Hello, hello everyone! I hope that all of my fellow SPT friends crushed their fall semester and get the chance to enjoy the holidays/winter break! I recently created a new Instagram account (@pt_studybuddy) dedicated to sharing notes, review questions, resources, tips/tricks, and motivation to help you rock PT school!

** Read to the end for a surprise!! 🤭**

Clinical experiences are one of the most special and rewarding parts about the entire PT school experience. It’s where everything you have been learning in the classroom starts to come together piece by piece and truly comes full-circle. It’s where you get to participate in hands-on patient care and begin transitioning from a student physical therapist to a clinician. I have been blessed with some of the most amazing clinical instructors during my clinical experiences thus far. When my time with them came to an end, I knew that there were a million things that I wanted to say to show my gratitude for all that they did for me.

Hello friends - Happy Friday! There are several important abbreviations that physical therapists use on a daily basis for documentation, interpreting patients’ medical charts, and communicating with colleagues and various health professionals. I have compiled an extensive list of some of the abbreviations, acronyms, and shorthand terms that you will begin to see during physical therapy school, and you should be familiar with them for your classes, clinical rotations, and future career in this profession. I hope you find this list to be helpful!

Hi friends! I’ve got an exciting DIY to share with you all today! Smoothie bowls are my JAM and I am completely obsessed with them. Ever since quarantine started, I have been having a blast in the kitchen creating new recipes, many of which are smoothie bowl recipes! This DIY project is so fun and is an easy way to create the at-home smoothie bowl bar of your dreams. So, if you are interested in learning how to design your own at-home smoothie bowl bar, just keep reading!

Hi friends! I’m so excited for today’s blog post, which will be a little tour of my home office and all of the essential items that help make this such a great study and work space!

Happy Friday everyone! Today I am sharing my next series of anatomy drawings, which will be all about the brachial plexus, its different components, and how it supplies sensory and motor innervation throughout the arm, forearm, and hand. The brachial plexus can be very tricky. One of the best ways I was able to visualize it and learn how it works was in cadaver lab.

Stuck at home due to COVID-19? During stressful times like these, it’s incredibly important to take care of your mental and physical health. Staying healthy will help you cope with the changes brought on by social distancing and may even help you ward off illness. Fortunately, you don’t need access to gyms, personal trainers, or salad bars to keep your health in top shape. There are plenty of ways to support your whole-body health at home!

My Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program is voted #1 in Virginia for 2020 by Unversities.com! Shenandoah University has a phenomenal DPT program and I could not imagine myself anywhere but here. In this post, I will be including everything you need to know about Shenandoah DPT and why I love it so much!

I’m so excited to share all about my PT school white coat ceremony with you all! My white coat ceremony took place at the beginning of my third cumulative semester of PT school, which was a few weeks into the fall semester of my second year. This ceremony was such a significant day for me as a DPT student because it signified the welcoming of my classmates and I into the doctoring profession of physical therapy and our transition from didactic coursework to clinical education.

Hello, hello! I’m back with a new favorites post and this one is a 2-in-1 that includes everything I loved during the months of December and January! Many of these items were gifts that I received for Christmas. Two common themes with this favorites edition are health/self-care and stationary - two things I hold near and dear to my heart. Keep reading to see my favorite things that kicked off the new year!

Hello everyone! I am excited to share 3 templates I created that help me stay organized and be on top of my planning game. The templates I’ve created are perfect for any student that has tons of important dates and deadlines to keep track of, including assignments, quizzes, exams, practicals, meetings, and more. Not only are they great for students, but they are also great for anyone who just wants to add a little more organization to their life!

Happy Sunday everyone! Despite the madness surrounding COVID and all that jazz, I hope 2020 is off to a great start for you (and luckily I now have some extra time on my hands to share a bunch of new, exciting blog posts). My first blog post of the new year will be a super yummy cake recipe that you HAVE to try. This cake was my last creation of 2019 and was a total hit with my entire family. Literally… every last crumb vanished in the blink of an eye. I joked around and said I would name this the ‘Merry Thiccc-Mint’ Cake because it tastes like a giant, decadent thin mint cookie but is extra THICCC!

Happy New Year’s Eve! I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and enjoyed any other holidays or fun traditions you celebrate! I’m a festive fanatic and love the holiday season so so much. So, I’m super excited to share my annual Christmas gift wrapping with you all!

