I'm going to try and update this blog a little more often. I update my musical blog daily...it takes my time but doesn't really update anyone.
The music blog is more for me...this one is for you guys.
So what I have I done lately? First I graduated...as evidenced by my previous posts. I left BYU and Provo for St Louis. I will be leaving for Columbia and Mizzou this weekend.
Leaving Provo was really hard. I have so many friends there. People who have changed my life and made me the person I am today.
Due to tornadoes that occurred the day before we flew out that hit the airport--closing it completely, we ended up flying into Chicago and renting a car to drive down to St Louis. We were crushed in the back of a small SUV with far too many bags. It was a long late ride and but I suppose we made the best of it.
That first day I really didn't think about much else then sleeping.
The next day all I wanted was to go back to Provo! I loved being home with my family don't get me wrong. I got to go to orchestra concerts and service projects. I got to get my sister ready for her first prom and talk to my mom everyday for hours. It has been awesome to hang out with my brother who will be leaving on his mission at the end of the summer. My family is the greatest and they have been making me laugh the past several weeks.
But still I wanted a vacation and a moment to be back with my favorite Provo people. So I booked a flight--crazy but did it.
Awesome weekend let me tell you!
I got to see so many people I wanted to see...though not nearly as many as I wanted to. Dan, Andrea, Traci, Maddie, Lauren, Pappy, Tyson, Beth, and all the 92nd (now 99th) warders. I got to go up in the canyon, visit my dear Harold, see my second family, go to my cousins baby shower, shopping at the mall with my big sister, go to church with the 99th again, watch a frisbee game, walks, choir practice, Rock Canyon park and Stephandrea time. It was an amazing weekend.
It was wonderful. Hard to leave at the end though. I went back to get the piece of my heart that I left. I was unsuccessful. I ended up just leaving the rest of it there. Guess we will just have to wait till August for me to get it back again.
Then there are all the complications. First financial aid, then housing, then books, then transcripts. It seems that I have very bad luck.
A bit of advice. If you can don't have your foot in the doors of 3 different universities all at once. It can get very complicated!
Because Life is Not Meant To Be Wasted
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Things I Have Learned at BYU
1. Sometimes homework is not as important as other things
2. Sometimes homework is more important than other things
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on the earth.
4. You can’t judge people, because you never know what they have been through
5. It ALWAYS depends!
6. Procrastination is something that can be done…but it never turns out well
7. Never take anything at face value. Get all the information from all possible sources before you choose or judge.
Things I Will Miss in Provo
1. The 92nd Ward---yes ALL OF YOU!!!!
2. Andrea—my person
3. Sunday night chats with Tyson
4. Long walks with Iggy
5. random library parties
6. Impromptu dance parties with Jose
7. Gonna miss the girls who own Jose quite a bit too ;)
8. Long late night chats with good friends
9. Midnight trips to Smiths, Denny’s and IHOP
10. Stargazing
11. Jerome the turtle…and his owners in Marin 10 ;)
12. the mountains
13. Being able to walk to pretty much everywhere important
14. Bonfires in the canyon
15. Cheering for the ward intramural teams
16. Weekend get aways to Vegas or Springville
17. Being super close to my second family
18. Body Body, Signs, Werewolf, 8-square
19. Being so close to the temple
20. Riding the bus with..the most interesting of the Provo/Orem population
Things I will Miss about BYU
1. Prayers at the beginning of class
2. Professors bearing their testimony of the truthfulness of the Gospel
3. Connecting anything and everything to some Gospel principle
4. Amazing forums with really interesting world leaders
5. The fact that campus TOTALLY shuts down on Tuesdays at 11
6. The beautiful grounds…even in a desert they keep things so green and gorgeous
7. Going to church in the same room as I have my school classes
8. SPORTING EVENTS!!!!!!
9. Running into your favorite people in front of the JFSB or in the quad
10. The music they play at 12:00 to kick you out of the library
11. Working in the HBLL with amazing co-workers!
12. The view from the top of the JFSB
13. The honor code and the chastity line ;)
14. Amazing performances..plays, concerts etc.
15. Religion classes
16. The stream south of campus, and the terrace garden
Monday, March 28, 2011
My Journey to Mizzou--Part 3 The Decision
So it has been a while since I wrote parts one and two...so I am finally getting around to writing part three!
The decision process began in January. I got back from winter break to find a letter from BJC Goldfarb School of Nursing. THEY WANTED ME!!!!!! Though they were probably at the bottom of my list, I was grateful to just have one option. At that point I knew my dream had an opportunity to come true.
A few weeks later I heard from MGH Institute of Health Professions. They wanted me TOO!!!!!!! It was crazy! Then I heard from UM Sinclair School of Nursing...who also had accepted me! It WAS INSANE! I truly did not think that I would be three for three. I still had one more though.
After the ups of hearing from the 3 other schools...a few downs got thrown in. Middle of January I got an email from Johns Hopkins informing me that several parts of my application were missing. Cue freak out moment! Lots of phone calls and emails were sent. And though it took a while to get a new letter of recommendation and make BYU resend my transcript...finally everything was set.
