I am finally deep into the second week of second semester {and already obtained that lovely back-to-school sickness}. My schedule is simple this year - one online class, two hybrid classes, and two all face-to-face classes. My only class on Mondays is in the evening and is a mini-course so after fall break, it'll be over. Also, I don't have any classes on Fridays which gives me the chance to catch up on that online class. Other than A&P 2, I think my hardest course will be Healthcare Economics simply because I don't really understand that kind of thing. So far though, I have an A and the course load seems easy for a 400-level class!
Because I've been so sick, I haven't really cared about what I wear to class as much - jeans, sandals, and a t-shirt have been my go-to. I don't like dressing down for class, especially at the beginning of the semester {unless I'm in lab - then tennis shoes it is!}. The graduate students are in one of the classrooms before my section and they all wear business clothes to class! I told my hubby this and he says his grad school will be the same way. That is very interesting to me because I can't imagine having to dress up for work and school.
Until next time!
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Everything You Need to Know About...
A&P!
Y'all, I was seriously dreading this class. To make it worse, we have to take TWO semesters of it! I eventually gave in and got a tutor who took it at her previous college. She told me she despises the way Dream School has A&P set up because the way she learned it was she had 1 semester of Anatomy and then 1 semester of Physiology, not combined like some colleges do.
Honestly, it isn't that bad.
I took A&P1 at the same time as Microbiology and although that was a huge stressor, a lot of the material we covered in one class was also taught in the other!
Science courses at Dream School are rigorous: we have to have an average of 75% on the quiz/exam portion of the course in order to pass. Meaning, you can have perfect attendance, get 100% on the homework assignments, but get an average of 73% on the quizzes/exams (meaning overall grade in the class is maybe an 80% or 85%!) and still fail the class. Say what!? This is meant to ensure students actually know the material because it is extremely important to not just skim through these gen eds.
Well, on the first exam, I got a 74%. Not too bad, right?
Second exam? Yeah, totally failed.
I knew I had to get help ASAP so I went to our academic counselor and got assigned a tutor who was the bomb! On the 3rd exam, I got a 100%. I saw the grade and I cried and cried because I didn't believe it!
Bottom line, do not be afraid to get help. I met with three of my nursing school friends and we all studied together and did the homework assignments together. THAT helped tremendously because if there was something one of us didn't really understand, there were three more explanations that were available.
A&P is typically at least 4cr because there is a lab portion. That means you should be spending at least 12 hours studying outside of class per week. That's a heck of a lot of A&P!
I invested in thousands of flash cards because A&P is all about memorization. Sad, but true.
Before each lecture, I printed off the PowerPoint notes my teacher provided online. Each lecture had anywhere from 20-100 slides… yep. It's a lot of material. I went through lots and lots of paper. I print my slides like this:
Y'all, I was seriously dreading this class. To make it worse, we have to take TWO semesters of it! I eventually gave in and got a tutor who took it at her previous college. She told me she despises the way Dream School has A&P set up because the way she learned it was she had 1 semester of Anatomy and then 1 semester of Physiology, not combined like some colleges do.
Honestly, it isn't that bad.
I took A&P1 at the same time as Microbiology and although that was a huge stressor, a lot of the material we covered in one class was also taught in the other!
Science courses at Dream School are rigorous: we have to have an average of 75% on the quiz/exam portion of the course in order to pass. Meaning, you can have perfect attendance, get 100% on the homework assignments, but get an average of 73% on the quizzes/exams (meaning overall grade in the class is maybe an 80% or 85%!) and still fail the class. Say what!? This is meant to ensure students actually know the material because it is extremely important to not just skim through these gen eds.
Well, on the first exam, I got a 74%. Not too bad, right?
Second exam? Yeah, totally failed.
I knew I had to get help ASAP so I went to our academic counselor and got assigned a tutor who was the bomb! On the 3rd exam, I got a 100%. I saw the grade and I cried and cried because I didn't believe it!
Bottom line, do not be afraid to get help. I met with three of my nursing school friends and we all studied together and did the homework assignments together. THAT helped tremendously because if there was something one of us didn't really understand, there were three more explanations that were available.
A&P is typically at least 4cr because there is a lab portion. That means you should be spending at least 12 hours studying outside of class per week. That's a heck of a lot of A&P!
I invested in thousands of flash cards because A&P is all about memorization. Sad, but true.