Happy Monday, friends! I’m back at it again with my my next monthly favorites post - and it’s another pretty festive one! ‘Tis the season to be jolly! As soon as Halloween is over, I always want to start getting in the Christmas spirit right away and begin decking out my home with Christmas decor. Trust me… I would start on November 1st. However, I really really love fall and try to savor it for as long as I can during the month of November.

‘Tis the season! If you’re looking for perfect last-minute Christmas or holiday gift ideas for a PT student, then you’ve come to the right place! The gift ideas I’ll be sharing are a mix of meaningful, thoughtful, functional, and punny. They would also make for great birthday gifts or items to send in a “just because” package to let them know that you’re thinking about them. The majority of the items can be ordered through Amazon Prime or Etsy or purchased at a store near you.

Hi friends - happy Saturday! I am back with my my next monthly favorites post and this one is definitely my favorite one yet. I am totally obsessed with fall and the holiday season - AND my birthday is on Halloween! So, I am always extra festive during this time of the year and am excited to share my recent favorites with you all. Keep reading to see the top 10 things I loved during the month of October!

Hello, hello - happy Sunday! I am back with my my next monthly favorites post! I have to admit - I am extra excited for this one because it is all kinds of festive. I love holidays and fall is my absolute favorite season, so September is my second favorite month after October. Keep reading to see some of the things I have been loving lately!

High school - that’s where it all began. I first met Kristi when we played on a travel volleyball team together back in 2009. Kristi and Matt? They are high school sweethearts and started dating their freshman year of high school. So, although I met Matt through Kristi, I have known them both for almost ten years. Ten years!!

Happy back-to-school season, y’all! I am back in Winchester (VA) and just started my second year of physical therapy school. The best part about it? My fridge is looking extra full and happy right now. WOOHOO! I’m excited to be sharing this grocery haul with you guys, which includes items from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Aldi! I live in a small town that doesn’t have my favorite grocery stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, so I made sure to stock up on what I needed before heading back to start the semester.

Hi everyone! I’ve been wanting to start doing these kinds of posts for a while now and am excited for my first one! I’ll be starting a tradition to share a ‘favorites’ post at the end of every month. These posts will include random things that I loved that month, like nifty Amazon purchases, awesome store finds, food, music, and more!

Hi everyone! I have received a lot of questions about having a dog in PT school, so today’s post will be all about that. A common trend I’m hearing is that a lot of fellow dog moms and dads are concerned about having their pup with them at school. Is it difficult? Is it too time-consuming in such an intense program? Do I have extra time to spend with my dog? Do I recommend having them with you? This may or may not just be an excuse for me to show off some super cute pictures of my dog… no I’m kidding. Keep reading for the inside scoop!

Hello and happy Monday! I’m super excited to share some of my favorite smoothie bowl combinations with you all! I think smoothie bowls are the most pretty, fun, and colorful way to squeeze a nutritious meal into your day. There’s so many different ways you can be creative with smoothie bowls. Although I do have my go-to favorites, I love mixing them up and creating something a little different with each one.

Hello, hello! Today I am sharing 7 ways I stay organized in PT school. Being a PT student can be a bit hectic at times (or all of the time… actually), so staying organized is one of the key things that will help keep you on top of your game. Keeping track of important dates and deadlines is so so important with all of the assignments, quizzes, exams, practicals, meetings, and more that come along with PT school. So, if you’re interested to see how I stay on top of all of these things (as well as how I like to organize my notes), just keep reading!

I completed my first clinical experience at an outpatient orthopedic clinic during the second semester of my first year (spring 2019). Our clinic days were on Tuesdays and lasted for 10 weeks. We did not have any classes on clinic days and my typical clinic day usually lasted from around 8:00 AM to 5:00 or 6:00 PM (depending on how the day went/how much documentation still needed to be completed at the end of the day).

Well, it’s official - I survived my first year of PT school! I am currently pursuing my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Shenandoah University in Winchester, VA. I just finished my official first year and am so excited to be a rising second-year student in fall of 2019. This post is dedicated to sharing a general overview and recap of the classes I’ve completed and will be taking in future semesters, as well as a few highlights from the year.

It’s official - Alyssa and Isaiah are engaged! This stunning couple met during their freshman year of college in November of 2016 at Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa and have shared a beautiful love story ever since. This past week, they came to Richmond, VA to visit Isaiah’s family (Isaiah is my best friend Charisma’s little brother).