But obviously Johsn Hopkins was not close to making a decision. But MGH had to know....and they had to know now! I had been doing a lot of pro con lists and investigating. I had been talking with institute directors, people who lived there, academic advisers, friends, and family trying to get all the information and advice that I could.
I took MGH off the list first. I was stressed beyond belief about having to decide about Boston before I knew about Baltimore. Though there were lots of pros to living and going to school in Boston, it didn't feel right. In fact it felt terrible. Once I chose to not go there I felt so much peace and calm.
Finally I heard from Johns Hopkins. I was sitting in the testing center...taking a test of course. When I felt my phone vibrating at my feet. I of course couldn't pick up....but when I got out of the test I immediately checked my messages. And on my phone was one of the BEST messages I have ever gotten. It was an adviser from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing calling to congratulate me on my application which was..her words not mine....a pleasure to read. And despite the high level of competition....I HAD BEEN ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously this was my DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But now I had to make a decision! Which school was I going to go to???
I had sent in deposits to both Missouri schools just to make sure I had a spot somewhere!
But I had to pick which I would go to. I pushed the St Louis school off the list....because I wanted more of an adventure then the bedroom I have lived in for 14 years! Although it was tempting as it was VERY safe!
So it was down to Missouri and Johns Hopkins. They were very alike. The pro/con lists were very even which made it super hard. Their price tags were QUITE different. TONS of prayers were said. TONS of tearful phone calls were made to my mom. Every time I went to the temple...this was the question in my mind.
Johns Hopkins was my dream. But it would come with a hefty price. Missouri was the LAST on my list. But it was still a very good school.
My sweet roommate Andrea summed it up best-----"Which is your dream...to go to Johns Hopkins or to be a nurse?"
I want to save lives...not just physically but emotionally. I want to be that nurse who holds mom's hand as her child goes into surgery. I want to be the nurse who comforts the child when mom has to leave for work. I want to be the nurse who everyone wants cause it doesn't hurt as much when she gives you a shot. I want to be the nurse who makes every cancer and NICU patient she has, has a little hat to keep them warm. That is the dream....that is the real dream.
And so I decided...Mizzou here I come!
The decision process began in January. I got back from winter break to find a letter from BJC Goldfarb School of Nursing. THEY WANTED ME!!!!!! Though they were probably at the bottom of my list, I was grateful to just have one option. At that point I knew my dream had an opportunity to come true.
A few weeks later I heard from MGH Institute of Health Professions. They wanted me TOO!!!!!!! It was crazy! Then I heard from UM Sinclair School of Nursing...who also had accepted me! It WAS INSANE! I truly did not think that I would be three for three. I still had one more though.
After the ups of hearing from the 3 other schools...a few downs got thrown in. Middle of January I got an email from Johns Hopkins informing me that several parts of my application were missing. Cue freak out moment! Lots of phone calls and emails were sent. And though it took a while to get a new letter of recommendation and make BYU resend my transcript...finally everything was set.
But obviously Johsn Hopkins was not close to making a decision. But MGH had to know....and they had to know now! I had been doing a lot of pro con lists and investigating. I had been talking with institute directors, people who lived there, academic advisers, friends, and family trying to get all the information and advice that I could.
I took MGH off the list first. I was stressed beyond belief about having to decide about Boston before I knew about Baltimore. Though there were lots of pros to living and going to school in Boston, it didn't feel right. In fact it felt terrible. Once I chose to not go there I felt so much peace and calm.
Finally I heard from Johns Hopkins. I was sitting in the testing center...taking a test of course. When I felt my phone vibrating at my feet. I of course couldn't pick up....but when I got out of the test I immediately checked my messages. And on my phone was one of the BEST messages I have ever gotten. It was an adviser from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing calling to congratulate me on my application which was..her words not mine....a pleasure to read. And despite the high level of competition....I HAD BEEN ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously this was my DREAM COME TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But now I had to make a decision! Which school was I going to go to???
I had sent in deposits to both Missouri schools just to make sure I had a spot somewhere!
But I had to pick which I would go to. I pushed the St Louis school off the list....because I wanted more of an adventure then the bedroom I have lived in for 14 years! Although it was tempting as it was VERY safe!
So it was down to Missouri and Johns Hopkins. They were very alike. The pro/con lists were very even which made it super hard. Their price tags were QUITE different. TONS of prayers were said. TONS of tearful phone calls were made to my mom. Every time I went to the temple...this was the question in my mind.
Johns Hopkins was my dream. But it would come with a hefty price. Missouri was the LAST on my list. But it was still a very good school.
My sweet roommate Andrea summed it up best-----"Which is your dream...to go to Johns Hopkins or to be a nurse?"
I want to save lives...not just physically but emotionally. I want to be that nurse who holds mom's hand as her child goes into surgery. I want to be the nurse who comforts the child when mom has to leave for work. I want to be the nurse who everyone wants cause it doesn't hurt as much when she gives you a shot. I want to be the nurse who makes every cancer and NICU patient she has, has a little hat to keep them warm. That is the dream....that is the real dream.
And so I decided...Mizzou here I come!
My Journey to Mizzou---Part 2 Application Time
Let me just tell you..there are at least 100 ABSN programs in the country. And while that may not seem like a lot and when compared to the number of nursing programs in general there are....you are right...not very many. But when you have 100 choices of what to do with your future....it is pretty overwhelming.