Before each lecture, I printed off the PowerPoint notes my teacher provided online. Each lecture had anywhere from 20-100 slides… yep. It's a lot of material. I went through lots and lots of paper. I print my slides like this:
For the layout, I print handouts with 3 slides per page, that way there are lines next to each slide in case I need to write my own notes. (This is a PowerPoint for Statistics - I couldn't bear to open up my A&P folder during summer ;))
During the lecture, I took any notes and highlighted my PowerPoint slides as the professor went along. Also, I got permission from him to record the lecture with a mini-recorder. Then, I uploaded the recording to my iPhone and listened to the lecture again while working out! When I met with the academic counselor, she had me do an array of tests to see what kind of learner I am… turns out, I am a bodily/kinesthetic learner. All along, I thought I was more of a visual learner, which is why I wasn't doing so well on my tests. After I got this bit of info, my test scores went up dramatically because I was absorbing the material in a way that works for me. She also advised me to get a stress ball or something I can squeeze while in class and although that might seem like a distraction, doing something with my hands helped! I'll make a post about these types of learner tests in the future. :)
After the lecture, I went back through my notes just to check if there was anything I missed or had further questions about. Being a kinesthetic learner, I have a hard time reading a text book. Instead, I keep the book on hand to go back through and fill in the missing information. I also make a ton of flash cards with vocabulary I might see on future quizzes or tests. Lastly, I invested in some colorful paper that I use to draw diagrams, make charts, etc that also helped me learn.
There were a few concepts I just couldn't grasp. One of them being everything that has to do with the nervous system. My husband knows nothing about A&P so I tried to teach the material to him and found this really works. Trying to teach someone something you aren't very confident about helps you to retrace your steps, especially if they ask questions. Even if he wasn't listening very intently, I still was able to put the knowledge in my head onto paper, then speak it out loud. Ironically, I aced my nervous system test ;)
The internet is fabulous. I used countless YouTube videos, Pinterest boards, and A&P blogs to get through my first semester of A&P. When there is something you just can't understand, try a search and find someone who does understand and learn it that way.
A&P2, ready or not, here I come!
Getting Ready for B2S!
Hi everyone! Today I'm going to share with you a few tips on getting back into the swing of things for next semester. It seems like just yesterday I was taking my last final and smiling as I scurried out of class. Before you know it, it's going to be August and you'll be faced with heading back to school.
1) Buy a great planner. I never used a planner through high school and barely used one at my other colleges, but this past semester [first semester of my BSN program] I heavily used the same planner from the first day all the way until finals week! I was so proud of myself because not once did I fall behind and deadlinessometimes rarely snuck up on me. Late June-early July is when companies come out with 2014-2015 planners. I've used a variety of planners in the past including Lilly Pulitzer, some from Target, and the one Dream School gave to us, but this year I plan on investing in a planner from Erin Condren. They are a little pricey but I've never heard anything bad about them and they are extremely cute. Once you have a planner, USE IT! A great planner will include both monthly and weekly views. I will post about how I organize mine in the near future.
2) Stock up on school supplies. This time of year is great for buying school supplies because they are incredibly cheap compared to during the semester. Also, nothing is worse than running out of lead or computer paper when you are right down to the deadline. My pen bag usually contains 3-5 mechanical pencils, 3-5 pens [a couple ball-point and a couple of inky ones], 5 highlighters [one of every color so I can differentiate things in my notes], a chunky pink eraser, and a couple of black sharpies. If you buy spiral notebooks, college ruled often works better because you can fit more notes per page. These notebooks from Target come in adorable prints or this Etsy shop can even monogram your notebook.
3) Check local ads and listings. I've heard of several states that do a tax-free shopping weekend in August so any school supplies, books, backpacks, and clothes can be purchased without having to pay tax. This saved me a ton of money when I purchased my graphing calculator (~$120) and medical dictionary (~$60). Also, many stores do price matching including Walmart. If Office Max is selling spiral notebooks for 20¢, Walmart can give you the same sale price even if they are priced at $1 there. This is a wonderful way to save on purchases!
4) Get back into a normal routine. When I was growing up, my parents always put me to bed earlier each night just to make sure I was able to wake up early for the first day. College is no different! We get into such a routine during the summer whether we're staying up late watching Netflix or sleeping in, so a couple weeks before your first day, try to train yourself to fall asleep at a decent hour and actually getting up when your alarm goes off in the morning. A few tips to have a better night sleep include not eating or drinking before bed, listen to soothing music while trying to fall asleep, and relaxing before bed (I like to do yoga or stretch, followed by a warm shower).
5) Organize your office or study space. This was huge for me when I lived in the dorms. I hated having so much clutter on my desk because when I would try to study, all I could think about was getting the mess cleaned up. To fix this, I try my best to keep my area organized. The dollar stores have tons of cute bins and containers that can hold all of your desk supplies. I prefer to do a deep inspection of everything I have and figure out where to put it so when school starts back up, I'm not stressed with a huge mess or forget to get anything (see #2!).
See you next semester!
