No Spend November

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... spend money on fast food. 

I love fast food. I also am a sucker for the beauty section at drugstores. So when I saw Paige's post about No Spend November, I knew exactly what I needed to cut out. I spend way too much money on things that I definitely don't need, and if I could stop that for a month, I think I would be way better off!

Like I said, I'm first cutting out fast good spending. I love McDonald's specifically, but I don't discriminate against any drive-thru food. I thought this would be a great thing to cut out cost-wise, but more importantly, health-wise! I posted a while ago about giving up pop (or soda), but whenever I go get fast food I'm more inclined to buy a Coke. I'm human, I'm weak, and so maybe avoiding fast food will help me cut the pop addiction. 

The nice thing about my town is that the fast food restaurants are conveniently located next to two major drugstores! I never buy anything I really need at the drugstore... I always pop in to look, and end up buying lip products that I don't like or don't need. 

I think this will be a great challenge, and I think I can definitely do it. I'm planning on participating in a Christmas charity this month, so I can use the money I saved to participate! Don't worry though, I did pop into the drugstore and McDonald's for some last of the month treats! I'll be checking back in throughout the month to let you know how I'm doing. Thanks for the idea, Paige!

Happy Halloween!

It's finally here! The happiest of Halloweens to all you ghosts, goblins and ghouls! I hope you collect all the candy you ever wanted, and maybe even a toothbrush to prevent those sugar bug-created cavities. I'll be helping my mom pass out candy while watching Halloweentown, and baking cookies. Sounds like a nice night off! 

I also hope that those working tonight so let see too many crazy things. Keep safe and have fun! The holiday season has begun! 

#Replay

Back with more #advicetobabynursingstudents! While I was in nursing school, I noticed that most nursing students liked to soak up any piece of advice they could get. We always asked many questions, and seemed to be the most curious major around. These are some of my favorite blog posts, and I will definitely continue these as I am sure there is a nursing student out there who is enjoying them! This weeks advice is:

If you have trouble focusing during a lecture, or understanding a professor, start recording them. iPhones have a voice recording capability that I used in some classes! 

For me, large lecture classes were the hardest to focus. There were so many people, and typically they were the classes that were the most difficult to understand. I had lectures for both anatomy and physiology, as well as microbiology. To make matters more difficult, I had a professor with a thick accent for microbiology. 

Because it was hard to hear, and I was trying to take notes at the same time, I started recording my lectures on my phone. It was inconspicuous, and wasn't difficult to start at the beginning of class. This way, I could replay sections that I had a hard time understanding/hearing. It was extremely beneficial to my grades, as well as my general understanding of the material. 

If you haven't given this a try already, do it! It's worth a shot, and it definitely helps to keep on top of your studying. Of course, nursing school is just building on what you learned previously, so it's beneficial to try and stay afloat all through out school! Good luck, and happy studying. 

Two Thoughts

Throughout the classroom portion of orientation, I realized a lot of different things. I remembered that I like school more than the average person, and that lattes out of a vending machine aren't half bad. I recalled computer-charting skills, and decided that I liked my current employer's system better than the systems I had used throughout school. I had flashbacks to early clinical days, and remembered what it felt like to have to wake up early and be on a schedule. I was surprised at how quickly I could jump right back into the nursing lifestyle, after an entire summer of being out of it. However, there were two realizations I had that really shocked me:

1. Just how big the generation gap can be when it comes to technology.

I come from an age where computers are an everyday part of my life, and have been for as long as I can remember. As I've grown, technology has grown with me, and I have continuously learned to adapt to whatever new advances have been made. I know this is the same for pretty much all of the twenty-somethings at this point in time, and I sometimes forget that not everyone understands computers as well as my peers. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I remembered that women with 30 years of nursing under their belts in my orientation class would have a difficult time. I mean, it's hard not to be impatient when learning computers is like spelling our names-- we could basically do it in our sleep.

I felt for them, though, as I'm about as nervous to be a real nurse as they are to learn this new technology. It's new, it's difficult for them, and it's uncomfortable. I guess that's just a part of this occupation... being vulnerable, and having to learn new things because healthcare is ever-changing! I just was blown away at how something so simple to me could be so difficult for someone else.