But its me...so I made a list. I ended up with about 60 schools...mostly based on places I wanted to live. AKA..schools on the east coast....in Missouri, Utah, California or Alabama...in a big city...or some place warm. The southwest, most of the Midwest, Texas and anything north and west of Missouri were out of the running. From this list...I again whittled it down to about 14ish....this was done again pretty indiscriminately mostly focusing on location again. Closeness to home and/or family as well as proximity to a beach also played a pretty big role in this process.
From the list of about 14, I made a spreadsheet. There were columns for institute size, start times, lengths, prerequisites needed, costs, distance from home/family and then overall pros and cons. This was one INTENSE spreadsheet. I spent hours collecting information. At this point I became an octopus...on the other hand, on the other hand, on the other hand....till I had at least 10 hands (guess that makes me a squid??)
After a great deal of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (I actually had no idea it would only get worse!) I chose 5 schools. University of Missouri (Mizzou), University of Utah (the U), Johns Hopkins (JHSON), Massachusetts General Hospital Insititue of Health Professions (MGH) and Goldfarb School of Nursing (GF).
Each had pros and cons. JHSON was my DREAM! MGH would be awesome cause I would live in Boston. GF is in St Louis so I would get to be in the BEST place on earth with the BEST people on earth. The U would mean I got to stay in Utah with some pretty awesome people. Then there was Mizzou---I needed a 2.9 GPA to get in....basically and honestly it was on the list only in case everyone else said no.
So I applied. SERIOUSLY ANNOYING PROCESS!!!!!! None of the schools had the same requirements for essays or recommendations or even deadlines! Juggling it all was difficult. Recommendations are really hard to get let me just say. It means sucking up and awkwardly asking people to write nice things about you...not cool. And essays are hard to write and I had to write in a different way for each school. Again sucking up. Lets be honest...the application process is just a long series of sucking up!
Anyway so I got all the applications in. Except for the U. That one had the latest date. And for some reason I wasn't feeling it. In the end I decided to not apply because I just didn't think it was where I should be. Although I am slightly regretting that decision as my time to leave Provo is drawing near.....I'm not wanting to LEAVE! But anyway...Everything was in and I was just waiting for the letters......now comes the WORST part :)
But its me...so I made a list. I ended up with about 60 schools...mostly based on places I wanted to live. AKA..schools on the east coast....in Missouri, Utah, California or Alabama...in a big city...or some place warm. The southwest, most of the Midwest, Texas and anything north and west of Missouri were out of the running. From this list...I again whittled it down to about 14ish....this was done again pretty indiscriminately mostly focusing on location again. Closeness to home and/or family as well as proximity to a beach also played a pretty big role in this process.
From the list of about 14, I made a spreadsheet. There were columns for institute size, start times, lengths, prerequisites needed, costs, distance from home/family and then overall pros and cons. This was one INTENSE spreadsheet. I spent hours collecting information. At this point I became an octopus...on the other hand, on the other hand, on the other hand....till I had at least 10 hands (guess that makes me a squid??)
After a great deal of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (I actually had no idea it would only get worse!) I chose 5 schools. University of Missouri (Mizzou), University of Utah (the U), Johns Hopkins (JHSON), Massachusetts General Hospital Insititue of Health Professions (MGH) and Goldfarb School of Nursing (GF).
Each had pros and cons. JHSON was my DREAM! MGH would be awesome cause I would live in Boston. GF is in St Louis so I would get to be in the BEST place on earth with the BEST people on earth. The U would mean I got to stay in Utah with some pretty awesome people. Then there was Mizzou---I needed a 2.9 GPA to get in....basically and honestly it was on the list only in case everyone else said no.
So I applied. SERIOUSLY ANNOYING PROCESS!!!!!! None of the schools had the same requirements for essays or recommendations or even deadlines! Juggling it all was difficult. Recommendations are really hard to get let me just say. It means sucking up and awkwardly asking people to write nice things about you...not cool. And essays are hard to write and I had to write in a different way for each school. Again sucking up. Lets be honest...the application process is just a long series of sucking up!
Anyway so I got all the applications in. Except for the U. That one had the latest date. And for some reason I wasn't feeling it. In the end I decided to not apply because I just didn't think it was where I should be. Although I am slightly regretting that decision as my time to leave Provo is drawing near.....I'm not wanting to LEAVE! But anyway...Everything was in and I was just waiting for the letters......now comes the WORST part :)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
My Journey to Mizzou...Part 1 The Beginnings
Well ladies and gentleman of the blogging world. It is official. I will be attending the Sinclair School of Nursing at University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri beginning this May and graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing the following summer. I am really excited to be moving into the next chapter of my life....but before I do, it has been requested that I tell the story...from the beginning. So here we go!
It all began on a chilly afternoon in November..the year 1988...the place...Falls Church, VA.......wait not that beginning??? ok well then lets fast-forward. But actually not too much. Just to middle childhood I guess (child dev speak for 4-7). This was when I came to the knowledge and understanding that my grandma was a nurse. I loved to play hospital with her whenever she visited and was a nurse for Halloween several times. Even back then I thought being a nurse would be really cool. But then again I also thought high side ponytails (think Deb from Napoleon Dynamite) were cool.