-Leigh
1) Buy a great planner. I never used a planner through high school and barely used one at my other colleges, but this past semester [first semester of my BSN program] I heavily used the same planner from the first day all the way until finals week! I was so proud of myself because not once did I fall behind and deadlines
2) Stock up on school supplies. This time of year is great for buying school supplies because they are incredibly cheap compared to during the semester. Also, nothing is worse than running out of lead or computer paper when you are right down to the deadline. My pen bag usually contains 3-5 mechanical pencils, 3-5 pens [a couple ball-point and a couple of inky ones], 5 highlighters [one of every color so I can differentiate things in my notes], a chunky pink eraser, and a couple of black sharpies. If you buy spiral notebooks, college ruled often works better because you can fit more notes per page. These notebooks from Target come in adorable prints or this Etsy shop can even monogram your notebook.
3) Check local ads and listings. I've heard of several states that do a tax-free shopping weekend in August so any school supplies, books, backpacks, and clothes can be purchased without having to pay tax. This saved me a ton of money when I purchased my graphing calculator (~$120) and medical dictionary (~$60). Also, many stores do price matching including Walmart. If Office Max is selling spiral notebooks for 20¢, Walmart can give you the same sale price even if they are priced at $1 there. This is a wonderful way to save on purchases!
4) Get back into a normal routine. When I was growing up, my parents always put me to bed earlier each night just to make sure I was able to wake up early for the first day. College is no different! We get into such a routine during the summer whether we're staying up late watching Netflix or sleeping in, so a couple weeks before your first day, try to train yourself to fall asleep at a decent hour and actually getting up when your alarm goes off in the morning. A few tips to have a better night sleep include not eating or drinking before bed, listen to soothing music while trying to fall asleep, and relaxing before bed (I like to do yoga or stretch, followed by a warm shower).
5) Organize your office or study space. This was huge for me when I lived in the dorms. I hated having so much clutter on my desk because when I would try to study, all I could think about was getting the mess cleaned up. To fix this, I try my best to keep my area organized. The dollar stores have tons of cute bins and containers that can hold all of your desk supplies. I prefer to do a deep inspection of everything I have and figure out where to put it so when school starts back up, I'm not stressed with a huge mess or forget to get anything (see #2!).
6) Buy your books, get new scrubs, and find your ID badge. Although I'm not in clinical until 3rd semester (Spring 2015), I have already purchased my scrubs, shoes, and stethoscope required for it. Luckily, my tuition reimbursement I get through work came in early so instead of buying random stuff I don't need buying new clothes refilling my Starbucks card splurging on a new pair of shoes putting it all into savings, I decided to go ahead and get the required uniform. It was so nice doing it that way rather than waiting until the last minute, especially because that will be the Holidays, finals, etc! Also, I would have had a breakdown if they were sold out of my size at the scrub store and missed the first couple of weeks since my uniform would be backordered. Talk about a nightmare!
7) Have fun while you can! Seriously, nursing school is stressful as it is. One or two summers, Dream School makes us do a practicum so this is probably my last summer to just relax and hang out. Plan a mini vacay before it's back to school. You deserve it! :)
See you next semester!
-Leigh
Monday, March 3, 2014
Midterms already?!
I've been in school for 7 weeks already and time is just flying by! Everybody said it would be like that, too, so I should be a nurse in no time at all ;) To keep myself steady, I write every assignment in my planner and cross it off as it is done. I only look week to week so I don't get too far ahead or fall behind. I even have a schedule of when I can sleep and when I have to study! I'm working at the hospital overnights every weekend and a weekday evening shift here and there. I refuse to be blindsided by huge assignments or exams that I "forgot" about so organization is key.
As for my very first exam, I did not do as well as I had hoped. My second exam in the same class is tomorrow and I found a few girls in my class to study with and feel a lot more confident than the first time around! This is for A&P and Dream School's standards are set pretty high; you have to get a 75% average on all of the exams/lab practicals in order to pass the class. You can have 100% on all of the quizzes, homework assignments, participation, etc. but have a 74% average on exams and you FAIL. You cannot pass go and you certainly cannot collect $200. On the first exam, I got a 72% so I was depressed for a few days. However I got a 96% on my first lab practical which brought my exam average up to an 80%. Oh happy day!
One thing I absolutely love about all of these classes I am taking is that they are healthcare field related. I'm not learning about parasites that only infect whales and I'm not learning about sociology in random cultures. I'm learning about REAL things that affect humans that may affect how I care for them when I'm a nurse! And when I take math next semester, I won't learn calculus or how to find the area of a triangle, but I will learn how to calculate doses and convert from metric to US.
