Speech to find a fridge and other necessities. I drove us all to Alexandria, VA because it said that it had our fridge in stock. We bought all our goods...but then could not fit our new refridgerator into my car!! What a mess! I ended up calling my beloved cousins, Mark & Marsha Matthews, and they helped bring my fridge back in their Explorer. Without their help, I'm not sure the day would have turned out nearly as well!! THANK YOU!!!

I continue to enjoy meeting new people and learning more about the new friends I have made here. We have a wonderful common lounge area that tends to draw everyone in every evening for TV, movies, or Nintendo Wii. It is still a blast to just sit around and talk (typically using only Sign Language).

Speaking of American Sign Language, I feel that I have learned a million new signs and have become a faster and clearer signer than I was when I first arrived on campus. Everyday I learn new signs and feel more confident. It is so nice to have everyone supporting each other no matter what their abilities. I start my Clinical Sign Language course tomorrow and my regular ASL class on Tuesday. This will definitely kick it up tothe next level! I think I will learn very quickly! Living on campus was one of the best decisions!!

As I said in a previous post, the building that houses my classrooms and clinic is brand new. It is called the James Lee Sorenson Language and Communication Center. It is a huge, beautiful building that I feel very honored to be a part of. They had the grand opening ceremony this past week. Gallaudet President Robert Davila spoke and welcome everyone to the new building.

To the left is a photo taken from the second floor (where the clinic that I will be working in is located) down to the ground level. It was designed by deaf people and made especially for deaf and hard of hearing persons. It open areas and glass walls provide easy access to communication. There are three floors each housing different things; classrooms, clinics, offices, conference rooms, etc.

They had cake at the opening ceremony too! DELICIOUS!


I am having a lot of fun here, but learning a lot too. Classes are interesting and helpful, but the require a lot of time outside of studying and reading to understand what is going on.

I welcome any visitors who would like a glimpse of my life to come visit me for a day. It is really a different experience than I have ever had. I was just saying last night to Nicole that when we go off-campus and see people speaking English, it snaps you back into reality that most people speak with their mouths and voices and not with their hands! A few of the older graduate students warn me of the jarring experience of going home for Thanksgiving or Christmas and not signing and not having anyone around that understands sign! I'm sure it will be strange not to respond to people in sign!

Nicole(Deaf Education), Charlene(Audiology), Allie(Audiology), Me(Speech), Jackie(Speech)
We all live in Carlin Hall together too!!

I love it here!