Advice For Rec Therapy Students

Potential Student? New Student? Current Student? Internship Student? This post is for you!

I’ve been in your shoes, I know how difficult it can be when you’re a student. You might be in a new place, surrounded by new people. You’re in a program that no one knows about but those of you in it. It’s hard and its scary.

To help you out I’ve created a list of some of the best advice I was given before starting my degree, during my degree and the advice I wish I had of been given. While I didn’t alway follow this advice, this is my opportunity to help you avoid making the same mistake!

So lets get right into it… Advice For Recreational Therapy Students – Potential, New or Current!

Join The Community

We are so incredibly lucky to have such a welcoming and just straight up awesome community of professionals! I mean it. We love having new members join us and the support offered is unreal.

I urge to find ways to join the community. Find social media groups to join. Join associations.

Have instagram? Click here to see some AMAZING Rec Professionals you should be following!

On Facebook: some pages you might want to consider joining include:

I promise you that getting involved will be worth it and its also the perfect introduction to my next big piece of advice!

Build Your Network

I promise you this will be one of the most important things you do. If you only take one piece of advice from everything I say, I hope its this one.

They aren’t kidding when they say networks are important. They’re people you can ask questions too. Someone you can go to for advice. Someone who can connect you with others. Someone who can even help you land that dream internship or job!

I highly and I mean highly recommend getting LinkedIn. If you haven’t heard of it, its a social media platform designated for your professional live. You can make “connections” with people in the field, find job opportunities and read about what is going on. It’s a great place to go to learn, to develop and to even broadcast yourself to potential employers.

Get Involved, Volunteer!

Get involve in your school.

While this doesn’t necessarily relate to directly the program, I think its an important element of post secondary education. I know, I know. You’ve heard it some people before but I promise you there is a reason for that!

It looks really good on a resume
You’ll make some AMAZING memories
You’ll gain experience
The friendships you can make will make it so so worth it

Intramural aren’t your style? Clubs aren’t your thing? Try volunteering in other ways.

Reach out to non-for-profits in your town/city. Sign-up to volunteer at games or join the school spirit squad. Reach out to your Rec Associations (TRO, CTRA, ATRA) and ask to be a student volunteer. You can go to conferences and it’ll be another great way to build your network!

Read & Watch Everything You Can

It sounds skills but reading your readings/textbooks, researching for your papers and watching all those movies is actually beneficial. We tend to want to skip this stuff or rush past it but I promise you, putting the effort in will pay off. Put the effort in and don’t take shortcuts.

You’d be surprised how many times information randomly popped into my head right when I needed it. Certain page numbers in a textbook, a program benefit I needed or an assessment I could us.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

Sitting in a lecture hall with 300 other students can be scary, heck even 50 other people you’ve never met in your life. Asking questions? yeah no thank you.

Here is where I say, you have to learn to push yourself. Ask those questions. There are no stupid questions, there are no dumb answers. If you need information about something, if you’re not understanding, you have to ask or your professor can never help you.

If asking in class REALLY isn’t your thing, ask after. It’s a great way to build rapports with your professors as well. Most are more than willing to hang around after class or they have office hours. None of those work for you either? Don’t be afraid to send them an email!

Stepping outside of the educational world though, know that you aren’t alone. There is all the students in your program and an ENTIRE FIELD filled with professionals willing to help in anyway that we can. No question is too big and if we can’t answer your question, chances are someone in our network can!

Remember, they aren’t kidding when they say if you have a question, chances are someone else in the room has the exact same one too. Help both yourself and the other people out by raising your hand.

So. Ask. Those. Questions.

Take the Time to Learn How to Advocate

While this may not be easy to hear, I’m sure most of you already know it. Not a lot of people know about our profession and with that, we end up needing to advocate for what we do.

To got a bit further though, we need to be advocates for those we support. There are also cases where we need to learn to play a role in teaching our clients how to advocate for themselves. It goes hand in hand with supporting independence.

While there isn’t a direct “how to” course on advocation, there are a lot of small things that will help you. Person first-language, not using person first language, the social model vs the medical model, person centred care, the holistic approach. Each class you take will teach you something about what we do, allowing you to better understand the role you play and how to advocate for our profession. All of these things matter and play a part in advocating for someone or something.

Educate Those Around You

This one quickly follows the “Take the Time to Learn How to Advocate”.

If someone asks what you’re studying? Don’t brush them off. Tell them!

If someone asks what you’re hoping to do? Tell them!

If someone says something that isn’t right, like “so all you do is play”? Correct them! Politely tell them that, no, you do a lot more than that and what you do is important!

We can’t make our profession known if we don’t educate those around us.

This also goes for stigmas that we know exists or barriers that we’re trying to break. Don’t be afraid to educate someone. To give them the right information.

