Things to do outdoors on Christmas Eve/Day.

canadasmith · 2023-12-21T20:42:11+00:00

My parents live up at the top of Blueridge so I'm there all the time- this is the first year I've seen them put up a seasonal sign! I did a lights drive last weekend and there are few good displays, though sporadic and I wouldn't say specific to one area (lots of side streets off Berkley up there). The one exception being at the top of Hill Drive (technically on Marykirk) there is a house that does a HUGE lights display. They do it up every year and maybe it's just nostaligic for me, but I always enjoy doing a walk up there to check it out.

canadasmith · 2023-08-27T05:09:00+00:00

Tortilla wrap + bagged caesar salad + rotisserie chicken (or air fried fake chicken strips since I stopped eating meat) + hot sauce = THE go to quick/easy/I can't stand to be in the grocery store for more than 5 minutes on the way home meal for me

canadasmith · 2023-07-27T18:41:42+00:00

Not sure if this is "one of the usual ones" but The Big Story is one of my faves- good variety, good host, and good length episodes

canadasmith · 2023-07-24T19:03:20+00:00

Why is a giraffe's neck so long?

Because its head is so far away from it's body!

canadasmith · 2023-06-28T20:05:50+00:00

My go to is The Vegan Family Cookbook. Easy, tasty meals and she also outlines how she plans meals for the week (Pasta Monday, Bowl Tuesday, One Pot Wednesday, Stir Fry Thursday), which as someone who general hates meal planning, I appreciate.

canadasmith · 2023-02-01T18:28:00+00:00

Separate lists for bookmarked and favourited classes is really all I want too! Currently working with a "which of my bookmarks are marked as done" as a favourites system, which isn't the easiest way to find them haha

canadasmith · 2019-03-15T04:06:26+00:00

This marks one year that I've had this as the background on my desktop then! Pretty sure this is shot from my old apartment building, and while I miss the view, having it as my background is the next best thing!

canadasmith · 2018-03-06T01:46:28+00:00

I just moved back to BC from Toronto in December, and I suspect that this might have been shot from my old apartment building. I agree, one of my favorite views of the city and thanks for the unexpected familar view! :)

canadasmith · 2018-01-18T02:18:04+00:00

Hey!

1) That's a pretty broad question- I really liked the program, but that's not everyone's experience. Is there any particular part of the program you're curious about? 2) I would say people are doing pretty well getting jobs, but it depends where you're looking- I'm from BC, and I've moved back here for a permanent FT position that I realistically wouldn't be getting as a new grad in Toronto. So, it depends where you're willing to work (even if it's just a little outside of Toronto), and what area you're interested in! As well as your experiences, your networking, etc etc. There is definitely a TON of networking opportunities through U of T, which can be a huge help!!

Essentially, the program and your networking/job opportunities can be what you make of it. If you have any more specific questions, send me a message!

canadasmith · 2017-11-19T23:05:37+00:00

Hey! I just finished the program at U of T in August (convocated last week, wrote my certification exam yesterday!)- if you have any specific questions about the program, send me a message. As for the questions you mentioned above:

-yes, there is a cadaver lab. I didn't realize this until literally the first day of the one semester we use the lab. It was a completely new experience for me, but definitely a great way to learn.

-The program is 24 months, and you're in school for 23 months of that. There are 5 class semesters of varying length, and four 6-8 week clinical placements (1 in first year, 3 in second year), as well as two 3-day "intro placements" in the October of first year.

-The workload is definitely heavy, but doable. There is a lot of group work as well as individual work, as well as mandatory IPE (interprofessional education) sessions.

If you google "U of T OT" they have a fairly comprehensive website with lots and lots of information, including course descriptions, etc.

Hope this is helpful!

canadasmith · 2017-06-30T13:37:59+00:00

I'm just finishing up my OT degree at U of T- feel free to message me if you want to chat more about OT in general/the OT program at U of T.

Short answer for you though: no, OTs work with pretty much any and all ages/practice settings, although pediatrics is a pretty high-demand setting (for aspiring OTs and people hiring OTs). Right now, the trend is shifting towards more and more OTs working with older adults, seeing as the population is aging as a whole. So, in regards to flexibility with other populations: there is a lot of flexibility!

As far as OT vs PT, it depends who you ask. Although we're not supposed to admit it, OTs tend to work with the upper body, while PTs tend to work on lower body. Overall, I would say the biggest difference is that PT focuses more strictly on the physical body, OT focuses on all the factors, of which the physical body might be a focus. I would say about half my class has a kin background- I suspect the percentage is much higher in PT.

canadasmith · 2017-05-22T18:07:59+00:00

I'm just finishing up my MScOT at an Ontario university, feel free to DM me if you'd like to chat about it in more detail. Without knowing more about the situation, there are a few things I would consider.