Hello, hello! Happy Monday! The spring semester is right around the corner and I’m so excited to get back in action with anatomy. During my first semester of DPT school anatomy, we covered the upper extremity. I started tackling muscles before I even started school and shared my whole-body muscle drawings in this post, which was more of a hit then I ever imagined it would be.

Hello everyone - Happy New Year! I hope that 2019 is off to an amazing start for you! My first blog post of the new year will be a super yummy waffle recipe for you to try. I made these waffles for brunch on Christmas Eve and will definitely be making them again soon (like today lol) because they are SO, SO TASTY!

And just like that… the most wonderful time of the year has come to a close. I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and enjoyed any other holidays or fun traditions you celebrate! The holiday season is my absolute favorite and I’m always so sad when it ends. This year was one for the books - heaps of holiday cheer and festivities and family fun and I’m excited to share my annual Christmas gift wrapping with you all!

I’m not crying… you’re crying. Actually, we’re probably BOTH crying because this proposal was absolutely breathtaking. I was so ecstatic when Austin told me the news that he would be proposing to Emily and asked me to capture their special day. I started screaming “yes, yes, YES, OMG YES, DUH!!” before he could even finish fully asking me. Needless to say, we were both so excited for the day to come!

Hello there, friends! It's a beautiful day to share lots of new updates with you all, so... here it goes. If you're familiar with my PT school journey thus far, then you probably already know that I encountered a few bumps in the road in my first year. If you need to catch up, you can read all about that here. So... make sure you do that so you've got the timeline straight.

I had an absolute blast snapping some photos for my dear friends, Charisma and Cole! Charisma and I have been best friends since college and once Cole came into her life, it was insane how she instantly became a whole new kind of happy. The love they have for each other is immeasurable and I get in my feels every single time I’m around them. Their energy is so contagious - the way Cole looks at Charisma, the way Charisma gets so giddy when Cole tells yet another super corny and sarcastic joke - UGH… it’s something else I tell ya!

This proposal had me all the way in my feels - the location, the breathtaking views, the memorabilia, the emotions… it was all so perfect! It all started with one of my friends, Daniel, reaching out to me about photographing Ashley and Brandon’s proposal. Brandon had a trip planned to fly to Virginia (from Tennessee) to visit Ashley, but it wasn’t just any ordinary trip - he was going to propose to her!

Hello everyone! Today, I am sharing a few tips and tricks that can hopefully help you ace your DPT inpatient practical exam and be a total rockstar! Practical exams can be really, really tough. You may know may know all of the necessary information to be successful. You may be confident in your abilities to perform a thorough examination/evaluation and devise an effective intervention. However, having proctors view and grade every single move you make can be very nerve-wracking.

Why hello there! This post is an addendum to my Muscular Anatomy 101 blog post, where I shared with you all my drawings that have helped me conquer all of the muscles in the human body. Since sharing that post, I have received a lot of questions as to what other resources I have used or things I have done to power through anatomy and thoroughly learn/understand other important objectives, such as the nervous, circulatory, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems.

Hi everyone! So, if you are a visual learner like me, then you know that learning all of the muscles in the human body can be a daunting task if you don't have visuals to aid in your studying. I spend a lot of time in the cadaver lab and in osteology lab (with skeletal models) to learn all of the different muscles and bony structures one-by-one. Additionally, since I learn best with pictures and colors, I have drawn out my school's muscle chart.

Happy Sunday, friends! YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS RECIPE ASAP, OKAY?! It's healthy, pretty easy, and frickin delicious. So I was at the gym super late last night and told myself I couldn't eat anything when I got home. So naturally, I fast forwarded to today and started daydreaming (or I guess nightdreaming actually) about what I would have for breakfast. I wanted to come up with a fun, creative recipe and this is where my idea for 'loaded breakfast lettuce wraps' sparked. I went and got the groceries at midnight *hahaha* and was so excited to make it come to life!

Alright, here it goes - the post I've been dreading to write. Things are about to get REAL personal. So if you didn't already know, I started my first semester of DPT school this past fall. It was a new, exciting, but very challenging experience that did not quite go as planned. I've kept quiet about the nitty gritty stuff and opened up only about the small details just enough to answer the questions of people who have been curious.

This smoothie bowl right here... it's a total game changer. I'm obsessed with acai smoothie bowls not only because they taste amazing, but also because of all of the amazing nutritional benefits they provide. I didn't think they could get any better until I had one INSIDE of a pineapple - talk about delicious! It's cute, fun, tastes oh so fabulous, and is the perfect summer treat!