Fast forward some more to the year 2003....freshman honors English with Mrs Fischer (awesome teacher btw) Our research paper that year was supposed to be about the career we wanted to pursue. I of course chose nursing, specifically pediatric oncology nursing. Chose not because I was firm in my thoughts, but definitely interested. Through this paper I came to the decision that I really wanted to be a nurse.
Fast forward a bit to my decision of where to go to college after graduation. I chose Brigham Young University, not only for the environment it would provide and the low-cost of tuition, but also for the fact that the nursing program had a fairly high reputation.
So I came out to Provo. All through freshman year I prepared to apply to the nursing program. I was really really excited to be able to study nursing with a perspective of the Gospel. The classes were hard, but I was ok with working hard. I took a 100 level class called a Preview of Nursing. This class solidified my career choice. Every week in that class, I felt sooooo strongly that I needed to become a nurse, I was often brought to tears (not saying a whole bunch seeing as I am a serious cry-baby!). But I knew this was what I needed to do.
I spent the next couple of semesters preparing and applied in Fall 2008. The email informing me that I was denied acceptance was one of the worst I have ever received all my work was for nothing. My dream seemed over.
However in the preview class I talked about earlier, my teacher mentioned that the University of Utah had an Accelerated Bachelors Program. Basically, you get a Bachelors in ANY field, and the in 12-18 months you graduate with a second Bachelors degree in nursing. (for future reference...I will call this ABSN-accelerated bachelors of science in nursing) I began at this point to investigate with these types of programs.
I also chose a different major at this time. I selected Human Development. My second semester as a freshman I was taking Physiology and Bio-Organic Chemistry, both 4 credits. I also played A LOT...till very late/early times ;) However, I NEVER missed my 8 o'clock Child Development class and got a solid A. This was kinda a sign for me...and it was the best decision I EVER made!
It all began on a chilly afternoon in November..the year 1988...the place...Falls Church, VA.......wait not that beginning??? ok well then lets fast-forward. But actually not too much. Just to middle childhood I guess (child dev speak for 4-7). This was when I came to the knowledge and understanding that my grandma was a nurse. I loved to play hospital with her whenever she visited and was a nurse for Halloween several times. Even back then I thought being a nurse would be really cool. But then again I also thought high side ponytails (think Deb from Napoleon Dynamite) were cool.
Fast forward some more to the year 2003....freshman honors English with Mrs Fischer (awesome teacher btw) Our research paper that year was supposed to be about the career we wanted to pursue. I of course chose nursing, specifically pediatric oncology nursing. Chose not because I was firm in my thoughts, but definitely interested. Through this paper I came to the decision that I really wanted to be a nurse.
Fast forward a bit to my decision of where to go to college after graduation. I chose Brigham Young University, not only for the environment it would provide and the low-cost of tuition, but also for the fact that the nursing program had a fairly high reputation.
So I came out to Provo. All through freshman year I prepared to apply to the nursing program. I was really really excited to be able to study nursing with a perspective of the Gospel. The classes were hard, but I was ok with working hard. I took a 100 level class called a Preview of Nursing. This class solidified my career choice. Every week in that class, I felt sooooo strongly that I needed to become a nurse, I was often brought to tears (not saying a whole bunch seeing as I am a serious cry-baby!). But I knew this was what I needed to do.
I spent the next couple of semesters preparing and applied in Fall 2008. The email informing me that I was denied acceptance was one of the worst I have ever received all my work was for nothing. My dream seemed over.
However in the preview class I talked about earlier, my teacher mentioned that the University of Utah had an Accelerated Bachelors Program. Basically, you get a Bachelors in ANY field, and the in 12-18 months you graduate with a second Bachelors degree in nursing. (for future reference...I will call this ABSN-accelerated bachelors of science in nursing) I began at this point to investigate with these types of programs.
I also chose a different major at this time. I selected Human Development. My second semester as a freshman I was taking Physiology and Bio-Organic Chemistry, both 4 credits. I also played A LOT...till very late/early times ;) However, I NEVER missed my 8 o'clock Child Development class and got a solid A. This was kinda a sign for me...and it was the best decision I EVER made!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
We'll Never Fredette----Thanks for the Emerys
DREAM TEAM 2010-2011
FAVORITE MEMORIES OF THE BEST BASKETBALL SEASON EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Chanting YOU GOT JIMMERED!!!!!
-Spending hours in line...in the snow...and the cold.....and in a tent
-WHOOSH...CECIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Starting a new tradtion..2 thumbs up after successful free throws!
-FOREVER we will remember the DANCE
-WWJD----What Would Jimmer Do??
-Jimmer worship!! HAHA Michelle!!!!!
-Thumbs up from Jimmer at the gym meet
-Winning the MWC!!!!
-Teach Me How To Jimmer...Teach Me Teach Me How to Jimmer!
-Raps from TJ Fredette
-AIRBALL! YOU GOT SWATTED!!! LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT!!!!
-TAKE HIS WHISTLE!!!!!!
-I'm Blind, I'm Deaf.....I wanna be a REF!
-Cosmo crowd surfing all the way to the top!
