Sunburnt!

I'm proud to say that I didn't open my text book for 72 hours! This gave me the false illusion that I wasn't at all in a summer class. It felt AMAZING!

I lounged around in front on the TV, watched a huge amount of trash TV, and ate way too much!

Today I got to hang out with my friends at the pool. I now have a big enough sunburn that will last into the week and give the false illusion that I have a life... It might even make people believe that I wasn't stuck under fluorescent bulbs all summer

....I am regretting the sunburn though

It hurts!

I forced myself to study this evening because I have a BBQ to go to tomorrow!!! =) more time with friends!!!!

I really have enjoyed this weekend. It has been the first weekend I have spent at home when I didn't have a test the next week. The first...all summer! I had a reason to lounge around and be lazy. I'm starting to feel like my old self more and more! Only 2 more weeks and school will be out =)

All in a Day

I had some crazy dreams last night. I did have some peppers yesterday and I think that's the culprit.

The alarm sounded way too early and I just wanted to sleep in.

This wasn't an ordinary tired.

This was the I can't open my eyes because they are literally stuck together kind of tired.

I found my way to the bathroom and splashed water in them with the hopes of that helping.

It just made my eyes burn.

I drove to class having the same internal debate I have each time we get our exams back.

"Did I miss more than I thought?"

"Did I manage to get more right than I thought and somehow keep my lucky streak going?"

My stomach was up to my throat by the time he wrote on the board that there were 6 "A"s

Somehow.. I made an "A".

and yes, I somehow made the highest grade again.

He lectured over the digestive tract and I headed home for lunch before going back up for Lab.

We got our lab practical grades back and there was one "A"

that would be me

I earned those grades.

I work my butt off when it comes to studying.

I'm just glad I get out what I put in.

All in a day.

I'm going to relax for the rest of the evening.

Maybe even go out in the boat and do some fishing.

Me Time

That test was hard!

I am no SuperWoman.

I can be defeated apparently.

It had to happen sometime.. ;)

I came home directly afterwards.

Then I did some things that made me feel like my old self again:

I walked the dogs. The poor things have been neglected.

Played 3 games of racquetball at the gym.

Cleaned my room.

AND got a head start on the Chapter we will cover tomorrow in class.

We are moving on to the digestive tract.

I like the period of time right after an exam.

You have the chance to start over fresh. The material is new and exciting.

It is amazing to look at the dent I have put in this HAP book this summer.

I think finishing a 1000+ book on Human Anatomy in a 10 week period is pretty awesome...in a nerdy way.

I was scanning the nursing forums today and there were some new posts.

The lady in admissions had informed someone that this is the most competitive cycle they have ever had applying.

They interview around 150 people

About 100 get acceptances.

That is a 2/3 chance right? =)

She also said we would be notified on the 16th of August of their decision.

That would be the same exact day of my final....I can see this day going very well or very bad.

It is now 5 minutes past my bedtime.

I'm off.

HAP II Practical #1

This was my view for the majority of the day. We had a lecture review for our exam tomorrow. That lasted about 30 minutes. Being 8:30 AM, I had 5 and a half hours until my practical at 2PM. This brings me to Exhibit A <----

This cubbyhole has about 1,000 different graffiti writings all over it. I somehow managed to study for about 4 hours of this time I had. I squeezed in a lunch and got back to it.

This practical was a bit harder than the 2 in HAP I. I'm pretty sure I made a "B". Let's hope I somehow managed an "A"

Now I get to hunker down some more and study for my lecture exam that is in 16 hours.

Back to It

This is Me

This is Me with my brain on drugs (er...I mean Books)

Welcome to my office...

oh how I wish this semester to be over with

I have been studying/procrastinating all weekend long.

I have a Lab Practical on Monday followed up with a lecture exam on Tuesday!

yipee!

could it get any better?

=/

I have recently become obsessed with the new series Boston Med

It is addicting.

What I have learned from it so far:

Nurses know more than residents.

Nurses spend more time with patients.

Nurses have a better social life outside of the hospital.

Maybe I'm biased... psh

I squeezed in some friend time this past week and I get more this weekend!

I'm missing my Cousin's kids' birthday parties this weekend....sacrifices for studying =/ I really wanted to go rollerskating.

