Week 1 DONE!

This week has been really busy yet at the same time incredibly easy for me. There are 3 terms to the year that I'm here; summer, fall and spring. This first term I am taking 17 units, that's 5 classes. At first I was a bit nervous about taking that many all at once but cone to find out, it's all split up. There are 16 weeks in a normal semester, so each of my classes only runs 8 weeks long. So these first 2 weeks I have Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Health Assessment. I have already taken these classes and passed with flying colors at Samuel Merritt; I feel pretty on top this first term.

In fact, in our lab for Health Assessment (basic vitals, bedside manner, head to toe charting etc.) I helped the professor teach the students who had zero experience with vitals. It felt really good that the professor would look to me for assistance. 

Lecture tends to get a bit boring because I know a lot of the material we are covering. In one lecture we went over 6 chapters! I found that a lot of students are not familiar with how accelerated programs are run. But I feel confident since this is how I have done my entire undergrad and pre-reqs for nursing. I'm sure it will get difficult at some point and I look forward to it, I’ll learn something new and I'm always up for a challenge.

All the students that I have met have been really nice. Last night we all went out to this place called the Beer Market, they literally have a 15 page menu of beers and 75 o tap!! Speaking of which, since I’m only 10 houses away from it, I can hear the band playing…no cover charge here!  This has turned into Wills favorite place. However, while I was out with everyone, I noticed how old I really am. They all wanted to go bar hoping afterwards... I'm 30, I'd rather go to bed and sleep or watch movies lol. I cannot keep up with these kids, I would say that half of our cohort is between 21 and 25. The other half is more like in their old twenties/early thirties. We actually do a have a few adults in the program too (adults being 40 and older...you're a pre-adult in your 30's, and if you're in your 20's you have a completely separate category "life exploring").

Oh this week we also did our scrub fitting (white top and navy blue bottoms)…basically we all tried on scrubs in one large ass room and took our pre-nursing photos (not sure what these are for). I was lucky and didn’t have to spend any money on this since I brought all my blue scrub pants and a friend that graduated the program in August gave me her scrub tops. All I need to do is sew some elastic on the back of the tops to give them a little more form, it’s like wearing a box currently.

Our clinicals have not started yet, I think they start during our second half of the summer semester. I’m really excited to get back into patient contact. I did find out though that we actually don’t get to practice any of our skills (blood draw, IV placement, catheter placement) on actual patients during this program. I feel really bad for those who have not had any experience in the health care field. My friend who went through this program told me that sometimes in clinicals you have the opportunity to have hands on experience but you have to be your own advocate and ask to do things. So I will definitely be doing that. I miss drawing and doing IV’s. Placing a catheter is going to be interesting :/

Well we have our first exam this coming Friday and I should probably study for it. My goal is to get a 4.0 and graduate with honors and all that fancy stuff you can wear…I WANT IT ALL!! I worked too hard to get to this point to just get C’s, even though they say C’s get degrees. True but I want to come home to CA and have the option of going for my DNP…Doctorate in Nursing. This bitch has goals dammit! I got’s to earn the $$ so I can get a houseboat on Lake Shasta and an RV of our own to camp where ever we want, and to build the house of our dreams. This house includes a 10 stable barn, covered arena and round pen, a barn for rescued pit bulls and needs to be on at least 50+ acres, oh and the house is needs to look like a plantation house/Victorian house from the outside but completely modern and roomy on the inside.

And that’s my dream folks!!

Getting Settled...I have too many shoes and not enough space

I have officially spent my first 24 hours in my new house, in my new room. I'm so glad that my house is on a busy street, I fall asleep so easily to the sound of traffic, lawn mowers and garbage trucks. I think I slept a good 13 hours last night, I think it was due to time adjustment and exhaustion from this whole process. My roommates are all girls but they are all moving out in the next month or two to live with their boyfriends. And they're all med students so basically I'm living with a bunch of really smart people. The next batch of girls (thank God) coming in  are med students and one nursing student....cant wait to be Queen Bitch of the house!!!

