What I Wore: Early Family Christmas

Channeling my inner wannabe fashion blogger again. Complete with super close up at the end to show off the jewelry (that I am not wearing). The makings of any great outfit, in my opinion, is that it is wearable to multiple functions. Like this that I wore to family christmas event and a high school basketball game. Super cozy for eating lots of turkey but still awesome for bleacher sitting. Plus I got the ultimate compliment while wearing this: "you look like a hippie." Style mission accomplished.

Posted with Blogsy

Nursing School: Not Really Finals Week

 

Basically that Nursing Diagnosis was me all of last week. Last week felt like finals week. Two simulation labs, one simulation final practice with 2nd years, and an exam in all three classes. It was literally crazy. And I was about to my breaking point. Tears were shed. Massive amounts of caffeine were consumed. Getting two hours of sleep a night was a norm. And, in moments of fatigue, there was singing and dancing.

But the important thing is I survived.  And I was eligible to sit for finals. Finals are actually spread out over the next week and a half.  You have to have a 77 to be able to even try for the finals, which after my 5th exam I more than exceeded in my classes. I did not realize it at the time, but last week was the most important (along with stressful) week of my nursing student career this far. 

I had the weekend to try and recoup some, and gear up for finals. I have already had one comprehensive final today and made a 94. An A! YESSS! On my Nursing Theory final?!

 *cue more singing and dancing*

Jenna Cooks: Potato Soup

 

I'm not a very good cook. Or should I say, I generally do not take the time to learn and become a good cook. But yesterday, I must have been bitten by the cooking/baking bug. 'Tis the season. I went to Ingles to pick up stuff for sausage balls and came back out with ingredients for fudge, soup, and cake. I had a craving for some potato soup due to a cold ('tis also the season) and gave this recipe a go. And was actually surprised how well it turned out. I skipped out on the onions though. Also, be sure to use a bigger pot to cook it in, because I defiantly boiled it over.  I found this recipe online here.

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) red potatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup prechopped onion

1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 bacon slices, halved

1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup)

4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions

Preparation

Hands-On: 20 Minutes

Total: 20 Minutes

1. Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly.
2. While potatoes cook, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk; add to pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper.
3. Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon.
4. Discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup. Top with cheese, green onions, and bacon.

One Day at a Time: Nursing School (this far)

Nothing can really prepare you for the demands of nursing school or the amazing, challenging experiences that it will bring your way.  Studying hours upon hours for one exam, only to close that book to pick up a different one become you have three that week alone. Simulation lab -- seriously, enough said. And just learning to survive everything they sling at you one day at a time, one exam at a time, and one clinical at a time.  So, here's a quick look at my first four months of nursing school, where I might add I have officially passed every exam so far! *does happy dance*




What I Wore: First Day of Class Outfit
that changed pretty fast to either scrubs or hoodies

First Day of Class Outfit + my grandpa's birthday

After passing my first ever nursing school exam

When Clinicals Started

 

When Hardees coffee became a life saver and hoodies the new study norm

 Or any food really



the joy of soda anytime

and the joy of hamburgers cause it is Monday

of course accompanied by my pharm notes

 

 

 those random free days that are marvelous
where you get to see friends
or go on trips

or when one of your friend lets you crash at their house just to eat pizza and watch TV

(thanks, Nicole Ella)

 

Cannot believe that I am already halfway finished with this first semester of nursing school. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was freaking out about orientation and first day of classes. Now, I am freaking out about pharmacology exams and learning all of those drugs (I see you, cardio drugs), getting enough study hours in, understanding what the theory exam is going to cover (electrolytes!), IV check offs, any lab check offs, not oversleeping for 6:30 AM clinical in the next county over, doing well in clinical, and breathing deep in SIMs lab.  It has been an experience and it is just getting started.

 

extra points if you can find me :p

 

 

November, hi!

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

What I Wore: Nursing Orientation

 

Fashion blogger wannabe alert. Complete with staring off into the distance. Well minus the fact that half my head is missing. And my dog is out of the picture. And there is only one picture. Anyway, I'm trying to teach myself to utilize my closet while making my style a little more grown up. It's a slow process. I will say though, this outfit was comfy from the billowy shirt to the relaxed  sandals.

 

On to orientation thoughts ....

 

It really doesn't surprise me that I did not get a good nights sleep. Mix nerves in with my "been-off-a-bunch-of-days-in-a-row" night owl routine, and it doesn't add up to a great combo. Let's suffice to say that 7AM rolled around WAY too early this morning.  And through the first half of nursing orientation, I came to the conclusion that this was a lot of information for my caffeine deprived brain.

However, once I got some caffeine in my system and some food, my brain finally began to wake up.  And what started out as a stressed out day turned into a really awesome one.  Friendships were already starting to form. And uniforms were being fitted.  And my spirits just lifted. So much so, that I even volunteered -- is this me we're talking about? -- to showcase one of our past CNA skills. In front of people.

 

Orientation was a success. Sometimes it was way too brutally honest about our upcoming classes. But then again, is there a better way to be? And I left feeling excited and nervous for what's to come.

 

 



Nursing Orientation Jitters

All summer long I've had this unshakeable feeling that I have forget something important. And from my complete lack of focus or organization, I'm going to be booted from the nursing program. Before it even starts! These jitters are mostly unjustified, seeing how I've been doing my best to keep up with e-mails, letters, packets and dates --- I even bought a kicking new planner -- but they're still there.

