When Zoe Maroulis began researching programs to go back to school, she knew she needed a program that would let her learn on her terms and her time.
杏吧专区淭ime杏吧专区 here being a very generous label for the interludes between multiple jobs and family obligations.
Zoe, 31, was specifically researching online kinesiology programs that would grant her flexibility while putting her on a path to become an occupational therapist.
杏吧专区淧hysically attending school would mean that I would have to cut back on work,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭his poses a problem as work funds my home, education, and will pay for graduate school, which requires that I relocate for over two years while continuing to maintain a home here.杏吧专区
For now, home is Carencro, La., although Zoe says she was born in Florida and raised in Eunice, La.
She researched schools and found that, among schools that offered an online program, the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 online Bachelor杏吧专区檚 of Kinesiology - Health Promotion & Wellness was one of the few that offered an entirely online experience.
杏吧专区淚 spoke with someone else in the program and found out you didn杏吧专区檛 have to go to campus for every little thing,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淭hat杏吧专区檚 why I enrolled.杏吧专区
Health Promotion & Wellness offers a 100-percent online curriculum with the exception of a CPR course, three-hour clinical experience, and a nine-hour internship, all of which can be completed wherever a student lives.
Among the hats Zoe wears are occupational therapy technician/office manager, freelance graphic designer, web moderator, cashier, and hair stylist.
In addition to her menagerie of jobs, Zoe says she杏吧专区檚 becoming more involved in her mother杏吧专区檚 care as her mother ages and doctor appointments and other needs become increasingly frequent and complex.
A previous job as a marketer for a hospice company exposed Zoe to the world of occupational therapy.
杏吧专区淚 actually got to shadow a (physical therapist) and an (occupational therapist), and really liked what the OT was doing and could relate to what he was doing 杏吧专区 the methodology, the theory behind it,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淚 really researched online occupational therapy, their scope of practice, what they did, the people they helped, and just fell in love with the profession.杏吧专区
The asynchronous nature of many online courses allows Zoe to fit her courses into her chaotic schedule as she carves her path to a May 2019 graduation.
杏吧专区淚 fit 杏吧专区榞oing to class杏吧专区 in between everything 杏吧专区 before work, on breaks, between jobs, and after I杏吧专区檝e packed it in for the day,杏吧专区 she says. 杏吧专区淲hat has also helped is purchasing eBooks versus physical books when they are available. I can read or have my smartphone read chapters to me whenever I have a few free minutes during the day or when I am commuting.杏吧专区
Zoe says she gets a lot of work done during that commute time by using a voice recorder to dictate notes beforehand to listen to over her car杏吧专区檚 sound system or to dictate papers to be typed, researched, and edited later.
杏吧专区淭he Moodle and UL Lafayette apps have been a tremendous help with keeping up with everything,杏吧专区 she adds. 杏吧专区淚 can check on assignments, read resources provided by instructors, and turn some assignments in when I am on the go.杏吧专区
Although Zoe says the coursework has been very involved, one of her biggest challenges isn杏吧专区檛 tackling the assignments, but taking a break.
杏吧专区淚 guess since I杏吧专区檓 older and have already been to college and didn杏吧专区檛 take it seriously, I almost take this too seriously,杏吧专区 she says.
However, that tenacity has allowed Zoe to maintain a 4.0 while, she says, simultaneously maintaining her sanity.
杏吧专区淔ingers crossed that continues until I finally graduate next year.杏吧专区
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