-FACE PAINT
-Jimmer will you marry me...or me......or my sister!-
-Seniors LOGAN, JIMMER and JACKSON
-Supporting Davies through a rough time
-SAN DIEGO STATE..enough said
-Cosmo dancing with the Cougarettes
-Polka dot headbands
-SHIMMYING OLD LADIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Season long WHITE OUT!!!!
-Skipping LOTS of class
-Being THIRD in the nation!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Seeing a whole new side of Andrea ;)
-Getting Pappy to a game!
-Blue Gatorade
-Someday it will say Fredette on my ID card.....
-When I look into your eyes, they seem to shimmer..I love you Jimmer
-Someday it will say Fredette on my ID card.....
-When I look into your eyes, they seem to shimmer..I love you Jimmer
-Rally Towels and White Pom-poms
-Singing along with the Pep Band
-Jump on It... OH OH OH OH.....Ahah Eheh Ahah..I put my hands up in the air sometimes
-DUNKS!!!!!! Davies, Abouo, Emery, Collinsworth
-The loudest pink shoes i've ever seen
-Adam in all white....with neon green shoes
-Hartsock and Abouo on FIRE!!!!!!!!!!
-20, 30, 40 foot shots from Jimmer!
-Spending time with all my friends from the 92nd WARD
-Almost crying at least 10 times at the final home game of the season
What a great season!!! I am so grateful to have been able to be here for this season. What a great way to end my time at BYU!!!!!!! I will miss watching my boys rip up the court!!!!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Letters and Voodoo Dolls
This week was kind of a rollar coaster when it comes to nursing school applications. It seems like that is all I ever talk about anymore. I think my mother and I have not had a phone conversation since November that has not centered or somehow gotten to a discussion of my stressing about nursing school.
So last Wednesday I got a email from Johns Hopkins letting me know that they were missing 2 parts of the 5 parts of my application. I freaked of course and did everything I could to fix things. But I was freaked out and tried to email to get an idea of what was really going on. This was followed a few days later with another email...since I hadn't had a reply from the first. This one also went unanswered. So I tried to call....its much harder to ignore a person on a phone than in a computer. Apparently this is not the case with Johns Hopkins. Though the person I wanted to talk to was in the office, they couldn't take phone calls and I needed to email...though I had. So I was given another person to email.
So during this frustration I got a letter in the mail....containing my current two favorite words... Congratulations and accepted! Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions was "impressed with my credentials and is confident that [I] have the potential to make significant contributions to both MGH Institute of Health Professions and to the nursing profession at large"
BEST ACCEPTANCE LETTER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So at this point I was 3 for 3...still waiting on number 4. But number four was giving me fits! There is a lady in our home ward that my mom is good friends with that sometimes jokes about making voodoo dolls of those she is angry or frustrated with. And I was sooooo ready to give her a call and have her make me one for the admissions office of the Johns Hopkins school of nursing!!!!
So the next day I sent a very long email to my new contact at the admissions office. It was full of concern and anxiety...and I told my whole story from the beginning....literally I went back to my senior year when I first wanted to go to this school.
A few hours later I checked my email again....and found a very apologetic email. Thank goodness I did not ahve that voodoo doll made :).
So I am still waiting to hear from them...but at least I know that they are at least going to consider me! And that I obviously have made the cut enough to be considered and contacted. So now it is all just up to fate....or the admission counselors....or someone.
So last Wednesday I got a email from Johns Hopkins letting me know that they were missing 2 parts of the 5 parts of my application. I freaked of course and did everything I could to fix things. But I was freaked out and tried to email to get an idea of what was really going on. This was followed a few days later with another email...since I hadn't had a reply from the first. This one also went unanswered. So I tried to call....its much harder to ignore a person on a phone than in a computer. Apparently this is not the case with Johns Hopkins. Though the person I wanted to talk to was in the office, they couldn't take phone calls and I needed to email...though I had. So I was given another person to email.
So during this frustration I got a letter in the mail....containing my current two favorite words... Congratulations and accepted! Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions was "impressed with my credentials and is confident that [I] have the potential to make significant contributions to both MGH Institute of Health Professions and to the nursing profession at large"
BEST ACCEPTANCE LETTER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So at this point I was 3 for 3...still waiting on number 4. But number four was giving me fits! There is a lady in our home ward that my mom is good friends with that sometimes jokes about making voodoo dolls of those she is angry or frustrated with. And I was sooooo ready to give her a call and have her make me one for the admissions office of the Johns Hopkins school of nursing!!!!
So the next day I sent a very long email to my new contact at the admissions office. It was full of concern and anxiety...and I told my whole story from the beginning....literally I went back to my senior year when I first wanted to go to this school.
A few hours later I checked my email again....and found a very apologetic email. Thank goodness I did not ahve that voodoo doll made :).
So I am still waiting to hear from them...but at least I know that they are at least going to consider me! And that I obviously have made the cut enough to be considered and contacted. So now it is all just up to fate....or the admission counselors....or someone.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
I am Actually Gonna Do It....YIKES!
So it is official...I am going to be a nurse!
I have been accepted into the Barnes Jewish Hospital Goldfarb School of Nursing in St Louis MO as well as Missouri University's Sinclair School of Nursing in Columbia MO.