Lastly, I will just share a study technique that I have found really helps me and that is using Quizlet. I use my professor's PowerPoints as a guideline, then add to my flashcards things from the book that I don't quite understand. Quizlet also has an iPhone app that can help me when I'm on the go. I especially love searching topics and studying what other people have made flashcards for. :) I make flashcards for every class and can share them with my classmates. Making my own flashcards really helps me retain more information. What ways do you study that helps best?
As for my very first exam, I did not do as well as I had hoped. My second exam in the same class is tomorrow and I found a few girls in my class to study with and feel a lot more confident than the first time around! This is for A&P and Dream School's standards are set pretty high; you have to get a 75% average on all of the exams/lab practicals in order to pass the class. You can have 100% on all of the quizzes, homework assignments, participation, etc. but have a 74% average on exams and you FAIL. You cannot pass go and you certainly cannot collect $200. On the first exam, I got a 72% so I was depressed for a few days. However I got a 96% on my first lab practical which brought my exam average up to an 80%. Oh happy day!
One thing I absolutely love about all of these classes I am taking is that they are healthcare field related. I'm not learning about parasites that only infect whales and I'm not learning about sociology in random cultures. I'm learning about REAL things that affect humans that may affect how I care for them when I'm a nurse! And when I take math next semester, I won't learn calculus or how to find the area of a triangle, but I will learn how to calculate doses and convert from metric to US.
Lastly, I will just share a study technique that I have found really helps me and that is using Quizlet. I use my professor's PowerPoints as a guideline, then add to my flashcards things from the book that I don't quite understand. Quizlet also has an iPhone app that can help me when I'm on the go. I especially love searching topics and studying what other people have made flashcards for. :) I make flashcards for every class and can share them with my classmates. Making my own flashcards really helps me retain more information. What ways do you study that helps best?
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Staying Healthy in Nursing School
^Isn't that hilarious? Unfortunately, it is very true in nursing school :(
I have a confession. I love junk food. Gasp. I honestly find myself craving sweets, chocolates, cheeseburgers, and sodas so often that I get grossed out thinking about the nasty things I'm putting in my body. After all, I am in nursing school - I am being trained how to take care of sick people! If I am constantly chowing down, I won't be setting a good example for myself or my patients. Here are a few ways you can do to stay healthy while you're in school!
Join a gym or access your campus recreation center. Dream School does not have a gym but we do have a health center we can access for a discount. Also, they make us take one PE class during our four years… I think they should make us take one per semester myself, but to each their own! Through my work though I get an amazing discount to the local YMCA, which is such a blessing! To keep my awesome discount, I have to work out 3-4 times per week. Seriously, they will take away my membership or charge me more the less I go! That certainly gives me an incentive to go ;) I generally will read my textbooks while walking on the treadmill, riding the elliptical, or riding the bike. I go to spin class twice per week and lift weights too! Find a regimen that you like to do and stick to it.
Another important thing is to eat your vitamins! You likely won't have your mom badgering you to take them, so I'll do it instead! You should have learned or will learn in Nutrition class that Vitamins A, C, D, and E are crucial for maintaining your immune system. Vitamin A aids in the creation of white blood cells, the cells that help your body fight off viruses or bacteria. It can be found in vegetables and dairy products or you can take supplements. Vitamin C is in charge of producing neutrophils - more bacteria-fighting cells. Vitamin C is everywhere - fruits, vegetables, OJ, and some berries. Vitamin D is important for bones but also is a key to help express immune cells. It can be found in dairy products, the sunlight, fish, and supplements. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that prevents the formation of reactive oxygen molecules *deep breath* and regulates the immune system. Vitamin E can be found in eggs, vegetables, and some nuts.
Quick story here. A couple of years ago, right when I moved in with my husband, I found myself so fatigued day to day that I freaked out. I really had no idea what was causing all this sleepiness, but I would sleep for 12-15 hours per night and still feel the need to nap halfway through my afternoon. I went to the doctor, who then performed a whole slew of tests including TSH (to test my thyroid), CBC (to check for anemia), HCG (pregnancy), and my Vitamin D level. Everything came back normal except my Vitamin D level. Normal range for Vitamin D levels is 50-70 ng/mL (depending on the reference you're using) and mine were at 35. Yikes! No wonder I was so sleepy all the time. I started taking Vitamin D supplements and was fine within a few weeks.
Personally, I have a prescription for 2,000 IU of Vitamin D and take two different types of multivitamins per day - a Women's bone and metabolism gummy and an adult Vitamin B12/C gummy! I end up taking 3,800 IU of Vitamin D per day. The gummies I take are comparable in ingredients so I get more than enough of my daily value in the vitamin department.
