Master Plan :)

My master plan is coming together.  All of it!

This past year has been quite a ride, with getting into all the classes I needed, and getting into the nursing program I wanted.   After being persistent with the residence life office all summer, I found out today (finally) that I got a room at the residence hall.  I finally know where I'll be living.  I feel that it's the best choice overall, although it's a little more money than I originally anticipated.  The last big piece of my puzzle has come together.  I still have to work out exactly which of those general education classes I have to take in addition to my nursing classes, but that's minor.  All the big things are set.  I was feeling a little nervous recently about starting the program, and going through with the big scary change.  It's becoming more "real", and I know the program will be challenging, both academically and personally.  But, the nerves are over.  I'm very very excited to get going and get back on with my life... In about a week and a half!!


In other news, I'm seeing an amazing guy... someone who's actually been one of my best friends for the past 3 and a half years, and has always treated me absolutely amazingly.  (I just finally came to my senses). :)

Dorms

I stopped by the Residence Life/Dorms office again today.  The girl I've been working with said that the lady in charge mentioned me recently, and that it would help if I had someone in the Nursing Dept email them that I needed housing.  I'm glad I stopped by, because I'm not sure when she would have told me on her own..  But it seems that I am on their mind, so what I've been doing is working.  I told my nursing contact that they needed an email.  Now I hope that luck that's been on my side continues just a little more.. 

The Latest

I haven't written in a long time.  I said I won't get into why my living plans for the nursing program have changed..  But basically having the rug pulled out from under me with that has been very stressful on me.  Not knowing where I'm going to be living in a couple months does not sit well with me, and I can feel it lingering in my gut constantly.  I also have some other personal stuff going on, so have not felt like writing much lately.  BUT.. Funk be gone, the only way to go is forward, and I am still extremely excited about starting nursing school in the fall.  Nothing is more important to me right now, and it feels good to be that motivated about something.

Regarding living, I'm doing all I can to get into the dorms, but their space is very limited.  I've called a few times, emailed, stopped by.. trying to "put myself out there" and show interest without being too annoying.  The student workers there were pretty helpful the last time I stopped by.. but there will be a lot of luck involved if I do get in.  I should know soon.  In the meantime, I've been browsing Craig's List to get an idea of what's out there as far as rooms to rent.  

I went to a couple orientations for my new school.  We were warned how difficult the nursing program will be, and how little free time we'll have.  I can't help but smirk, as I really doubt it's worse than anything I've already been through with engineering and the PE exam.  Nevertheless, of course I take the warnings for what [I think] they are worth.  I know I will be busy.. because I'm sure it will be a lot of work, and will be challenging, and I will want to get as much out of it all as I possibly can, so will study harder than I need to.  I was lucky enough to get some used books from a friend who went through the program a couple years ago.  I've decided that I will use the money I saved from that to buy myself a used iPad2, and get eBooks for the remainder of the books I will still need.  The books are 1000+ pages, and I travel a lot.  Speaking of the books, I've been looking through them a bit, especially prep books for the Boards/licensing exam.  And it makes me.. very happy.  I just want all the info in my brain right now.. all at once!  I like engineering, and always found my coursework interesting.  But it feels great to be really in love with what I'm learning.   I found out I'll also have to take a US History course and either 2 art history/or music history/or film/or dance/etc classes, to fulfill the college's general education requirements.  (Most of them I've already fulfilled from classes from my first degree).  US History is always good, and I do enjoy art a lot, and of course like Music..  So, it shouldn't be too bad, except that there is not much room in the program, and even where I do have room, scheduling may be difficult.  So, that may be a pain, but there's a way, I'm sure.

So, for fun stuff I've been doing: I went to New Hampshire, with pit stops in Maine and Boston last month.  I've also been going to the beach a lot, went to a water park, and doing lots of little things with friends.  They all involve time with my family, and my little niece and nephew, and long-time good friends; so I'm happy to have this time with all of them.  I've been sort of a gypsy, and spending a lot of time on Long Island and  the NYC area, since I like it down there better than where my father lives upstate, and that's where most of my family and friends are.  For anyone reading who is not on Facebook, pictures are posted on Picassa:

 https://picasaweb.google.com/105208206844806398938.  

(None of my albums have people in them, since they're publicly view-able.)  Also, below are some pics of me for my non-FB friends.

Next week- CA :)  And I have a trapeze lesson planned....   

In New Hampshire:

Point Lookout, Long Island, NY:

Long Beach, NY:

Random Pictures

Finals.. Summer

I'm now also officially done with my pre-requisite courses.  I took my last final today.  Now, I just wait for my grades and then have my transcript sent over to the nursing program.  I have to say that community college exceeded my expectations, at least the one I attended.  The classes are easier, but I did have some cool professors and peers/other students.  Now I'm getting some other little odds and ends for the program done: comfortable "healthcare" shoes, ID picture, vaccines, etc. 

