First Week: Conquered

I survived my first week!!! All in all it went fairly well. Yesterday and today probably went the best because I had stuff to do.  I got to help with confirmation calls, which was new, and I just basically reminded everyone on the list that they had an appointment on Monday.  Interestingly, one of the ladies I called happened to be on a treadmill at the time.  That is what I call dedication.  I also got to cut paper today. A whole giant stack of "really really expensive paper" that they print their prescriptions on.  Basically they were being charged double per sheet of paper for the paper company to cut it in half for them, so now they do it themselves.... now i do it myself? I don't know if that will be a permanent type of activity.  I learned how to do vitals today so I can help out with them on Monday.  But apparently I will help Monday and Monday only because the gentleman who is supposed to be training me but is on vacation will be back Tuesday and all will be well with the world at last.  I've been told again and again "I'm sorry this week is so slow and boring. It will get a LOT busier next week" to which I say "bring it on!!!" For once, I would like enough to do that I can stay until the end of the day and actually earn my paycheck.  I just get things done too quickly, I guess?

So one of the interesting things that a couple people keep asking me is "Have you figured things out yet? Have you figured out who's nice yet?" And I know exactly who they are talking about.  There is an interesting dynamic between the different offices.  Where I work is not in the same place my boss works, so I am Switzerland, a drifter, autonomous.  But the two sets of office people get quite.... territorial.   And my buddy in the third building likes to give me handy tips regarding the war. Such as "don't take sides."  There happen to be days that food is catered in for us.  Most of the time these free meals are for everyone in all three buildings.  However, it seems to be that when the food is delivered... no one spreads the word. So it takes a spy on a recon mission to let the other buildings know there's food.  Then the whole other building comes traipsing in to eat and triumphantly smirks to themselves.  (Apparently, one way to tell I'm new is that I don't fall on the food like a starving hyena) But my war strategy is to remain Switzerland and listen patiently when told how obnoxious the other building is.  My opinions will remain my own.

The First Day

I woke up bright and early for my very first day as a psychiatrist's assistant.  I budgeted my time perfectly and arrived at 8:30 on the dot! However the gentleman who was supposed to be training me.... was not. So I waited in the lobby until he frantically arrived and showed me to my desk. (I have a desk! With a computer! and a phone with my own extension!) I was then whisked away to have a meeting with the Doctor himself, where he told me aaaaalllllllllll of the tiny details ill have to remember to do each and every time I plan out one of his speaking engagements.  Afterwards, I returned to my desk and proceeded to do very little the whole rest of the day.  I familiarized myself with their appointments program, I ate my lunch in my car while parking in front of McAllisters, I stood around in the way, and I sat at my desk doing absolutely nothing and wondering if there was some pressing matter I should be attending to.  The Doctor was seeing patients all day long and around 520 I asked when I was supposed to leave and they said I could after I checked in with the Doctor after his last patient.... about 30 minutes later I got a call saying he had already left... So I left too. And that was my very first day.

The Back Story

Once upon a time (being last year) I was at UCF in my Senior year, beginning to look into jobs and housing over in Gainesville.  Craigslist was my best bet, so I searched and searched and weeded out the creepy "female dancers needed" and "want to make money FAST????" from the reliable looking "servers needed" but the problem I discovered at every turn was summed up in three simple words: "previous experience required." I always applied anyway. I sent dozens upon dozens of resumes to various businesses and never once did I receive a response. As the months flew by, I was feeling more and more concerned and desperate.

Meanwhile, I was also searching for an apartment. I knew that I had a specific window of time in which to find the best deals, but time kept slipping away from me.  An apartment would either be way too expensive and perfect, affordable but in a scary part of town and without a washer and dryer, or require that I have a roommate to afford it.  So I put ads on Craigslist for a female roommate. I answered other people's ads, but everyone already seemed to be set and wonderful.  And as the months flew by, I was feeling more and more concerned and desperate.

I brought it up all the time at the Bible study we had in our apartment - please pray that I can find a job and a place to live.  please please please make it work out somehow.  I asked other girls in my Christian sorority to pray about it.  One day, my sweet friend Kati relayed the message that her mom suggested I contact a certain psychiatrist in Gainesville because they had known him for many years.  I thought it couldn't hurt, so I emailed and asked if they had any open positions or could refer me to anyone who needed someone.  They wrote back and offered me a job!  When I went later for an interview, it was more to discuss WHICH position I wanted to take instead of if they wanted to hire me.  I had asked God to lead me to the place he wanted me in Gainesville and he shut down all of my efforts to find something for myself and pretty much handed it to me on a silver platter.  I was so excited to have a job!! The only problem was a place to live....

Mom kept telling me to contact the churches nearby and see if anyone needed a roommate but whined and complained and didn't want to do it. So, being a good mom, she did it for me and was right as usual.  The college minister contacted her back saying everyone in the college group had roommates and were all set.... except for one girl with a 2/2 townhouse who needed a roommate.  Hallelujah!!! So I contacted her and she was super sweet! I had a job and a place to live!!

Anxiety Building

So I graduated from college about two months ago and have a big girl job loooooming in front of me - not to mention a move to a new city.  In a mere two weeks I will have moved to the Swamplands and will have just started my brand new, non-coffee-related, scary office job of Personal Assistant to Dr. Psychiatrist.  To conclusively end my childhood in one fortnight, I will also have watched the very last cinematic installment of the Harry Potter series.  Goodbye childish dreams, Hello big scary world.