If you've made your way to this post then that probably means that you've been accepted to DPT school and if so - YAY, CONGRATS!! If not and you're currently applying and just curious about what needs to be completed before PT school and what kind of supplies you will eventually need, then that's just as exciting! Welcome!

Brunch so hard! This is such a delicious/nutritious brunch and surely is a must try! I eat avocado toast like it's my religion and honestly don't think I could ever get tired of it. Of course y'all know I need some sort of colorful fruit incorporated, so I paired it with some vibrant dragonfruit boats - and you can even add a mimosa to make it extra fun!

Hello everyone! I've got a super yummy smoothie bowl recipe to share with you today! This acai smoothie bowl not only tastes like heaven, but just look at that color - how pretty!! It feels like summer already where I live and eating an acai smoothie bowl in some beautiful, sunshiny weather has GOT to be one of my favorite things ever! You definitely need to give this recipe a try!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, friends! I hope you all had a festive, fun-filled day and remembered to wear green so you didn't get pinched. For breakfast today, I whipped up this fun smoothie bowl. One of my favorite Sant Patrick's Day quotes is, "There's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow." So, that was the inspiration for this smoothie bowl!

This breakfast combo - man oh man! It's kinda like a breakfast salad since everything lies on top of a bed of spinach. It's super simple to whip up, sooo savory, and your taste buds will surely be thanking you with every single bite you take!

How awesome is this smoothie bowl?! Recently, I snagged a pack of alphabet cookie cutter letters and they're my new favorite thing ever! My first time trying them was for this smoothie bowl, and using the 'X' and 'O' were perfect for the occasion. Not only is it cute and extra festive, but it's soooo delectable and definitely a must-try!

This layered superfood smoothie combo is definitely one you should try! It's topped with muesli, hemp seed hearts, toasted coconut flakes, strawberries, and bananas! So not only is it delicious, butttt it's also super nutrient-dense.

Hello, friends! February is here and it is one of my favorite months to make festive recipes. The first recipe I am going to share with you is one for these heart-shaped mini pizzas! They are super tasty, simple to make, and you will surely 'wow' a friend, a family member, or your special sweetie on Valentine's Day if you decide to whip some up for them.

Hi everyone! Today, I am sharing a super fun DIY project! If you've seen my Instagram, then you are probably familiar with my Golden Retriever, Dawson, and how completely obsessed I am with him! His toy collection is slowly starting to grow larger and larger (especially after how spoiled he was on Christmas by family and friends), so it recently outgrew its old toy basket.

I'm back again with yet another smoothie bowl recipe! I call this creation the 'tropical fiesta smoothie bowl' because for some reason, the shape and appearance of shredded coconut always reminds me of confetti and pinatas hahaha. And then of course this wouldn't be just a regular fiesta - but a tropical one instead - because of allll of the bright, tropical fruits!

First post of the New Year - woohoo! I hope 2018 is off to a great start for you all and boyyyy have I got an awesome recipe for you to try! So if you're a fan of breakfast or brunch, then you just hit the jackpot with this one. I call this creation 'avocado toast with the works' because this yummy toast has pretty much alllll of the best breakfast sandwich ingredients on it!

Wellllll hello there! I hope you all had a very merry Christmas and have been enjoying the holdiays! I can't believe the holiday season is coming to an end - it always flies by so quickly! But before it's over, I have to share this yummy smoothie bowl recipe with you all.

It's the most wonderful time of the year! You know what that means- it's time to share my Christmas gift wrapping for this year! Most people dread wrapping gifts, but I think that it is one of the most fun parts of the holiday season. I love getting to add my own special touches to each gift to truly make them pop.

Hello everyone! Today, I am sharing a fun, festive breakfast recipe! So yesterday when I was Christmas shopping (yes, I'm still not done yet), I came across this delectable-sounding pancake mix at World Market. The brand is My Favorite Pancake and Waffle Mix: Peppermint White Chocolate.

Hello all! So I just whipped up a new recipe for some pimped-out pumpkin spice pancakes and they are pretty darn delectable if I do say so myself. These pancakes taste like fall with every bite (you know, if fall had a taste) and chances are you'll probably become addicted to them (sorry bout it).

I've never met an acai smoothie bowl I didn't like *shrugs shoulders.* This smoothie bowl is pretty simple and easy to make, but ohhhh so delicious and packed with nutrients. You have to try it!

