Sorry for the delayed introduction. My name is Shayla Boyce and the last two weeks have been a whirlwind.

Hello!
I am Shayla, a Commonwealth Scholar working alongside Jourdan this semester. I am in the Master of Library and Information Science program with a specialization in public libraries. I completed my undergraduate degree in December 2013 from Shippensburg University. Before starting the program I worked at the Hill District Branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. I did not always want to be a librarian (for a number of years I verbally denounced the idea), but working in the Hill District let me know that this career was where I wanted to be.

I am on week three of my program and I still find it strange to say I am a graduate student. The first week was intense to say the least. I elected to attend the on-campus course LIS-2000 which was a bit different than in previous years. I spent the last week of August in class Monday through Friday from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Yes, class from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening. We attended lecture, were assigned groups, and were told that we had to present a conference style presentation at the end of the week. As crazy as this may sound it was not an entire nightmare. I spent most of the time feeling a little lost and inferior. I was surrounded by all these brilliant people with real world experiences and skills that I simply did not have. It was not until the end of the week that it clicked. I lack a lot of skills, but I was focusing too much on what I wasn’t instead of who I was and what my group could teach me.

The second week I started my hours in the Admissions Office at the iSchool as well as my Partners Placement at Carnegie Library of Swissvale. This adds up to about thirty hours a week not including travel time. I have always admired those who worked and went to school full time and now I am not sure how they do it. If you have any secrets please share them!! I am working on keeping on top and ahead of everything, but I make errors like everyone else.
If I have learned anything for sure it is that this is all a learning experience and there is always room for growth. I look forward to sharing my experiences with you. Wish me luck.

Best,