I have an interview next week for a summer job (West Nile Virus Surveillance Study) at the community college I've been taking classes at.  It seems like a fun job of field and lab work.  We'll see if I get it.  The only bad thing is that it's not full time.. probably about 20-hrs a week. I will also see if I can pick up some hours tutoring math and biology.. which is usually "hit or miss" as far as need/hours.  If both of those things worked out, I'd get a fair amount of work, and still have free weekends for friends and family.  So, I hope it works.

So, now that I have a break in school, I have a little more mental energy to sit back and reflect a bit.  I'm pretty impressed that this crazy plan is all working out.  I expected it to.. or I wouldn't have gone for it.. but it proved to be harder to carry out that I'd originally imagined.  I still feel weird in this "regressed" state of being a student and living with my father.  Still not crazy about the student life again, nor the constant changes, like worrying about finding some summer work or where I'll live in the fall.  But I'm trying to focus on the good aspects of it while I have it.  Luckily, I do well with change.  But under it all, I do still feel solid about my decision and feel that all this is for the best for me, and I just gotta keep putting one step forward.  Time will go by fast.. as it tends to do.

IN!

I'M IN!!!!!

I am officially accepted to the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing Accelerated 2nd Degree Program!  I'm so relieved!!!  

All the hard work, running around coordinating everything, making everything happen, etc... is all worth it now. I feel very, very relieved!  I was confident in my choices, but made a bit of a [nerve-wracking] gamble by putting all my eggs in one basket.  (And I don't like to gamble).  I feel that I won this one.  (No more gambling).  My ridiculous plan is officially falling into place. :)  Now I know I'll be going where I want, and the coordination will all be set up for me.  I just do what they tell me.  And I'll be in a program with a very good name, for a damn good price.  I am even going to get most (all?) of my books from a friend who did the program a couple years ago.  Score!  

I'm still not confident on my original living plans, so now need to look into to other options.  I'm not excited about that, but I'm confident that I can, and will, make something work.  There were drawbacks to my original plans as well (but it was the right price), so maybe I'll find a better fit.  Whatever the case, it will work.  I'm nervous about this last puzzle piece in a good way. But for now.. relishing in my moment.

Hands

This was on my hands!!

Specifically, it is bacteria from a colony which grew for a week in an incubator on nutrient agar, which I inoculated from swabbing my right index finger, in the crook under my nail.  Hot!  They're everywhere..

In other news, school continues along just fine.  Organic Chemistry is still the only class that is challenging to me. The rest continue to be very interesting to me.  I have a month left of this semester, and things will be extra busy till then.  Still working on the personal stuff.  I'm not an impenetrable rock yet, but I do feel I'm growing.

I'm nervously waiting on the edge of my seat right now for Mid-May to hear the admissions decision from nursing program I applied to.. to see if my one egg hatches.  :-/   

Pictures

I made a Picassa album for my new little "photography" hobby/mental therapy:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lsanmartin2

Bugs

Say hello to Micrococcus luteus. This is my (and my lab partner's) "pet bug" in Microbiology lab.  This obligate aerobe is the Gram-positive, not-so-tough bug that is responsible for body odor.  Even more impressive than all this is my awesome streak job-- resulting in isolated colonies in the 3rd, and even some 4th, quadrant.  

School is going along just fine.  I don't find out about the admissions decision for the nursing program I applied to until mid-May.  (Ugh).

There's a lot of personal stuff going on in my life right now, which I won't get into on a public Internet page.  I'll just say that I'm doing my best to learn some good self-management and "emotional-stability" skills, and making sure to focus on me and the little joys in my life.  These are some "grown-up" skills I'm sure will be useful in my future work as well.  I've only just very recently been experimenting with "photography" (more like just experimentally taking pictures) a little, which I really enjoy.  Pictures uploaded onto here don't do justice, but below are a couple anyway.  

In other news, it hit 72 here yesterday and will be 61 on Sunday.. and the dropzone is open this weekend and my gear is current.... :)

Long Beach, NY:

 Building where my Organic Chemistry lab is.  Middletown, NY:

Random location.  New Hampton, NY:

Stuff

I had three tests and two quizzes this past week, so spent a lot of time studying lately.  I'm happiest about doing well on my Organic Chemistry test, as that's my challenging course.  It doesn't get necessarily progressively harder at this point, so I'm "getting it" and have an idea of what to expect for the rest of the semester, which is good.

This weekend I caught up on some reading for school, played around on my father's drum-set (which was pretty hilarious), and also spent some quality time with some great friends, including more hiking.  I also picked up my rig from getting some maintenance done on it at the local dropzone.  If the weather happens to be nice one weekend, I'm ready to sneak in a jump.  I won't be able to afford to jump very much for a while, but I'm very much looking forward to doing a few here and there when it warms up, and also meeting some new friends.