This rainbow smoothie bowl is the perfect, colorful treat to enjoy during a hot summer day (or any day, really). Although Friday was the first day of fall, where I live it still feels like summer with there being a high of 90 degrees today (OMG)!! Butttt it's bursting with flavor, will be sure to cool you down in a heart beat, and will make you feel like you're lounging on a tropical beach somewhere beautiful!

Hello, everyone! I have decided to share the ins and outs of my experience with applying to Doctor of Physical Therapy programs since the 2017-2018 application cycle just launched! I have a lot of friends that want to enter this competitive field, so I feel like sharing this post will help them and hopefully any others who have the aspiration to become a DPT. 

Summer is practically here and this greena colada smoothie bowl is a delicious, healthy treat to enjoy in the heat! I call this the 'greena colada' smoothie bowl because the main ingredients are pineapple and coconut - so, you get the satisfaction of having a tasty, frozen smoothie while also getting all of the nutritional benefits from the greens and superfoods included!

Well, these past six months with my sweet boy have flown right by and just like that - in the blink of an eye - he's already half a year old! He fills my heart with an immeasurable amount of joy and I could never imagine life without him. His 1/2 birthday was on Friday and we celebrated with a homemade pup cake, lots of kisses and belly scratches, and quality time at the park fetching tennis balls and chewing on sticks (I threw the balls... he chewed on the sticks).

Everyone, meet Dawson! My boyfriend got me this perfect little pup and life the past couple of months with him has been amazing! Dawson is so sweet and cuddly, with all the right amounts of spunk and quirkiness. He's clumsy and already growing into his long, awkward legs at this point (he's almost five months old).

Hello friends, world, everyone! It's been a long time since I've shared my last blog post and I apologize for being such a horrible blogger these past few months. A few blog posts back, I explained how life has been so busy and hectic and that is the main reason that I have been M.I.A. for a little bit. Also, after moving into my new place in the summer, I decided not to get internet (weird move for a blogger, right?).

Hello everyone -- happy Saturday! I hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family and friends and got to gobble 'til you wobbled! I made this tasty apple pie for my family and I and it was a huge hit. Of course with fall being my favorite season, I have a bunch of cute leaf-shaped cookie cutters. I used them for the crust to bring to life the crispness of the changing leaves outside in this pie!

Well it's about dang time the holidays are here... they're my absolute favorite! This is a rather lengthy post - I talk alllll about moving + what it's been like living on my own after college, share some photos of this year's Halloween decorations, and give step-by-step instructions (and a video) for a fun, Halloween DIY paper bat tutorial that costs less than $1! Yippee!

Hey there! Long time no see! It's been a crazy hectic summer and I am soooo behind on posting recipes - gahhhh! Between graduating, moving into my own new place, starting a new job, and preparing for grad school, it seems like the past few months have been nothing but a big blur. Over the next few weeks, I plan to post all of my recipes from this summer and play a good ole fashioned game of 'catch up.' First, I'm starting off with this festive, patriotic pie!

Someone pinch me... I must be dreaming. In just a few short weeks (18 days to be exact), my best friend and I will be GRADUATING from Virginia Commonwealth University! We are both health, physical education, and exercise science majors with a concentration in exercise science. I could not have possibly imagined getting through the past couple of years without her - especially our senior year! 

Happy Saint Patrick's day, y'all! Today marks the one-year anniversary of my first blog post - how exciting! For breakfast today, I had a festive rainbow fruit platter and a delicious green smoothie. 

Endless sunshine, tropical fruit bowls, and no school work - it doesn't get any better than this! This past week was my spring break and I got to spend a few fun-filled days in Nags Head, NC with my boyfriend! We stayed at a hotel with a beautiful oceanfront view, watched the sun rise and set each day, saw amazing beach views from Jennete's Pier, found gorgeous seashells along on the shore...

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and if you're looking for some last-minute inspiration for tasty recipes to whip up for your special sweetie, then you've come to the right place! Listed below, I have 10 different recipes that are all super delicious... and healthy (for the most part). 

The national day of love is almost here, so of courseee I had to fill today's breakfast with lots of hearts! I will admit - I went a little cray today with the heart cookie cutters. I used them for my eggs, tomatoes, even the bread anddd cut out some watermelon with them too. Then I told myself to calm down before I gave myself a HEART-attack (get it... heart attack?) and decided to just add heart-shaped eggs to these sandwiches.