I am still waiting to hear back from two other schools, but I have two possibilities....so no matter what really...I am going to be a nurse.
Its a really comforting feeling this fact. I have wanted to be a nurse, pretty much since I was 15 years old. I have wobbled back and forth with other professions; doctor, lawyer, therapist, public relations or advertising, politics and public policy, early childhood education, even photography. But even while I considered all of these other careers, nursing was in the back of my mind. They all came and went....but nursing stayed.
And now I have an opportunity to finally fulfill that dream. It only took me 7 years to get it together..and then it will take another year to get it done............but I'm gonna do it!
Better keep your kids healthy...cause pretty soon you are going to be putting them into my "capable" hands! ;)
And now I have an opportunity to finally fulfill that dream. It only took me 7 years to get it together..and then it will take another year to get it done............but I'm gonna do it!
Better keep your kids healthy...cause pretty soon you are going to be putting them into my "capable" hands! ;)
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Plans----Honestly Pretty Worthless
Wow! two posts in a week!!!! Craziness I know :)
So I am trying to plan out my life. This I realize is a ambitious task. I am only 22 and have a lot of my life left.
But to be honest I am not even trying to plan out anything more than this next semester. I just want to plan what classes I am going to take!!!!! Is that too much to ask!!!!????
Sometimes when I get in my planning modes like this I decide to just leave things up to "fate"...let things happen the way they are supposed to without my human planning getting in the way.
[side note----I realize my religion doesn't really do the fate thing----they believe in plans and no such thing as coincidences...well so I....they just call it the Great Plan of Happiness or the Plan of Salvation....but it is much shorter to call it fate...so i do]
But you can't really just live your life and hope you magically show up for the right classes. You have to know when they are and you need to have a seat and a test with your name on it.
But I don't know which nursing school I will be going to---so I don't know which prereqs I need to sign up for. I don't know when I will be going to this school. OR if I will get into any of them at all. Should I take a heavier load and get a minor in Psychology (emphasizing child and adol psych) or take a lighter load of classes I just want to take. I only need one 3 credit SFL class to graduate. I don't know how that happened cause last I checked I needed lots more than that. and in order to maintain the scholarship I was generously given I have to take 14 credits. That leaves me with 11 hours that I don't know what to do with.
I also have to schedule in time to go out to Orem and play with my kiddos, time to go to the temple and 20 hours to work. There are plenty of hours in the day----just not during the hours of 8 and 5..when I can work, volunteer and go to the temple. Plus all the psych classes I want to take seem to be at the same time as each other and all in the evenings...meaning I won't get home before 7 any day of the week but Friday (when I have no classes...very nice) But this is assuming that I go with the pscyh plan. Totally different if I go with the "fun" load.
UGGGGGGGGG I have no clue what to do. And we are getting down to the wire. I gotta finalize my classes soon so I can get books.
They always say----plans are crap right? what is it? You want to make God laugh, make plans??? I don't know
So I am trying to plan out my life. This I realize is a ambitious task. I am only 22 and have a lot of my life left.
But to be honest I am not even trying to plan out anything more than this next semester. I just want to plan what classes I am going to take!!!!! Is that too much to ask!!!!????
Sometimes when I get in my planning modes like this I decide to just leave things up to "fate"...let things happen the way they are supposed to without my human planning getting in the way.
[side note----I realize my religion doesn't really do the fate thing----they believe in plans and no such thing as coincidences...well so I....they just call it the Great Plan of Happiness or the Plan of Salvation....but it is much shorter to call it fate...so i do]
But you can't really just live your life and hope you magically show up for the right classes. You have to know when they are and you need to have a seat and a test with your name on it.
But I don't know which nursing school I will be going to---so I don't know which prereqs I need to sign up for. I don't know when I will be going to this school. OR if I will get into any of them at all. Should I take a heavier load and get a minor in Psychology (emphasizing child and adol psych) or take a lighter load of classes I just want to take. I only need one 3 credit SFL class to graduate. I don't know how that happened cause last I checked I needed lots more than that. and in order to maintain the scholarship I was generously given I have to take 14 credits. That leaves me with 11 hours that I don't know what to do with.
I also have to schedule in time to go out to Orem and play with my kiddos, time to go to the temple and 20 hours to work. There are plenty of hours in the day----just not during the hours of 8 and 5..when I can work, volunteer and go to the temple. Plus all the psych classes I want to take seem to be at the same time as each other and all in the evenings...meaning I won't get home before 7 any day of the week but Friday (when I have no classes...very nice) But this is assuming that I go with the pscyh plan. Totally different if I go with the "fun" load.
UGGGGGGGGG I have no clue what to do. And we are getting down to the wire. I gotta finalize my classes soon so I can get books.
They always say----plans are crap right? what is it? You want to make God laugh, make plans??? I don't know
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Updates---Since it Has Been So Long
So Lots has happened since my last post. I have been bad at updates.
So I finished the semester. It was HARD but I did it!
Anatomy was the hardest but I managed to pull out a solid B in it so I am THRILLED
I had to fight for my A in Cognitive Development (TERRIBLE professor)
And managed As in everything else :D
So overall a pretty decent semester.
