Reflection

My time at Operation Catnip was very insightful and impactful. Because of this experience, I want to go into the Animal Welfare field and continue helping animals in need. I am interested in continuing my work at Operation Catnip this summer and am excited to continue to grow. During this Practicum experiences I was able to put some of the skills I learned in FYCS courses to the test. Particularly I used my teamwork skills (from many group projects) to work with everyone at Operation Catnip to ensure the cats received the best care possible. I was able to strengthen my communication skills during my time at Operation Catnip. I interact with over 30 caregivers a day each having a unique personality and presence. Being able to appropriately communicate with each and every one of them is needed in order to help the cats they are bringing in. Furthermore the staff and volunteers at OC must work as a team as there can be high stress at times and we are most effective when we are all working together. I would also say my problem-solving skills have been improved as I oftentimes have to think on my feet and be able to help caregivers and come up with solutions for various different situations they contact us about. In the future I will allow myself more grace and room to ask questions and grow as I was a bit scared at the beginning of the Practicum. I do really appreciate how amazing everyone on the OC team is as they were all very kind and helpful to me when I was just starting out and learning the ropes. 

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Overall, my time at the University of Florida has been transformative and I will always treasure these years. I made many friends, connections, and learned new things. Not only did I learn new important concepts that I can take into my field of study such as The Ecological Model and Systems Thinking, but I also learned life skills that will be just as important for my future. I learned how to effectively communicate with others, how to problem solve and conflict manage, strong public speaking skills, and strong writing skills. I also learned how to efficiency use Microsoft word and excel, SPSS, and Canva which will be helpful in the future. I am proud of the skills I have learned and excited for what my future holds. Go Gators!