I better get back to it

Rest and Digest

Today is Tuesday.

I went through the day as if it was Wednesday.

It needs to be the weekend.

We did get news that our teacher has a conference tomorrow so class is CANCELLED!

I get to sleep in =)

I got a 2 hour nap in this afternoon too.

I should probably crash right now, but I know I get to sleep in

I have lab at 2 tomorrow and I need to study for a quiz beforehand.

I did forget to mention grades were posted last Friday, but I didn't get around to checking them until yesterday.

I got 'A's in both of my classes.

My GPA went up 0.02

I now have 127 credit hours. I'm surprised my GPA went up at all considering 7 hours is a small dent in a total of 127.

I spent a good deal of time this evening on a chapter in my A and P book. I kept reading and reading and 30 pages later I thought I should be just about finished.

Nope!

It's a 50 page chapter and I still have 20 pages to go.

I'll leave that for tomorrow.

The Interview

I'm going to try and recap the trip as best as I can during my break watching The Bachelorette.

We landed in Durham around 10 AM.

Checked into the hotel and relaxed a bit.

I heard about Brightleaf Square, so we decided to grab lunch there and then go through the little shops.

After that, we walked around the Duke Campus and visited the University Store.

I bought 2 shirts and a hat.

I wore them shamelessly around our final day.

I drove around and found a Quizznos to have dinner at.

I returned to the hotel to prepare for my interview and tried to go to bed early.

....that didn't happen

I still woke up bright and early at 7 AM. That is 6 AM my time(central)

We arrived early and I checked in to get my schedule.

Thankfully I wouldn't be getting the tour of the campus until after my interview. No one wants to be sweaty and hot during an already stressful situation.

The day began with a continental breakfast full of fruit and muffins. I grabbed fruit (after I flung a couple of pieces on the floor; nerves).

We were given the mission and an overview of the program. I fell in LOVE! I hope I get in =)

The people were amazing (very welcoming, and very intelligent)

After that we got to talk with 3 students and ask several questions. That was followed by a tour of the simulation lab. AMAZING!

Then came my interview...DUN DUN DUN

;)

The interview was split into 2 different ones. Each were 15 minutes, with a different interviewer. With a 15 minute break in between.

My second interview went better than the first. That was a combination of me getting used to the situation, a better set of questions, and the meshing of personalities.

Overall, it went well.

In between the 2 interviews, one of the ladies went out of her way to bring me a chair so I didn't have to stand while waiting. Great people!

Right after my interview was lunch time.

Just in time =)

Then we listened to an hour's worth of info on financial aid.

The end of the day ended with a tour of the campus. Our tour guide was a student and she was really energetic and great. We got to go into 2 of the hospitals and tour the campus a bit.

The hotel bed was calling my name after all that. We relaxed in the hotel until dinner time. We wanted to try another local place. We decided to drive around until we found something. We ended up in Chapel Hill and ate at Twisted Noodles. I am obsessed with the spicy thai fried rice from my hometown and have never found a place that measures up. BUT WE FOUND IT! The thai basil fried rice was almost identical once I put cayenne pepper in it.

We decided to drive around UNC to check it out since we were already in Chapel Hill.

The night ended with a visit to the Sarah P Duke Gardens. The sun set pretty quick and we got to see some fireflies.

The next morning we spent a little more time at the gardens.

It got hot quick and I wanted a chance to check out the library.

The sky opened up and started to pour down rain. The movie theater was the place to go and we saw Inception.

There was nowhere to go but the airport at that point.

We got there pretty early and just about every food place was closed by 6:30. I'm guessing our flight was the last in the terminal so they were basically closing up shop. Our flight was delayed about an hour, but we still made our connecting flight. We had to sprint to the gate (no joke).

I'm home and back to reality. Sunday was spent studying, and so was today after class.

I might fill in some more details later, but this is as much as I can get in at this point.

Visiting Duke University Day 3

Visiting Duke University Day 2

Visiting Duke University Day 1

le Tired

I had a lot of fun in Dallas last night

BUT

I had a hard time today.

I had to fight not falling asleep in class. I was pretty miserable.

We got out a little early so I sped home and jumped in bed.

I got about 3 hours of a nap in.

It was amazing!!!

Then I shoved down some Frosted Flakes for a sugar high and headed back up to school.