Next should be even better. After Anatomy I feel like I could do anything!
Had a wonderful last month of the semester in Provo. Got to spend lots of time with lots of great friends. The best part of living in Provo is the awesome group of people I get to spend time with. Made a couple of trips up to temple square to see the lights---gorgeous and fun! Lots of games and Christmas cheer too.
Now I am home in St Louis---sick as a dog! I have pretty much been sick the whole time I have been home. The crazy thing about it is---not just the length---but the kind of illness. I have had EVERYTHING in this past week. Sore throat, stuffy nose, lost voice, runny nose, headaches, fatigue, aches and pains, upset stomach, achy ears, coughing, sneezing----everything! There are very few other symptoms that I could have and not be like in the hospital! Its been an eventful week that is for sure!!
As for nursing schools. Still in the unknown there. Hopefully will get that info soon!
Monday, November 22, 2010
Compliments
Sister Bonnie Parkin (leader of my church's women's organization) once said "Never suppress a generous thought."
Most people take this to mean that you never know when what you say or do saves someone's life. Maybe that is a bit dramatic but sometimes a simple smile turns a day around.
But you know what...people still need these generous thoughts even when they are having a good day, a great day even.
I take this quote to cover all types of brightening someone's day. Smiles, service, kind words, a listening ear, a favor, and compliments.
I have been blessed with some excellent liars in my life. They always tell me I look great even when I may not. Then they are very convincing as they assure me they are not lying.
I have had a pretty good day today. Got to hang with my brother who is down from Idaho, got to see my second family and hang out with awesome people from the ward. I was not really in need of any cheering up.
And then I got on Facebook as I was getting ready for bed...and I saw a message pop up from a friend from my ward. He took time to send me a message telling me how nice he thought I smelled today (Forever Sunshine, Bath and Body Works...current favorite scent due to the serious lack of sunshine we are experiecing). He had mentioned it earlier in the night when we had been at the same party, but it was so sweet of him to mention it again.
Even though I didn't NEED the compliment---it was nice to get it.
So never suppress a compliment. If you think someone looks good in green..tell them. If you think they are really good at ______ tell them!!! Tell them Tell them Tell them!!!!!!! Even if they don't need it---its really nice to hear :)
Most people take this to mean that you never know when what you say or do saves someone's life. Maybe that is a bit dramatic but sometimes a simple smile turns a day around.
But you know what...people still need these generous thoughts even when they are having a good day, a great day even.
I take this quote to cover all types of brightening someone's day. Smiles, service, kind words, a listening ear, a favor, and compliments.
I have been blessed with some excellent liars in my life. They always tell me I look great even when I may not. Then they are very convincing as they assure me they are not lying.
I have had a pretty good day today. Got to hang with my brother who is down from Idaho, got to see my second family and hang out with awesome people from the ward. I was not really in need of any cheering up.
And then I got on Facebook as I was getting ready for bed...and I saw a message pop up from a friend from my ward. He took time to send me a message telling me how nice he thought I smelled today (Forever Sunshine, Bath and Body Works...current favorite scent due to the serious lack of sunshine we are experiecing). He had mentioned it earlier in the night when we had been at the same party, but it was so sweet of him to mention it again.
Even though I didn't NEED the compliment---it was nice to get it.
So never suppress a compliment. If you think someone looks good in green..tell them. If you think they are really good at ______ tell them!!! Tell them Tell them Tell them!!!!!!! Even if they don't need it---its really nice to hear :)
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Conflicted?
This semester has been CRAZY insane! All my classes matter and require work and attention. But despite this I am taking some of my favorite classes I have ever taken here on campus.
One of these classes is my Moral Development class. Seriously this is a major cardio workout for my brain three days a week. I leave with my world turned upside down, not knowing which way is up and which is down.
I have always considered myself to be comfortable with shades of grey. I believe that there are some absolute universal truths. But that doesn't mean that I do not consider myself a relativist. And that is where the conflict lies. How far do I take my "this is wrong no matter what" and how far do I take my "they have agency and I cannot force my beliefs on others".
There is so much conflict...how does one stand up for their beliefs without seeming cold, callous, or judgemental? At the risk of alienating a dear friend or two.....I shall give an example. I believe marriage is ordained of God and should be between one man and one women. This means that I am against policies supporting gay marriage. And as I say this my heart sinks knowing that someone might misunderstand me. But please listen. This is the universal absolute truth that I believe in. However--this does not mean that I hold an hatred or distaste for those who believe differently from me. I respect your right to determine your absolute truths for yourself. Do I seem unforgiving or terrible? I surely hope not. I love all people no matter who they are. No matter, what all people are children of a loving Heavenly Father and are my spiritual brothers and sisters.
Its hard to deal with some of these difficult questions and there have been many times when I have left this class, turned my head upward and offered a silent prayer of the heart---pleading for love and tolerance as well as strength and conviction...really for more faith to know that there is a plan and all these complex problems will be solved someday by an omnipotent, omniscent and infinately loving God.
Interestingly enough...this was not the post I had planned on writing. And now I have rambled for forever. But this is what I have written...so post I will. Maybe some other day I will post what I originally had been thinking of.
