Home Stretch (and much rambling)

This is the last week of classes. Kinda hard to believe. You'd think that they would let us have it easy this week but oh no. This week we have to to give two presentations on our "Evidence-based practice" project for Research Class, have a class discussion on the presidential candidates positions on health care issues, a paper in for Community Nursing (which, actually we could have done at any point in the semester, but in a very unJulie-like manner, I left to the last minute:), and the MOTHER of all skills exam in our MedSurg class. We will be tested on absolutely any skills we have learned throughout our nursing education. I am actually excited about this exam in my own nerdy way, but am also intimidated cuz we haven't done a lot of the stuff in a while. And it is harder if you have never had to perform any of the skills in clinical, and just have a theoretical understanding of them.
Then, FINALS. Which I am hoping won't be too bad. Two of the classes this semester focus on broad conceptual topics, so I won't need to be reviewing a lot of medication side effects and lab values. For Research classes, I have managed to be completely confused about the material ALL semester, yet have managed to score a 99% average. Kinda like my last statistics class. I can recognize terms, but could not tell you what they do or tell you. But whatevs, I am not planning on going into research, so as long as I get a good grade I am happy. And no one will be hurt if I can't properly identify the "external threats" of a research articles results section. That leaves MedSurg which will require the most amount of studying. And we have covered a lot of unrelated topics this semester. Autoimmune disorders to endocrine disorders to trauma to spinal cord injuries to organ transplants. For our last exam, I studied by far the LEAST amount than I have for any exam thus far. And I got a 100%. I laughed out loud. And the quiz I spent hours on, a 81%. But this exam was ridiculously easy. I think anyone off the streets with at least average IQ could have passed it. And she asked the SAME questions several times, just worded differently. Like, what lab value do you need to monitor with hepatic encephalopathy? Ammonia.
Then after finals, we have fours days of intense NCLEX prep. I was so relieved that they provide this to us, and even more relieved when they told us it was free for us AND they provide us study books! Something free at Quinnipiac!! Unheard of! We had our pinning ceremony a few weeks ago, and get this...we had to buy our own pins!! Almost $50,000 for the program, and they couldn't even give us pins. I was expecting to have to pay for my cap and gown for graduation, but that was free also. They also had good cookies at the 'gradution fair' in the student center where you had to go to pick up the C&G. (I tend to evaulate events by the quality of chocolate chip cookies provided).
Anyway, I am rambling on and on. So yes, NCLEX prep. And that week all the accelerated students are getting together for an evening for our own little graduation ceremony. Am looking forward to it. Plus a few others are having parties, so we wll get to hang out together then too. But it will be weird having spent almost every waking hour with these people for a year to not seeing them at all.
Graduation is May 18th. Woo and the hoo! Then Rainbow Tour, then DISNEY! Sooooooo excited. CuZ I have never been before. We are going for 10 days which is the longest vacation I have ever taken. And the place we are staying looks beautiful and is right next to the animal kingdom. And my poor Jane is already tired of me bouncing around the house talking about the trip. If she thinks this is bad, wait until we go to the Magic Kingdom for the first time. I generally squeal so high that dogs come a-runnin.
Although planning it was a win-win situation for us. She HATES planning vacations and I love it. So she basically gave me her account information for her time share agecny, and let me run wild. it was awesome. And I have already planned a bunch of character meals (including dinner in Cinderella's castle, and breakfast with Pooh and friends). Plus we are going to do a couple days at Universal Studios which is fun.; And of course LOTS of time at the water parks:)
And I start my job on June 16th!

I'm done

With school. Except the problem is....we have another month left. But I'm done. Like, stick a fork in me, crispy around the edges done.

And that is pretty much the sentiment of all my classmates. We're just done. Just can't deal with it anymore. Total burn out. We are so tired of studying and writing papers and journals and working on group projects. Every little assignment, quiz, and exam is a monumental struggle...just to muster up the energy to prepare for it. and we still have so much left. More projects and quizzes and journals. Ugh. Just so tired. We had an exam this morning, and last night studying was like pulling teeth. I have absolutely no concentration ability left at all. But I feel better that absolyutely everyone I talk to feels exactly the same way.

And I guess I am not suprised. We have been running full speed for a year now and have crammed a LOT of info into our heads. It is amazing how much we have learned this year. And we all understand that we haven't learned all that we need to know. We still have lots to learn. In general, and to prepare for the NCLEX. But as far as this semester is concerned, yeah, we're pretty much done.

Which is why I haven't been posting on the blog. Absolutely everything around me is just overwhelming. Definitely need a break. So I am sorry that I haven't been keeping in touch with everyone! I love you all so much and miss you totally!! This has just been a tough semester with a lot going on. But I am almost there! Sunday is the big "Pinning Ceremony" which is a tradition for nursing school. and it's nice cuz it is a ceremony just for the nursing students, unlike graduation which is the whole school. So I am looking forward to it. Even if they made us pay for our own pins. Plus sunday is the induction into the honor society. And I am so excited for my Mom and Jane to meet all my friends and professors and show them around the school. So yay. Now I need to find something to wear...

And take a nap.