If you are entering or looking to enter a physical therapist program, you may have heard the following: "PT school is hard." "It's too expensive." "Three years is too long."

Sure, PT school is challenging, as no one is handing out doctorates. And, yes, it’s a big investment to make toward your future. That being said, if you are passionate about joining the profession and motivated enough, PT school is an absolute no-brainer.

You will be pushed to new heights, you will learn new things about yourself, and you will be part of an exciting profession that has the ability to change people’s lives in numerous ways. I can say this because I’m an incoming second year DPT student at the University of Hartford.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of my chosen profession, I learned a lot about myself during my first year of PT school.

Here are five important lessons I'm taking away — I think they're not only important for new students but are concepts that are helping me grow as an individual.