2.  Turns out I don't dislike the heart and dysrhythmias as much as I thought!

All throughout nursing school, I hated heart rhythms. I didn't understand anything past the simple (normal sinus, tachy, brady), and I had a hard time reading strips. Or so I thought. Turns out, I just needed a refresher for the lightbulb to go off in my head. After two class days in orientation and a well-explained packet, I saw everything clearly. Just goes to show that you can never be too confident in what you like or dislike. There will always be opportunities to surprise yourself! Trust me, I'm continuing to realize this more and more each day.

I hope you're all having a wonderful week! Stay tuned for more posts... comments and suggestions are always welcomed and encouraged!

My Weekend (10/25)

Happy Monday, everyone! I definitely have to start by apologizing for my absence on Friday. After my last week of classroom-style orientation, I had a final dysrhythmia test to study for. I was really worried about it, but I did well and shouldn't have! 

My weekend was awesome. I spent Friday night at Barnes and Noble with friends, one whom I haven't seen in a while. On Saturday, I woke up early to go thrift shopping for Halloween costumes... And Saturday night I had a last minute Halloween party! I went as a panda again, just because I had ears and it was easy. I wish I had been able to put more thought into my costume, but I think it turned out alright! I hope you all had time to relax, before a week of work. It'll be my first week on the unit, and I hope it all goes well! 

Return of the UGGs. 

Best plate of pancakes I've had in a while.

Sam's new scarlet sweater. She's thrilled, obviously.

Impromptu... costumes?

Finished off the weekend with a hot dog lunch date.

#Get Involved

Back this week with another #advicetobabynursingstudents post... this time it's all about getting involved! I was given this advice by a professor my first year of nursing school, and I really think it guided me well through all four years. Without this advice, I think that my focus may have been a little off, but it steered me on the right path and helped me get to where I am right now:

Be involved in school activities, especially those pertaining to nursing. Whether it's a social or academic activity, get involved and meet new people!

Activities look good on resumes, it's as simple as that. Although there are more benefits to getting involved in school, resume building is a major one. When I started nursing school my freshman year, I was nervous to get involved with anything. I was nervous to meet new people, and doing things on my own just sounded better. That is, it sounded better until I had to create a resume and had barely any school activities to include on it.

Looking around, there were other people like me, but there were also students who had a long list of school activities after only a semester of school. I decided then that I would take it upon myself to join at least one activity, specifically one pertaining to nursing.

At my school, there were actually a few organizations you could join as a nursing student. There was the school's nursing association, a nursing fraternity, and a few other service-centered nursing groups. I decided to pledge the nursing fraternity my sophomore year with a few of my friends. Some of my friends were already in it, and they seemed to enjoy it.

I'm so glad I joined. Because there were meetings every week, I was forced to take responsibility and have my work done. It helped me to be more focused in school. As a sophomore, there were also older nursing students that could answer any questions we had about future years in school. It was a great resource for me, and I was able to make a lot of new friends through the program.

As I got older, I became the one who was able to give advice. It felt good to help someone younger, and I definitely felt a sense of purpose in the school of nursing. We did service events, but we also had some social events that allowed us to have fun when we were all stressed about school.

Whatever you choose to involve yourself in doesn't matter, as long as you get involved. There are so many benefits to it, and you become a more recognizable person in a large campus. And again, these activities look great on a resume. And if you're not on a large campus with a lot of activities, or you commute, you can check out the National Student Nurses Association's to become involved on your own!

My Fall Playlist

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... listen to music. I'm a creature of habit, I'll admit. I love familiarity, and even though it can be considered boring, I love being able to turn to things that I've always liked. This holds extremely true for the music I listen to when the weather begins to grow chilly. During this time, I'm intrigued by slower-tempo songs that feature rich vocals... and there's something about fall weather that draws me to the same playlist I've been listening to since high school. I'm hoping you might discover some new songs that you like, even though most of this playlist is older music! I've been studying to this soundtrack (+ a few newer songs!) since 2008...

