Greetings from a 2nd year physiotherapy student. I am Rugilė Baltrūnaitė and I am studying in the international degree for physiotherapy in SAMK‘s Pori Campus.
Physiotherapy students in the wild
If you are ever walking through SAMK and see a group of students dressed as elderly patients, with medicine balls to simulate pregnant bellies, and rolling around in wheelchairs, you can safely assume they study physiotherapy.
As students, we tend to take advantage of the opportunities that our institution has to offer, so we often experiment with optimal assistive aids, different exercise equipment, and other strange looking devices. This is why when you encounter us “in the wild”, you can quite easily recognize our class.
Physio life with a part-time job
Balancing student life with a part-time job can be exhausting, especially when all you can think about is human anatomy and how good your current recovery is. Between all the extensor pollicis longus and tibialis anterior, your mind rarely has a break or an opportunity to relax. Lately, my tactic has been to keep my studies, my job, and my hobies separate. This allows me to relax from the mental load of studying healthcare. However, whenever I participate in any of my active hobies (the gym, swimming, dancing, rock-climbing), I find myself coming back to the knowledge I have acquired during my studies. Does my pelvis tilt? Am I keeping my core engaged? Are my joints properly aligned for this exercise? – these and many more questions start racing through my head when I move.
Interestingly enough, I am starting to think that I should embrace all of these thoughts. They do not only keep me safe while exercising, but they also support my learning journey and jog my professional memory. So then comes a new problem – when do I let my brain rest?
Rest and digest
Physiotherapy studies have become an ominpresent part of my life, but sometimes I wish I could rest from all of the theory in my mind. Obviously, I can utilize the calm, sound-proof booths at SAMK, read something relaxing on the hammocks in the downstairs library, but the best option I have started utilizing is environmental change. Us students spend so much time indoors, so why not implement something outside? Taking a walk when you are overstimulated, studying or chatting to friends in cafes, even reading a book sometimes in bed and other times at your kitchen table. Break away from the constant academic mindset and put yourself in a position or place that will aid relaxation. Join a student event while you are at it!
Life beyond the ruckus
Student life at SAMK can be full of surprises, especially when us physiotherapy students lead active breaks, run around in Agora, or organize fundraising events. Among all of this academic chaos, it is nice to remember how all of these tasks improve our own professional abilities. But it is also important to have time for yourself, to find the balance between your student identity and who you are outside of SAMK. While I am still on my own journey to balance these scales, I am excited for what‘s to come!
Text: Rugilė Baltrūnaitė, physiotherapy student
Photos: physiotherapy students