Another way to stay healthy is to get your flu shot. My work and my school (which is at a hospital) both require the flu shot. However, I am allergic to the flu shot so I sign a declination form that shows I have a diagnosed allergy and is signed by my doctor. Therefore I wear a flu mask wherever I go during flu season. Yes it sucks and yes I get asked 24/7 why I am wearing the mask, but I haven't gotten sick once this year *knock on wood*.
By utilizing these few things, you are already on your way to being a healthy nurse! Keep up the great work!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
iPhone Apps
A few years ago, I purchased my first smart phone - an iPhone - and immediately fell in love. I had always been the owner of a "dumb phone" so I was set once I was able to have the internet at my fingertips. While I admit I am on my phone a little too much, there are plenty of perks to owning an iPhone. Over the last several months, I have been accumulating different (FREE!) apps that could potentially help me with Nursing School! Here is a list of what I've come up with so far. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to comment below and I'll look into it.
iTriage - It can be very frustrating at times to feel awful and not know the cause right off the bat. This app is good for everyone, not just nursing students. It can be used as a starting point when it comes to starting care plans and also has a medication database.
Resuscitation! - This is a virtual patient simulator where you get a case and have to diagnose and treat the patient. It is geared more towards medical students but I have lots of fun trying to figure out what orders are important. I've also learned a lot about different radiology imaging and lab tests. The app itself is free but to buy more cases, you have to pay a small fee. It gets fairly addicting, so be careful ;)
BlackBoard - Dream School does not use BlackBoard but my previous college did. I included this in the list because many people don't realize they have an iPhone app :) Notes, PowerPoints, and communication functions are readily available and you can even set push notifications to let you know when announcements and grades are posted.
Lippincott's NCLEX-RN Review - When I was doing research on what new nurses should do, I frequently read to start studying for the NCLEX the first semester. I only have this app for now until I learn more about different study books and which program is the better choice for the way I study best.
Figure 1 - Healthcare professionals use this photo-sharing app to learn and share their experiences. I have seen photos ranging from amazing to gross to how-are-they-even-alive. Best of all, there are editing options where you can crop or cross out any PHI to keep patients protected. Categories allow easy searching. I have learned so much from this app and seen many things that students don't get the chance to see during clinical.
Epocrates - I haven't messed around with this app too much but I have only heard good things.
8tracks - This music app contains user-submitted mixes rather than app-created playlists. You select what you are in the mood for to narrow down your options and I haven't really found a playlist that wasn't on point! For the time being, there aren't tons of ads either. I use this much more than Pandora, especially when I'm burning off stress at the gym. You can also go to their website on their computer to listen too!
Hippo Remote - Y'all, I can get really distracted sometimes. I love my laptop, but it's so easy to switch from PowerPoints and Bing to Facebook and Pinterest while studying. It got to the point where I would put my laptop on the coffee table, sit back on the couch, and use my toes to click through the PP. Seriously. I discovered this app that uses your iPhone as a clicker remote for PowerPoint so you can give presentations easier. I use it while studying! It's perfect in that I can't physically get distracted.
iTriage - It can be very frustrating at times to feel awful and not know the cause right off the bat. This app is good for everyone, not just nursing students. It can be used as a starting point when it comes to starting care plans and also has a medication database.
Resuscitation! - This is a virtual patient simulator where you get a case and have to diagnose and treat the patient. It is geared more towards medical students but I have lots of fun trying to figure out what orders are important. I've also learned a lot about different radiology imaging and lab tests. The app itself is free but to buy more cases, you have to pay a small fee. It gets fairly addicting, so be careful ;)
BlackBoard - Dream School does not use BlackBoard but my previous college did. I included this in the list because many people don't realize they have an iPhone app :) Notes, PowerPoints, and communication functions are readily available and you can even set push notifications to let you know when announcements and grades are posted.
Lippincott's NCLEX-RN Review - When I was doing research on what new nurses should do, I frequently read to start studying for the NCLEX the first semester. I only have this app for now until I learn more about different study books and which program is the better choice for the way I study best.
Figure 1 - Healthcare professionals use this photo-sharing app to learn and share their experiences. I have seen photos ranging from amazing to gross to how-are-they-even-alive. Best of all, there are editing options where you can crop or cross out any PHI to keep patients protected. Categories allow easy searching. I have learned so much from this app and seen many things that students don't get the chance to see during clinical.
Epocrates - I haven't messed around with this app too much but I have only heard good things.
8tracks - This music app contains user-submitted mixes rather than app-created playlists. You select what you are in the mood for to narrow down your options and I haven't really found a playlist that wasn't on point! For the time being, there aren't tons of ads either. I use this much more than Pandora, especially when I'm burning off stress at the gym. You can also go to their website on their computer to listen too!
