When
I arrived at orientation for FSU’s graduate art therapy program in the fall of
2012, I asked myself, “What have I done?”. I was a 33-year-old mother of two, who
had been out of school for ten years. Going into the program, I assumed that I
would find other “non-traditional” students like me – older adults who had been
in the work force for a while who wanted a career change, or parents who had
taken time to raise their kids first, before pursuing higher education. It was
a little disheartening to learn that all of my classmates were younger than me,
that none of them were married, and that only one had a child.
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| Annie and her husband with their children |
I felt overwhelmed and alone. As
a mother, I had learned to rely on other moms who understood what I was going
through in order to get through tough parenting moments. I had surrounded
myself with a great group of similar people who I could rely on for support.
What was I supposed to do in a group of twenty-somethings? I figured that they
would all be out partying on the weekends, while I would be home, catching up
on laundry, changing diapers, and reading textbooks.
Misconceptions about my
classmates quickly dissipated as they transformed into my biggest allies. After
a couple of weeks of classes, I remarked to my husband that I was impressed by
the range of experiences and knowledge that each student brought to the table.
Class discussions weren’t just shallow regurgitation of what we had read.
Rather, each person related the texts to their life experiences, which were
much more than school and partying. There was a level of maturity in the group
that is rare among most people in their early twenties. Most importantly,
everyone shared a passion for art therapy and a drive to give their future
clients the best care possible.
Rather than forming cliques, the
class solidified as a whole. Each person was accepted and welcomed. Rather than
getting annoyed when I would share an anecdote from my past work experience, my
classmates would engage me in conversation and take my contribution to heart.
When there were social outings planned and I couldn’t make it because of my
kids, the group invited my whole family to participate. I’m not saying that
everyone in the group did everything together all of the time. Some special
friendships have formed between certain people. However, there was an overall
sense of unity, of respect, and of support that I have not found in many other
groups.
Besides the acceptance and
encouragement my classmates gave me, I was also impressed by the support I
received from my professors. They would often check in on me, asking how I was
managing the workload and inviting me to stop by their offices if I needed to
talk. They understood when my kids were sick and I had to stay home with them.
One time, the class had to visit an off-campus site for an assignment. My
babysitter fell through and I ended up bringing my two-month old along with me.
Rather than getting upset, my professor said she was glad that I could make it.
It has not been easy to get back
into study mode and to manage my time between classes, internship, and family.
However, the support that I have received from my classmates and professors has
made the transition successful. Besides having a great academic program, FSU’s
art therapy department has a human quality that meets students where they are
and enables them professionally and emotionally to excel as art therapists. For
any other “non-traditional” students out there, I can confidently recommend FSU
as a place where they will be welcomed and supported, no matter what unique
needs they may have.—Annie Draper, Second Year Art Therapy Master's Student
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