First day of lab...oh boy!

We had to do a blood type test on fake blood...it was pretty exciting....hahaha

I've been packing all afternoon.

6 AM flight to Raleigh/Durham Airport in the morning

=)

Summer II Begins!

Today was a brand new start!

A and P II was in a different room so I was thrown off a bit. The teacher even waited a couple extra minutes because he figured people would get lost.

He told us that if we had him the semester before (as in yesterday), he had our Final Exams in his office.

He did tell us the average was about a 60 and one person made a 114.

I really didn't think it was me. I went back and forth deciding if I was going to go get my test.

I decided to go wait in a 15 minute long line outside of the teacher's office. People were freaking out and scared.

I walked in and he asked my name. I really thought he would have my name down by now. I have gone in to talk to him 3 times, I sit in the front row dead center, and I've made the highest grade on the last two exams.

He finds my test and has a surprised look on his face while he tells me I made the highest grade. Really? Really? Is it that much of a surprise at this point.

oh well

I walked out of his office with a BIG grin on my face.

I strolled to my car and I'm sure people in the parking lot though I was crazy as I had a movie montage moment in my head.

I came home and studied because I'm going out tonight with friends! =)

Dallas here I come.

Finals

I was stuck taking both of my finals this morning.

I needed a 60 to keep my "A" in Human Anatomy and Physiology .

The final wasn't bad at all.

I kept waiting for him to say "Just kidding, you don't have to take the final if you have an "A"."

Never happened.

Moving on to my next Final

Sociology

I needed an 84 to keep my "A".

Let's hope I pulled off an 86 on the final. ;)

Summer II starts tomorrow and I spent this afternoon reading the chapter we will be covering tomorrow.

I'm starting to get nervous about the interview.

I know they are going to ask "Why nursing?" and "Why Duke?"

Then the rest of the questions will have to do with my personal statement.

I'll start preparing the day before. The best way to do things. =)

Grades

So I'm officially a worry wart

We got our exams back on Wednesday and I once again made the highest grade.

102

let me tell you something though..

There was an 18 point curve

Even with that curve, 18 people failed

The lab practical was that afternoon so I spent all day studying for that.

The lab practical really wasn't bad at all.

My TA emailed me my grade: 94

I was really hoping my professor wouldn't make me take the final. He told us at the beginning of the semester we wouldn't have to take it if we had a high "A" in lecture and an "A" in lab. I have both of those and still no email or anything.

One girl told me that he usually emails you the night before the final to tell you that you do not have to take it. That way...you are forced to study all weekend and make yourself go crazy...only to find out you don't have to take it.

I will not begin studying until tomorrow, so if he emails me, only 1 day of studying was a waste...not a whole weekend.

I only have to make a 60 on the final to keep my "A"

I've been relaxing this weekend. It has been really nice. I got my hair cut and highlighted for the first time in months. The crick in my neck is going away. My butt soreness from sitting in a chair for days and days is slowly going away. I almost feel relaxed.

It's almost time to start preparing for my flight out to North Carolina on Thursday. I am planning on just bringing a carry-on. Checking bags is so expensive. For 2 nights away it shouldn't be a problem.

Time to go nap or lounge around. I'm so good at being lazy right now

Venting

I.AM.WORN.OUT.

What did I do over the fourth of July weekend?

...I studied

Sun up to Sun down

I missed out on all the festivities and seeing my friends. I missed getting to meet my cousin's 4 month old baby for the first time.

....

....

...

I am so SICK of studying!!!

So the big test(Human Anatomy) was this morning and it was a LOT harder than the first exam. I figured it would be, but dang he could have been more generous. The first question on my form of the exam was worded all wrong and started me off on the wrong foot.

I'm just really hoping I got at least a B. I'll be happy with a B.

I'll be "happy" with a B....

one more time Rachel

...I'll be happy with a B...

So you would think I would be able to come home and relax. NOPE! Our practical in lab is tomorrow.

Wow, this is horrible. I hate how I am complaining. My brain is just at full capacity.

I'll be okay.

On a lighter note to end this entry...

I am a HUGE child at heart...

...and I just loved the new Toy Story 3 movie that I got to see last week.

Guess what I got?

Flotso!!! Yes, I am a dork!