Hippo Remote - Y'all, I can get really distracted sometimes. I love my laptop, but it's so easy to switch from PowerPoints and Bing to Facebook and Pinterest while studying. It got to the point where I would put my laptop on the coffee table, sit back on the couch, and use my toes to click through the PP. Seriously. I discovered this app that uses your iPhone as a clicker remote for PowerPoint so you can give presentations easier. I use it while studying! It's perfect in that I can't physically get distracted.
Monday, January 13, 2014
First Day!
Today is the first day back to school for many Nursing students! I went to bed early and woke up at 3:00 AM because I'm so excited - this happens every year since grade school LOL Good luck and best wishes to all!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
2013 Year in Review
2012 was a huge year - engaged, married, two dogs, went to my first Husker game, and started the process to apply to Dream School! I thought that there was no way I would ever top 2012, but 2013 was pretty awesome :) Here are 12 of the best moments of 2013.
January - husband & I took a concealed carry class
for his birthday. Bought our first guns!
February - had a lovely snow fall - not too eventful!
March - started at my new job where I apparently
walk several miles per day
April - witnessed the best sports moment in 2013,
as a 7 year-old cancer patient scored a TD in the
Nebraska Spring Game.
May - finally went on our honeymoon to Cancun.
Spent the time snorkeling, swimming with dolphins,
and ATV'ed along the beach.
June - moved into our first house together! Nice big
backyard for our pups and tons of extra space.
July - doggies first birthdays together! Beau turned
2 and Lola turned 8.
August - Husker season began. Temperature was
103 degrees, but felt like 500 surrounded by 90k
Husker fans!
September - double dated to our favorite
vineyard in Raymond, Nebraska. It was unseasonably
warm for the end of September!
October - discovered a little friend living in our tree
in the backyard. Haven't seen him since Alex aimed
the BB gun at him!
November - took Daddy to his first Husker game
and sat on the sideline for it. Go Big Red!
December - took Alex "home" for the holidays!
Saw Bush Library, Reunion Tower, Dallas Arboretum,
and attended Christmas Eve mass at my first church.
I hope your year was just as blessed and amazing as mine was! Here's to another one in 2014! :)
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Gift Guide for Your Nursing Student
Christmas (and graduation for some!) are right around the corner. If your nursing student is hard to shop for, here are eight fabulous gifts that will surely put them in the holiday spirit.
These syringe pens from Amazon are literally adorable and for only $19, you get 60! There are also syringe highlighters and nursing students can never have enough highlighters.
Marley Lilly is one of my favorite online shopping destinations. A girl can never have enough monograms! My husband bought me one of these for my birthday last month to carry books and other supplies to Dream School. There are a variety of colors and monogram options to suit your student.
I came across this book at Barnes and Nobel last week and instantly became obsessed. Although it's $40, it is worth the price. It gives a history lesson of nursing and includes amazing photos of famous nurses throughout the eras.
I have the most perfect phone charger that I can throw in my backpack and carry around with me in case of an emergency. The chargers that come with the iPhone get the job done but come on, the cord cannot be any shorter! This phone charger takes batteries so if the power goes out, you're not stuck with a dead phone. It would be great for long nights in the library when you forget your 12" cord charger from home.
Nursing students lack a very important thing for doing well in school: sleep. With papers and care plans and clinicals, coffee becomes a student's best friend. This chevron mug from Starbucks keeps coffee warm and looks cute at the same time. Bonus points if you include a $500 $25 gift card!!
It's important to stay hydrated and this adorable tumbler from Etsy certainly will do the trick. This particular shop also puts your student's name on the other side which is included in the price.
I got a Jewel Scent candle for my birthday and I LOVE it. My mom got me the calm lavender scent because I work night shift and sometimes have trouble falling asleep during the day. Lavender helps calm the body but also smells wonderful. Every candle comes with a beautiful ring worth up to $7,500 inside the wax (it's wrapped in plastic and foil - no worries!). Obsessed!
I found charMED on Twitter and followed them because they give these things away on the regular. These charms hook onto stethoscopes and are too cute. They have all different colors, styles, and limited edition options for charities. Buy one or five or 10 or whatever! The more bling, the better! :)
None of these suit your nursing student? Your pesky family members asking what you want but are not computer literate enough to send them to Amazon? How about a gift card? Some clinicals are in the next city over, so a gas gift card is a great choice. A gift card to a salon or spa is a dream come true to relieve stress and feel human again. Think about a deluxe pedicure or a relaxing massage for your student. Lastly, all students are POOR. Nursing school ain't cheap, y'all! What I would give for a grocery store gift card or a certificate for my favorite restaurant... Gonna go eat some Ramen and think about the steak I can't afford! Yum!