Be polite but know that what you’re doing is important!

Practice Self-Care

Easier said then done. I know how hard it can be, all the late nights working on papers and 8am lectures. Its hard to find the time to just relax and take care of yourself. With that said, its also critical to success.

If you want to be a good Rec Therapist, you need to be able to practice what you preach. If you don’t, why would your clients? I know its easy to think they won’t notice but I promise they will. They know when we’re following our own advice and when we’re not. They can see it in us and it will show.

Remember, self-care can be so many different things. It goes beyond face masks or massages. Self-care can be hanging out with friends, going to the gym, watching that new movie that came out on Netflix or painting your nails. Self-care can also be going home because guess what, we all need a break sometimes! There is nothing wrong with taking a weekend to yourself to go see your dog or eat a home cooked meal that didn’t get made in a microwave.

Self-care is critical, remember that. This goes for everyone – students, professionals, even the random person you saw walking down the street. Self-care matters is you want to succeed.

Try New Activities and Interventions Yourself

This one kinda goes with the last point you’re going to read but experience new things! Take part in the activities you’ve already done, try something you haven’t done it awhile or jump into something completely new.

While you don’t need to know all the activities that exist in the world, you are going to be a Recreation and Leisure Expert! The more experience you have doing a variety of activities, even if you didn’t enjoy them, the better. You’ll have an easier time finding clients activities they’ll enjoy and it can even help you land a job. It’ll help in the long run.

Try sledge hockey, take a couple trips to the gym, going to sporting games, practice some yoga. Try going on a full weekend camping trip! Make a mini garden in the backyard of your student house or help by volunteering at a local not-for-profit. For for a run just because you can or take a hike to that great little picnic spot. Try new things because it’ll help your future clients!

Take note, almost every job interview you have will include asking you about what you like to do in your free time. The more activities you can list, even if its just a very basic understanding, the better! Be passionate about what you’re going to teach others and it’ll show to future employers.

Learn About Every Population

You might have your heart set on a certain population, but I urge you to learn about them all. Invest time in each setting and take the time to explore the possibility of working with other populations.

One of my greatest take aways throughout my university degree at Brock was hearing from professionals in the field that they’re working with a population they never expected. That they took a chance and did a placement, their internship or even a part-time job on a whim and absolutely fell in love.

While I LOVE working with older adults, I’ve learned I have a passion for a lot of different populations. I enjoy advocating for mental health, volunteering with individuals who have intellectual disabilities and educating myself on how to be more inclusive of those with physical disabilities.

While your mind may not change and your passion may stay the same, you never know what might come from taking some time to explore other opportunities! I still work with older adults but I do so much more than that!

Get To Know Your Professors

Our professors are professors because they know what they’re talking about. They have experience in the field and/or researching what you’re about to do for the rest of your life. Take the time to chat with them, ask them questions and get to know their passions. They are filled with information waiting to be handed out!

You’re paying for your degree so use your time wisely. A lot of professors have office hours that never get used so even if you don’t have a specific question, stop by for a conversation. Bring them a coffee and ask them to share about their experiences. Send them an email after class letting them know that something they said really resonated with you. Ask them questions when you’re unsure of information. Ask them for resources related to a topic you want to continue learning more about! Ask for help with an assignment. They’re nice people who want to help you succeed so let them.

Fun fact, they also make great references but in order for that to happen, they need to actually know who you are!

Embrace Your Internship(s)

Depending on where you go to school you might have a bunch of different placements or just one large internship. Take advantage of these opportunities!

There are your chances to shine. To try out all the skills you’ve learned. To implement the tools and resources you’ve gained. To get experience. To make mistakes. To build connections. To build your network. To become known.

A lot of these placements or internships have the potential to turn into jobs. Even if they don’t remember that our profession is small and a lot of people know other people. Make sure you set a good impression! You never know when you’re going to need a reference or when someone will unknowingly reach out to one of the supervisors on your resume!

The way you act at a placement/internship is setting the foundation for you as a professional. Use it wisely.

Remember, You Don’t Have To Be An Extrovert

We unfortunately have a stigma in our profession that associates being successful with being an introvert. I’m here to break that stigma down!

Whether you’re an extrovert, an introvert or an ambivert, you can be successful as a Rec Therapist! You can be a successful recreation profession.

If someone is telling you that you have to be an extrovert or be constantly willing to put yourself out there, ignore them. I promise you there are SO many amazing professionals in this field who are introverts.

Have Fun!

Seriously! Our degree is all about having purposeful fun, so do it!

Go to parties, make new friends, try out for sports or go to that hockey game. While studying is important, its not everything. University/College is about living your best life, entering adulthood slowly and making the best memories ever.

Whether you’re still living at home or going away for school, always and I mean always find a way to have some fun now and then!