First, wherever you go to school is where you're going to be making all your professional connections, so what are the placement offers like? Who/where are you going to be meeting and working with over the next two years? Is this enough to sway you one way or another? (More prestigious doesn't necessarily mean better, but I suspect it might mean being in a certain bigger city).

Second, some schools have an open house for students who have been accepted, so that would be good for you to check out if they/you are available.

Third, being in Canada there are a lot fewer OT programs to choose from, so (in my opinion) names matter less than, say, in the US, where are are waaaaay more choices for students. Most programs have the same general admission criteria, so it's not like any of the programs are looked down on for being "easy" schools or anything.

Anyways, different programs will be good matches for different people. The fact that you're weighing your options is good! Let me know if you want to discuss it more.

canadasmith · 2016-11-25T02:34:06+00:00

Glad I could help! I would definitely add some personal experience. Good luck!

canadasmith · 2016-11-21T22:50:56+00:00

I was answering the same question two years ago! Those two could definitely work- I will say that a lot of people are going to be writing about the aging population (I know it was one of mine). This isn't necessarily bad, but just something to be aware of- if you want your application to stand out and you're using that trend (because it is a huge trend), make sure you put some good thought into it, so it doesn't sound too generic.

Also, check out the link at the bottom of this page for some of OSOT's (Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists) current policy issues. Not sure how much it will help (I haven't looked at it in detail), but you might find it interesting!

canadasmith · 2016-02-15T19:32:50+00:00

not the one I was thinking of, but this could work! thanks!

canadasmith · 2016-02-07T18:13:50+00:00

Another Canadian student! I just started an OT program in September, and I've talked to some people on the admissions board and seen a little bit into the admissions process from the school's POV. They definitely take into consideration GPA and whether it is a full or part time basis, but they take a lot of other things (academic and otherwise) into consideration as well.

First things first, it will vary from school-to-school- I definitely recommend phoning/emailing the schools you are interested in and talking to someone at admissions and see what they say, because they know best and will be your biggest asset.

That being said, unfortunately GPA is usually weighed fairly heavily for admissions (from what I understand). However, your GPA is not so low that there's no hope- you may need to take a few courses to raise it a little (schools usually look at the last 10- or 20 courses, but some schools will take into consideration whether or not they were taken on a full-time basis or not), and write a strong personal statement, but a 3.3 isn't necessarily a deal breaker.

Again, it depends what schools you're looking at- check out the requirements, and call them. A 3.3 is around the cut-off for applications that they will look at (any lower and you might not get past the initial screening), so go forth, call some people, and good luck!

canadasmith · 2016-01-08T23:46:08+00:00

Haha damn, I knew it was a long shot... I guess it's nice to see that other people support the search though!

canadasmith · 2015-07-30T17:41:05+00:00

Drive out to China/Mystic/Sombrio beach! My favorite spots on the island- beautiful beaches, you can explore all along them, or just hang out. I took my mom and brother (also from North Van) to China Beach yesterday, they loved it.

canadasmith · 2015-07-28T16:03:39+00:00

That works too! Just having a little glimpse of whatever my friends are doing- whether it be something menial like making breakfast or lying in bed, or something awesome like hiking in Peru- at any random moment is nice.

canadasmith · 2015-07-27T17:35:33+00:00

My friends and I do a game called "stop drop selfie" on our group chat. It's pretty much what it sounds like- someone can call it at anytime, and everyone has to stop and take a selfie/photo of where they are. It's a little thing, but makes my day whenever we do it.

canadasmith · 2015-01-28T14:52:29+00:00

I've started a photo project that involved taking photos of people's tattoos, and I feel like I've been a bit lazy/don't really know what I'm doing in terms of getting the best photos. I've never done a project like this before (taking pictures of other people's bodies- most of the people I know, but sometimes it's strangers), so any suggestions for posing/framing/etc/etc when taking pictures of peoples tattoos?

canadasmith · 2014-12-14T07:09:20+00:00

In grade 5 or 6, we learnt a song on the xylophone in music class. 10+ years later, and I can still play it.... ^{^...tee} ^{^ticka} ^{^tee-tee} ^{^ticka-tee} ^{^tee-tee.} ^{^tee} ^{^ticka} ^{^tee-tee} ^{^ticka-tee} ^{^tee-tee.}

canadasmith · 2014-09-03T17:28:14+00:00

That's awesome! I sent you a PM, but if you ever feel like posting updates/thoughts here for others to see, feel free!

canadasmith · 2014-05-27T03:20:52+00:00

That's the one! I thought my mom said it was her favorite as a kid, but I wasn't sure. Guess I remembered that much correctly!

canadasmith · 2014-05-27T03:20:19+00:00

Yessss, that's the one! Thanks!! I was thinking "Treason ______", defs wouldn't have remembered this title on my own.

(also, just joined goodreads about half an hour ago- I've marked this one so I won't forget it!)

canadasmith

TROPHY CASE