But tomorrow, I've orientation.

And it will be officially official again. I'm a nursing student.

Though tomorrow should easy these: "oh my gosh, they're going to kick me out any minute fears". Thank the Lord!  It will likely raise new ones.

Along with being fitted for our scrubs, tomorrow we also get the in depth scope. They invited our families just so they could be pre-warned that we now "belong" to the nursing program. 

I've dotted all my Is and crossed all my Ts. So I'll gladly switch from these remote jitters to the new challenges -- grades, time management, succeeding, etc -- that I can face head on.

Now...what does one wear to an all day nursing orientation?

Late Night Pizza Rambling

I'm currently having an internal battle of wills about the leftover (stuffed crust, I might add) pizza in my fridge. The reason? It's almost 3AM in the morning. That still doesn't negate the fact that I'm hungry. Or that I was hungry three hours ago and ignored the pizza slices then. Or that I'm not sleepy. Or all the pushups/squats I'll think I'll have to do after the fact.

Really it all boils down to this thought: life is meant to be lived to the fullest - eat the pizza.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Flashback: Layover in France

This is me -- after spending eleven challenging and rewarding weeks in Kenya, spilling my hot coffee on the random guy sitting beside me on an 8 hour flight, hiking through the streets of Paris for miles because we misread the metro map (and are low on Euros), not understanding the French word for turn "left", having only four hours left before the next flight leaves, and feeling extremely grimy and tired -- at the Eiffel Tower.  And I wouldn't change a thing except for maybe spilling my coffee on that poor guy, who I tried to apologize to in three languages while he just looked at me blankly.

ADN Nursing Student

It has finally happened. The one thing that I've went back and forth on for years now. Even getting a complete different degree, which I can't complain too much about cause I met some of my best friends in the process and got to travel to some amazing places. I was accepted in to Mayland's ADN program starting in the Fall.

 

Dreading the thought of two more long and hard years of school, but I'm excited to be chasing a dream. And dream that I can combine with my current BA degree and actually do two things I'm passionate about: travel and nursing.

 

It's been a long process to get to this point, and I have many more steps to go. But I'll get there one step at a time.

 

Posted with Blogsy

New Blog Design & More Updates (hopefully)

I've been wanting to get my lifestyle blog back up and running for a while now. And finally took the time to update my layout so that it isn't a total eye sore. It's nothing fancy and a little choppy, but I like it -- for now.


Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Job Found: Gray Scrubs

 

I found a job. And I start my official orenitation in a few hours...so no time to expand. 5AM comes to early fpr these late night. But I am now officially working as a CNA. You guessed it, in gray scrubs.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Job Search: Beginnings

 

Found some old xanga pictures, throwing it all the way back to high school. And braces. And acting-dorky-in-walmart-teenage-moments.

Those were some great days. And a lot different from the moments of trying to find a use for my college degreee. Lately, I've been looking for jobs. And have applied to some great jobs all across America. One in Washington has specifically caught my eye, and a lot of my skill set is directed towards their needs.

But as always, we have to take it one day at a time.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Water Bottle Moments

Have you ever had those odd moments where your life almost flashes before your eyes? But instead of your past -- you see a life that isn't really yours. You see a life that could have been. You see the "What If?"

The moment happened to me today. In the middle of my Microbiology class to beat it all, when I'm suppose to be learning about red and purple stains, eukaryotes and prokaryotes, no less. I picked up my IHOP cammel back for some water and my brain instantly took off to the all that possibilities that the water bottle could hold.

What if I was using this water bottle cause I was an intern at the Internatioal House of Prayer. It was such an odd though too, because my spiritual life has been anything but saturated. At one point in my life, I was interested in moving there and becoming an IHOP intern. And the thought of what that would look like was oddly refreshing. The moment happens so fast that I don't even think I missed much -- if any -- of the lecture.

Crazy to think that could have been me. Learning at IHOP and growing in my Spiritual walk. I am happy learning about medicine. Not so happy trying to figure out what school -- and for what degree -- that I'm going for. That's more stressful.

It was just a moment of what if and what my life would look like. I'm not writing it out of my future forever, but it would have to be very CLEAR that I'm suppose to drop everything. Cause right now, I'm a bit of a wild child.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The infamous waterbottle

Posted with Blogsy

Winter Nights

2014 is here. Yay! And after a hard, challenging, and changing 2013, I'm happy to see it and the fresh start.

The other night was the coldest that we've had in our little corner of North Carolina. The temperture dropped down to the negatives and windchill made it even colder. So we decided to bring our outdoor cat inside for a couple nights to protect it from the freezing weather.

The first night the cat followed me all around the house. And when I finally laid down, it would sit in my room and meow. I tried almost everything to get the cat to quiet down and rest. But to no avail, I spent most of the night listening to the wind howl and the cat meow and thinking -- "oh my God, is this what having a baby will be like? No sleep?"

Happily enough, I managed a long nap the next day after my microbiology. And surprsingly the next night -- I didn't have the heart to let the cat freeze (lack of sleep or not) -- the cat was peaceful. And slept through the whole night.

The cold winter days and nights have also been perfect for homemade hot chocolate and warm beanies. Stay warm, my friends!

 

Posted with Blogsy