Happy Holidays :)
-Leigh
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
How To: Buy Books
Ok let's be honest: Preparing for an upcoming semester is so much fun! Buying highlighters and the newest style of mechanical pencil, designing your schedule on Excel and color-coding it, and picking out the perfect outfit for your first day... You know the drill. But with all good things come the bad such as buying books. Yikes! I've always been very meticulous about books because I don't want to waste my money in the end. I don't think I've ever spent more than $250 a semester on books and I don't really plan on going over that limit in nursing school. :) (I will set $400 as my absolute maximum) Here are a few tips when it comes to shopping around to give you more bang for your buck. You can use all the leftover cash for bottles of wine lots and lots of notecards!!
1) Do you REALLY need the book? Ask friends who have taken the class before you how often the book was used. Of course professors are going to say YES buy the book. I once took a course where the prof scanned all the pages and put them on Blackboard to make things easier (i.e., can't use the excuse "I lost my book").
Another sometimes-helpful resource is to consult www.ratemyprofessor.com. This can be a hit or miss. To be honest, I never really go out of my way to compliment good service because I expect good service wherever I go *duh*. (Note to self: always complimenting good service can be New Years' Resolution!) I've avoided taking courses with horrible professors because of the site and have had bad experiences with "good" professors. Who knows! Anyway, reading reviews of past students can give some insight to whether or not the professor requires the books they say they require. Here is a couple of examples.
It's up to you to decide from here! I do not buy brand new textbooks unless I know I will be keeping this book at the end of the semester, I need a new copy that includes a special code or CD for online activities, or if no used copies are available. For A&P1, the book that is required is the same book that is required for A&P2! Therefore, I decided I am going to get a new copy. Through my school, the new textbook costs $271.25. Two-hundred and seventy-one dollars and twenty-five cents. For ONE book. If my limit is $400, I've basically already maxed out my budget. No thanks! Time to shop around! :)
3) It's time to compare prices. If you have a full-ride scholarship that covers textbooks and supplies, bless your heart. Add all the stuff that your little heart desires to your shopping cart. If you are using your financial aid, chances are your school will require you to buy your books through them. If you are like me and have to pay for your own stuff, the cheapest is going to be your choice I'm sure.
Take that ISBN number and copy and paste it right into Bing. My two favorite websites are www.chegg.com and www.amazon.com. Chegg plants a tree for every book you rent from the website. Amazon offers free shipping on certain things. I plug my ISBN number into each of these websites and here is what I get:
Once again, I will probably go with Chegg on this one. 73% savings.. Holy cow!
All in all, according to my school's bookstore, I would spend $710.50. If I use Chegg and Amazon, my total would come out to be $306.52. That's a 57% savings and definitely under my budget. Plus, buying my A&P book this semester means I won't have to pay the $104.49 next semester for A&P2.
Hopefully, my tips help you decide whether or not splurging on textbooks is worth it. If you are anything like me, you recognize the value of a dollar and wish to conserve as much as possible. Let me know how much YOU saved by using other rental programs! :)
-Leigh
1) Do you REALLY need the book? Ask friends who have taken the class before you how often the book was used. Of course professors are going to say YES buy the book. I once took a course where the prof scanned all the pages and put them on Blackboard to make things easier (i.e., can't use the excuse "I lost my book").
Another sometimes-helpful resource is to consult www.ratemyprofessor.com. This can be a hit or miss. To be honest, I never really go out of my way to compliment good service because I expect good service wherever I go *duh*. (Note to self: always complimenting good service can be New Years' Resolution!) I've avoided taking courses with horrible professors because of the site and have had bad experiences with "good" professors. Who knows! Anyway, reading reviews of past students can give some insight to whether or not the professor requires the books they say they require. Here is a couple of examples.
*probably would not purchase a textbook*
*probably would purchase a textbook*
2) Ok, so we've decided that buying the required texts for our class is a good choice. Next step: find out all the information you need about the book! I will use the example for my Anatomy and Physiology course throughout the rest of my spiel. After logging into my account and selecting my courses (make sure you have the right section number, professor, times, etc! Don't buy the wrong book!), I see a screen that looks like this (of course your's might look different but it has the same information):
Here are some key points you need to know:
- ISBN number (either 10- or 13-digits, dashes don't matter, each book has their own specific code) Mine: 9780470565100
- Edition of the required book (sometimes professors don't mind you buying the most previous edition but this has only been the case for me TWICE in 8 semesters. Better be safe than sorry!) Mine: 13th
New
|
Used
|
Electronic
|
Pros: Your very own copy, don’t have to worry about
scribbles or previous damage, CDs or codes are guaranteed
Cons: Costs the most, any damage is your fault and might
need to pay for it, usually costs a lot, might not get as much as you paid
for it at buyback, costs an arm and a leg.