1. All At Sea// Jamie Cullum

2. High and Dry// Jamie Cullum

3. Desert Sunrise// Brett Dennen

4. The Blower's Daughter// Damien Rice

5. Split Screen Sadness// John Mayer

6. Comfortable// John Mayer

7. Almost is Never Enough// Ariana Grande ft. Nathan Sykes

8. Make You Feel My Love// Adele

9. Wake Me Up// Avicii

10. Lego House// Ed Sheeran

Orientation Updates

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... need a moment to remember that the job is difficult, but it's worth it.

This post may come out jumbled, because I'm writing it after my first twelve-hour shift on my new unit. I have to be back in the morning for an eight-hour day, but I wanted to write a quick post about my feelings as a newly graduated, still-in-orientation nurse.

One thing you all need to know about me, is that I love people of all ages. I went into nursing because I love taking care of people. That being said, I've always had a yearning to work with babies and children. I have had a desire for pediatric and neonatal nursing since I first decided to become a nurse, and throughout my studies that never changed. I spent my last semester of nursing school precepting a nurse at a beautiful children's hospital.

So, it's a wonder that I ended up in an Intermediate unit, floating between three different hospitals. It was difficult for me to find a pediatric position after moving back home, and I actually only received one interview. It was a lot more difficult than I thought to find a job in this area, and I am so very thankful for the nurse manager who ended up hiring me. Although it wasn't my first choice of position, I am very fortunate for this opportunity and I'm excited for the new experience!

It's going to be a challenge for me, I know that. I forgot how labor-intensive working with some adults is, but I also am beginning to remember how rewarding caring for adults can be. Children don't appreciate nursing care like some adults. They don't look at you with thankful eyes and tell you how wonderful they think you are, and how happy they are that you are taking care of them. I remembered today that there are rewarding aspects in all areas of nursing, if you keep an open mind.

I am excited for my journey as a nurse. I know there are many different experiences and opportunities in my future, and I'm ready to take them on. I'm thankful for other kind nurses who have helped me this far in orientation, and I hope I can be that person for someone, someday. I hope you all have a wonderful Tuesday... check back in for more posts throughout the week!

My Weekend (10/18)

So, I made it through a week of orientation! I'm happy to report that I'm ready to go back tomorrow, after a nice weekend of rest. Knowing that I won't always have full weekends off as a nurse, I took advantage of the extra sleep time. Here are a few pictures I took over this (extremely) lazy weekend!

Pumpkin cookies with cream cheese chips!

Where I spent the majority of Saturday, catching up on sleep.

Pizza Saturday night, just what the doctor ordered. (Or did he...?)

This is my favorite mug. Thanks, Starbucks.

Ahh, to finish school and go right back to learning.

Let's all make our best effort to have a wonderful week! Happy Monday, everyone! 

I (Heart) Fall!

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... Decide to do a little survey, like the "I heart fall" tag. I thought this would be fun, both because of the questions, and also because I love reading these on other blogs! 

Without a doubt, I'd have to choose Revlon's Red Velvet lip butter. It's a rich, dark color for fall, but it's still very wearable. 

This was another easy one for me. I've mentioned Essie's "Berry Naughty" before... I love burgundy colors for fall, and this one is beautiful. 

Of course, a Pumpkin Spice latte. I know, I know... So predictable. But I am one of those people who love everything pumpkin, especially in the fall season. 

Bath and Body Works' Leaves is my favorite fall candle. It smells like everything good about the season: apple-y, spicy, and warm. 

I received this scarf as a gift from my roommate, and I have loved it ever since. All of the colors speak fall to me, and it's so big and cozy. 

I'm going to say Haunted House, because I just went to one. I'm the biggest baby on the planet, but I do find haunted houses fun. I haven't been to a corn maze or hay ride in a long time, though, so those would also be fun!

Halloweentown. See Wednesday's post for a long list of my favorites! 

This is tough, because I don't discriminate against candy. I'll go with Reese's, though... 

I don't have any ideas for this year's costume! I am off work, which is nice, but I'll probably just hang out at home and pass out candy. We'll see!

Everything, seriously. I guess just the feeling of it... The brisk weather, and the cozy feeling you have when you're warm inside. 

I hope you all had a great week! Have an awesome weekend, and come back on Monday for some new posts!