I met up with some of my classmates today. I found a girl who is literally the blonde version of me!! She is married, has dogs, has horses, and rides!!! I told her that I will be at her house often so we can "study" (so I can play with her dogs and get my horse fix in). lol

Tomorrow I meet up with some girls that are actually from the bay area!! We are going to go explore the Rochester Public Market, which is basically a massive farmers market. When I say farmers market I mean they sell everything from  fruits and vegies to cheese to meat to live animals!! I have been told that they sell chickens, rabbits, and baby goats....I want a baby goat so bad! I'm not sure my landlord will like a screaming animal in his house. Every time I think of a baby goat I imagine the goat screaming to that Taylor Swift song... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFgx5MY72Dk

So there's this place called Insomnia Cookies and at first I thought "oh sweet weed cookies!!" cause that makes sense in my head. But no they are not weed cookies, just regular AMAZING cookies. I love me a good chocolate chip cookie.

Homework has already been assigned and I haven't even gone through orientation yet, but its nice, it gives me something to do to fill up my time right now.

Oh so while I was in this Insomnia Cookie store there was a young couple in front of me. Now when I say young I mean like early twenties. It was a fairly thin male with an over weight female, she had a cute face though. He noticed I was behind them and gave me room to see the menu and probably stared a bit too long at me...the reason I know this is because the girlfriend gave me a nasty look the grabbed her mans hand and placed a big kiss on him. I just laughed, not silently ( I never laugh silently btw) this made the situation worse. I cant help myself, but if she was just a little bit more observant she would see my wedding ring!!! Bitch I am not interested in your barely mature boy who cant grow facial hair yet! But he was considerate...so ill give him that, he had manners which you clearly did not.

Ok my rant is over, today was better than yesterday and hopefully tomorrow will be better. Getting nervous about starting but really excited that my classes are literally down the street from where I live! Yeah for short commute time

Less than 72 hours...

My packing is done, I've downsized my big purse to a much smaller cross body version and I'm freaking out. 

I never realized that I started so many projects in my house till now. As we all know Will likes things very clean and orderly....I'm far from this. His wish for me before I leave was to clean up all my little piles around the house and finish all my little projects that have been lingering. Oh and clean the house....I hate cleaning my house. This last 72 hours suck. 

I'm excited Will is going with me to help get me settled. It seems so weird to be 30 and going away to school, leaving the nest. I never left the Bay Area to go to school, I've always been close to my family. I hope that I am emotionally equipped to leave my family, leave my husband and fur babies to go to school across the country. Im sure I am but it's a real fear I have. 

Current mood: Excitedly Terrified

Rochester, my part-time home.

I never intended on blogging this new adventure but after family and friends insisted, I agreed. Now I don't have to repeat myself to 20 different people, that's the real reason lol.

I am 9 days from leaving California to Rochester NY for their accelerated BSN program, and I'm just about packed. Three large suitcases weighing 50lbs each full of clothes, shoes and every woman's "goop" item ever needed. I know by the time I get to the airport I'll remember something I missed and most likely it will be super important.

But in all honesty, I'm going to use this platform to celebrate this adventure with you. I'm extremely excited about this and terrified at the same time. I have been wanting this to happen for 2.5 years now and I am so blessed that my hard work is paying off. The hard work is not over yet, this is the point when I need to put my marathon shoes on, chug my Punched Rockstar and pace myself for this 12 month endurance run.

I am thankful for my extremely supportive family and friends. Most importantly for my amazing husband who has been nothing but positive in this whole journey. He has been my rock during application process, getting denied and pushing me to keep going. Finally it has happened, however its in New York. Even though we will be in different time zones his excitement for me to finally start my dream keeps me strong. I think he's more excited that when these 12 months are done, we get to finally start our family!!

I plan on blogging 2 times a week, maybe more depending on my class schedule. But I invite you to join me on this adventure!!

Love you all lots