|
Pros: Significantly cheaper, important parts already
highlighted, don’t have to worry as much about keeping it clean
Cons: You might get a copy that is very scribbly or not
highlighted at all, might smell funny, might have moldy pressed petals stuck
to the back of the book…, all CDs or codes are not guaranteed
|
Pros: Can take on your tablet or e-reader, usually the
cheapest version, don’t have to fuss with shipping or returning
Cons: Can get easily distracted with apps or games, have
to worry about carrying a charger at all times, if your electronic gets lost
or stolen, well, you’re screwed.
|
*Amazon*
*Chegg*
As you can see, there is a SIGNIFICANT difference in price! Buying new on Amazon saves me 52% and buying new on Chegg saves me 61%. I'll go with Chegg on this one. $104.49 plus a little tax and flat-rate shipping. One of the benefits of Chegg is that when you are ready to return the book, you put it in a box with a label they provide and drop it off at the UPS store. It's free!
I'll show this process once more using my Sociology textbook.
ISBN: 9780205898916
Edition: 12th
*Will buy a used copy, this text can be returned at the end of the semester*
*Chegg*
*Amazon*
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Schedule!
Today I went in to register for my first semester! I have most of my gen-eds done already, but my new college prefers that some of them are taken there instead. The gen-eds I have left are A&P 1 and 2, Microbiology, a cultural study, a humanities course, sociology and psychology. Pretty boring stuff!
Since my school is a 4-year program, I will have to be part-time for some of it! Therefore, I decided to add a Spanish minor. I grew up in Texas and started taking Spanish as a kindergartener. I studied it all through school and in high school, decided to ALSO take French! I was extremely busy but I sure enjoyed foreign language. After I graduate, my husband and I are planning to move back to Texas so it only makes sense to get a Spanish minor (although I already consider myself fluent :) ). We are required to either do a study abroad program in Costa Rica one summer or to do a local service learning project one semester. I'm not too sure what I will choose at this point but either way, I know I am in for an experience!
My very first semester, I will be taking A&P 1 (4cr), Micro (4cr), Psychology (3cr), Sociology (3cr), and Nursing 100 (2cr). The last class is my first nursing course and is called "Introduction to the Dream School Experience" where we learn what this school has to offer, study techniques, research options, and healthcare rules and regulations. Basically, extremely boring! Thankfully, this and Sociology are hybrid courses, meaning I can snuggle on the couch and watchNetflix lectures instead of attending class in person.
I am so very excited to start school! I already organized my schedule and other important documents into a 3-ring binder for easy accessibility. During my other undergraduate experience, I didn't do so well because I felt like I was doing all this work for nothing. Now that I see a light in my future, I am ready to buckle down and do well! Graduation is set for December 15, 2017 (the same day, only 5 years later, that my husband graduated) and I can't wait!! :)
Since my school is a 4-year program, I will have to be part-time for some of it! Therefore, I decided to add a Spanish minor. I grew up in Texas and started taking Spanish as a kindergartener. I studied it all through school and in high school, decided to ALSO take French! I was extremely busy but I sure enjoyed foreign language. After I graduate, my husband and I are planning to move back to Texas so it only makes sense to get a Spanish minor (although I already consider myself fluent :) ). We are required to either do a study abroad program in Costa Rica one summer or to do a local service learning project one semester. I'm not too sure what I will choose at this point but either way, I know I am in for an experience!
My very first semester, I will be taking A&P 1 (4cr), Micro (4cr), Psychology (3cr), Sociology (3cr), and Nursing 100 (2cr). The last class is my first nursing course and is called "Introduction to the Dream School Experience" where we learn what this school has to offer, study techniques, research options, and healthcare rules and regulations. Basically, extremely boring! Thankfully, this and Sociology are hybrid courses, meaning I can snuggle on the couch and watch
I am so very excited to start school! I already organized my schedule and other important documents into a 3-ring binder for easy accessibility. During my other undergraduate experience, I didn't do so well because I felt like I was doing all this work for nothing. Now that I see a light in my future, I am ready to buckle down and do well! Graduation is set for December 15, 2017 (the same day, only 5 years later, that my husband graduated) and I can't wait!! :)
Sunday, July 7, 2013
My New Life!
I've always wanted to blog, but I've never had anything to write about... Until now. Today I found out that I was accepted into the BSN program at my Dream School!!!! I was searching for nursing student blogs and couldn't find lots so I thought this was my perfect opportunity to start a blog. Today is Sunday, July 7th, 2013. I start my program on Monday, January 13th, 2014 (!!) with an anticipated graduation in December 2017. I won't have much to blog about for awhile but I'm excited to start. Woo hoo!!
-Leigh
-Leigh
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