#Have Fun!

Hello, everyone! I'm happy to report that I'm at the halfway mark for the first week of orientation... and I'm still in the game! I'll admit, it's tiring. There's a lot of sitting still, and paying attention to different speakers, but I am just so excited to start my career as a nurse. It's also nice to be back on a schedule.

I've decided to recognize another #advicetobabynursingstudents post, because I enjoy writing these, and I hope you enjoy reading them! So, without further ado:

Remember to do some fun things for yourself! Yes, nursing school is exhausting. If you don't do fun things with friends, though, you'll go insane.

Trust me, I've been there. Tests, upon tests, upon tests. Especially near the end of nursing school, it seems like it's impossible to catch a break. In my opinion, there's no better way to relieve the stress of school than to take a night off with some of your nursing school friends (or whomever you choose!) and do something to divert your mind.

Throughout nursing school, I formed a close group of friends. I've mentioned them before, and I've also said that I probably wouldn't have made it through without them. That's because friends who understand completely what you're going through is important. And when you're all stressed about school, it's a great idea to do something fun to take your mind off of it! There are plenty of activities that I participated in during nursing school that didn't take too much of my time, but were just what the doctor ordered. Those activities could have included any and all of the following:

1. Have a girls' night in. Watch a movie, paint your nails, do face masks and gossip.
2. Gather together to watch your favorite show. We spent many Tuesday nights on the couch with Oreo's, and Pretty Little Liars.
3. Go out to dinner! It's a nice treat when you're living in the dorms, or even off-campus.
4. Go out to see a movie. You could combine this with idea #3.
5. Take a walk, have a nice chat.
6. Build a fort in your dorm or living room, and play "Never have I ever" in it.

And for more seasonal options:
1. Carve pumpkins!
2. Paint pumpkins...
3. Visit a haunted house. (We did this last year, and even though we graduated, we returned this year! It was a great excuse to reunite)

There are options on top of options for things to do with friends. Sometimes all you need is a relaxing night in, where school is not discussed. If you don't do something like this every once in a while, you will go nuts. I promise.

Halloween Movies

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... watch Halloween-themed movies! 

There's nothing better to me than curling up in bed, lighting some candles, and watching a movie in the dark. I'm an big fan of movies in general, but seasonal movies really get to me. Next to Christmas, Halloween-related movies are my favorite. I've decided to share with you all of my favorites! Though they're not all specifically related to the holiday, they do give me that cozy, spooky, fall feeling.

Halloweentown//1998.

Classic Disney film, definitely my top-favorite Halloween movie! 

"Being normal is vastly overrated."

Hocus Pocus//1993.

Another classic for me. It may/may not have 

scared me as a child, but we'll keep that a secret.

"Come little children, the times come to play/

Here in my garden of magic."

Casper Meets Wendy//1998.

I'm a fan of all Casper movies, but how cute is little Hilary Duff?!

"She has done something no other can boast;

the little witch befriended a ghost."

Nightmare Before Christmas//1993.

Tim Burton. Halloween+Christmas. 'Nuff said.

"I am the shadow on the moon at night, filling your dreams

to the brim with fright."

Corpse Bride//2005.

Tim Burton does it, once again. Beautiful, creepy animation.

"Isn't the view beautiful? It takes my breath away. Well,

it would if I had any."

Coraline//2009.

Here's what I mean by not holiday-related. However, this movie

is just as creepy as those mentioned above. This is one

of my favorite movies.

"Hush and shush, for the beldam may be listening."

ParaNorman//2012.

My new favorite Halloween movie. Cool animation,

some really funny lines, and overall great story.

(Although, a little scary...)

"Sometimes people can say things that seem mean, but it's

just because they're afraid."

Fresh Start

Okay, I'm just going to throw this out there... orientation is exhausting.

Today was the first day of the rest of my life as a nurse, and while I'm beyond excited, I'm also worn out. I forgot how daunting eight hours of sitting can be! I understand the information being presented is extremely important, but it's hard to engage after sitting all day.

I'm really, truly ready to begin my work as a nurse. This is all a part of it, I know that. I'm facing a week of class-like orientation, though, and it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I really hope that you all can stick through this with me... once I get into a regular schedule, and more used to having to go to work again, I think my posts will show vast improvement.

