Yup, I said it.
Fieldwork is really hard, especially Level 2 fieldworks.
And to be honest, I struggled hardcore on my level 2s.
I was stressed out every morning driving to the site. I struggled to learn the information, especially when I was on my adult rotation. I cried in my car on my lunch breaks and even a few times in the storage closets at the facility.
I felt like I was a failure. I doubted myself. I was nervous I might not pass. I worried that maybe occupational therapy wasn’t for me.
And the biggest thing was that I was hesitant to do was to reach out to my school because I thought it was my fault and that I just wasn’t going to cut it.
It was hard. It was really hard.
And I share this for all the current students out there who are on fieldwork or about to go on fieldwork.
If you are struggling, do not think you are alone.
Don’t think that you are a failure. Don’t think that you can’t do this.
And definitely don’t do what I did and think you have to go it alone.
Reach out to your school and ask them for support. That’s what they are there for.
Reach out to your support system, your friends, family, and classmates.
While I know fieldwork won’t be easy, I also know that there are people out there who can support you through this challenging time. And it’s okay to ask for help.
Are you currently on fieldwork? Are you getting by or are you struggling like I did? Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments or DM me if you don’t want to share it publicly.
2 Responses
Hi Sarah
Thank you for your vulnerability. Yes fieldwork is very hard. I am currently on placement and still finding my feet. My placment is physical acute mental health and this is my first time working with this client group and am finding it hard my mind is everywhere like I have never been to OT school. I feel tired everyday because my mind is always running like a machine. Quitting is not in my mind right now but I just need to find that balance and accept that when I fail I have to rise up and start again and learn from that failure.
Thank you for your podcasts they are very encouraging and I recently listened to one when you talked about entrepreneurship, you spoke about the mindset thats right. I should learn to bring my mind in the moment.
Thanks for the comment! Fieldwork is hard. I know it was for me and I know it is for many students as we speak. You’ve got this!