My program was a three-day conference on Military Social Work and Behavioral Health hosted at the University of Texas- Austin. The biggest challenge in the way of enjoying this experience was me… I have traveled alone before, but this time I had to navigate that and put myself in a professional setting I don’t have the credentials for. (I swear I was the only undergraduate student who attended!) I was comfortable staying in a hostel with seven random girls, so I used that to reassure myself that I would do just fine around like-minded people. It also helped to have my family just a phone call away. Austin is only one hour behind Pittsburgh, so it was easy enough to give my mom a quick call when my nerves were getting to me.
As for my daily routine, it stayed similar to my usual. Wake up, get dressed, hopefully eat breakfast, leave my place, have lunch, dinner, shower, and sleep. The conference had a 7:30 start time, which pushed the beginning of my morning earlier than what I prefer for summer. Also, being in Austin when it was over 100 degrees daily meant that my shower came a little earlier to de-sweat after my half-hour walk to my hostel. The main difference in my daily routine was just where I ate. Usually, I cook my food for affordability and comfort, but in Austin, it was different. Austin has a different cultural makeup than Pittsburgh. I couldn’t eat chicken tenders and pasta (my go-to food). I challenged myself to try some authentic Mexican and barbecue; both were delicious.
My favorite part of the experience was the last day. The first two days, the schedule consisted of hour-long sessions from 8 am to 5 pm. It made for long days. The last day was our discussion day. It involved two discussion groups. It allowed me to interact with social workers and other behavioral health professionals on a deeper level. I was able to have one on one discussions with caring people. They all told me to keep up the excellent work and to keep pushing for my goals. After the conference concluded, I went to a contemporary art museum and then had a massive lemon doughnut before I headed back to the airport to head home. In the discussion groups, I felt like I could contribute to the conversations, which was super important to me. It solidified my desire to join the field. I can’t wait to attend the conference again in future years to learn more and explore more of Austin!