I still have some Halloween and fall related posts to share, and once we get into the holiday season, I promise this blog will be booming! Keep an eye out for more exciting posts than this. They'll come with time, I promise. Until then, I'm going to try to figure out how to be a real-life nurse in addition to a blogger. Hope you're all having a great week!

My Weekend (10/11)

Hello, Monday people! Today's my first day as a real nurse, so this week is going to be a little bit of a trial run. I had a great weekend, though, and I am hoping all of the fun and relaxing prepared me well for a week of work. Friday was my high school's homecoming game, and it was fun to see all of the girls dressed up for homecoming court. On Saturday, my little brother was going to the dance, so we took pictures and then I went to our local college's football game. It was a football filled (more than I like, typically), fun weekend. I hope you all had a great one as well. Here are a few pictures I took:

Creepy/cool tree face.

New scrubs!

Mini makeup haul.

Cupcakes to celebrate my last day of unemployment!

#Be Present

Happy Friday, everyone! I decided to close out this week with another #advicetobabynursingstudents. I could try to give advice all day, and I could say one thing is more important than the other, but this... I think that is is one of the most important things I learned in nursing school. In life, really. This advice can truly serve for any profession, anyone in school.

Always be present, both physically and mentally, in all of your classes. It doesn't hurt anyone but yourself to be absent. You will only than yourself later if you've been active in all of your classes, taking notes and asking questions. 

I spent the first two years of nursing school thinking it was no big deal to miss a class or two. Sometimes, laying in bed, painting my nails, or watching a movie seemed like a better idea to me. Besides, if there wasn't an in-class assignment, or a test, then what did it matter? I was wrong, though. It all mattered a lot.

You see, in my nursing program (and I'm sure many others), the beginning is just as crucial as the end. You build and build, until the things you learned in the beginning become the foundation, and it's hard to learn more if that's not strong. I'm speaking directly from experience. There were some classes my freshman and sophomore year that I could have done better in, and I attribute not reaching my potential to skipping some classes.

Now, it's important to be physically present, but it's also just as important to remain mentally present. I can't tell you how many classes I checked out of mentally sometimes. I had a good friend who was always present, physically and mentally. At some points when I'd go to check twitter or something, I'd look over at her and realize she had pages and pages of notes. That girl graduated with a 4.0. Be that girl. Do your best! Don't allow yourself to sabotage... yourself.

I really think this is important. I urge you to try to build yourself a strong foundation, and do the best that you can! You'll only make it easier for yourself in the end.

Throwback Thursday (Halloween Edition!)

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... like to dress up for Halloween!

Halloween is definitely not my favorite holiday, however, I've definitely taken advantage of the excuse to dress up and eat a lot of candy! Over the years, I've worn many different costumes... all usually revolving around some sort of animal, faux fur, and a sweatshirt. I have to give my mom credit for making many costumes herself with no sewing abilities (she's a master at the hot glue gun!). I thought it would be fun to include some pictures of my most memorable costumes... maybe they'll be inspiration to you, or maybe you'll just get a laugh at the things I came up with. Trust me, I never got too creative:

Love the winter wear under the enormous pumpkin costume.

I guess this was a "Simba" costume... minus the headpiece, plus slippers.

Matching bunnies... here you see the sweatshirt/faux fur combo.

One of my favorite costumes... How cute is my sister
in her poodle skirt?!     

Definitely one of my most creative costumes... a large group of my friends
went as "Mario Kart" my senior year of high school. We wore roller
blades, and it was really fun until I fell on my back down a ramp. Graceful...

Freshman year of college, I got REALLY creative and went
as a flapper. Here I'm showing off my UGG boots... My feet
were comfy and warm, while everyone toughed it out in heels.

Toddlers in Tiaras. This is also my brief stint as a
brunette. Enjoy.

I wanted to be a panda most Halloweens...
my senior year of college I went for it. You
can see I took a lot of costume making tips
from my mother. 

Are you dressing up for Halloween? Let me know in the comments below if you have any ideas! I hope you are all having a wonderful week.