One of these classes is my Moral Development class. Seriously this is a major cardio workout for my brain three days a week. I leave with my world turned upside down, not knowing which way is up and which is down.
I have always considered myself to be comfortable with shades of grey. I believe that there are some absolute universal truths. But that doesn't mean that I do not consider myself a relativist. And that is where the conflict lies. How far do I take my "this is wrong no matter what" and how far do I take my "they have agency and I cannot force my beliefs on others".
There is so much conflict...how does one stand up for their beliefs without seeming cold, callous, or judgemental? At the risk of alienating a dear friend or two.....I shall give an example. I believe marriage is ordained of God and should be between one man and one women. This means that I am against policies supporting gay marriage. And as I say this my heart sinks knowing that someone might misunderstand me. But please listen. This is the universal absolute truth that I believe in. However--this does not mean that I hold an hatred or distaste for those who believe differently from me. I respect your right to determine your absolute truths for yourself. Do I seem unforgiving or terrible? I surely hope not. I love all people no matter who they are. No matter, what all people are children of a loving Heavenly Father and are my spiritual brothers and sisters.
Its hard to deal with some of these difficult questions and there have been many times when I have left this class, turned my head upward and offered a silent prayer of the heart---pleading for love and tolerance as well as strength and conviction...really for more faith to know that there is a plan and all these complex problems will be solved someday by an omnipotent, omniscent and infinately loving God.
Interestingly enough...this was not the post I had planned on writing. And now I have rambled for forever. But this is what I have written...so post I will. Maybe some other day I will post what I originally had been thinking of.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Why I Love Families...especially my own!
For those of you who are not "Mormons" in places were the is a large population of single members of the church there are specific congregations for those single adults. This is kind of a way for them to associate with those who are in the same time of life as them and create friendships...and lets be totally honest...create friendships that lead to relationships that lead to marriage :)
Anyway this is the type of congregation (we call them wards) I go to now. But today I decided to mix it up. For various reasons I needed a break from the singles scene but still wanted to attend church. So I went to a family ward...located conveniently across the street from my apartment (yes I do think it is INSANE that I normally walk 10 minutes up a huge flight of stairs to get to my normal ward when it take 30 seconds to get to the one RIGHT across the street......side note in my old apartment 2 years ago...I could roll out my window and be in a church parking lot...can't get much closer than that....but still a 10 minute walk!)
So I popped across the street for church. There is a strange phenomenon in family wards....they are not quiet at all!!!! Crying, whimpering, rustling etc. Its all there. Singles wards are disturbingly quiet. A room full of 170 young adults should not be that quiet..its unnatural!!!!
Some say they love the quiet of a singles ward but I love the noise of a family ward. Its comforting. Its flawed. Its real and honest. People aren't perfect and I kinda like being reminded of that. It helps me know that I don't have to be either.
I also got to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins in Orem today. My "family of origin"...family studies speak for my parents and siblings...is AMAZING!!!!! They are the best family a girl could have. And I miss them tons all the time. But I have had the amazing blessing of gaining a second amazing family since I have been out here in Utah. My mother's sister and her husband and children have pulled me into their family of 9 and made me a 10th. And tonight was no different. I needed a recharge...and they made it happen.
There is a reason I am studying what I do. Families are essential. We need them and we need to protect them-both from the inside and the outside.
Funny moment of the day: So seriously How To Train Your Dragon...best movie EVER!!!!
Favorite line???? Try lines!!!
"Thank you for summing that up!"
"You just gestured to all of me."
"Oh I am hurt. I am very much hurt!"
"Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick! What's the first thing you're going to need? A doctor? "
"Most people would leave, but not us. We're Vikings. We have stubbornness issues."
"Duh Duh Duh Dum...we're dead"
But the BEST of all??
"Whoa! Toothless! What is wrong with you? Bad dragon! He-he's not usually like this... Oh, no... Toothless, what are you doing? We need her to like us! And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile. "
Anyway this is the type of congregation (we call them wards) I go to now. But today I decided to mix it up. For various reasons I needed a break from the singles scene but still wanted to attend church. So I went to a family ward...located conveniently across the street from my apartment (yes I do think it is INSANE that I normally walk 10 minutes up a huge flight of stairs to get to my normal ward when it take 30 seconds to get to the one RIGHT across the street......side note in my old apartment 2 years ago...I could roll out my window and be in a church parking lot...can't get much closer than that....but still a 10 minute walk!)
So I popped across the street for church. There is a strange phenomenon in family wards....they are not quiet at all!!!! Crying, whimpering, rustling etc. Its all there. Singles wards are disturbingly quiet. A room full of 170 young adults should not be that quiet..its unnatural!!!!
Some say they love the quiet of a singles ward but I love the noise of a family ward. Its comforting. Its flawed. Its real and honest. People aren't perfect and I kinda like being reminded of that. It helps me know that I don't have to be either.
I also got to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins in Orem today. My "family of origin"...family studies speak for my parents and siblings...is AMAZING!!!!! They are the best family a girl could have. And I miss them tons all the time. But I have had the amazing blessing of gaining a second amazing family since I have been out here in Utah. My mother's sister and her husband and children have pulled me into their family of 9 and made me a 10th. And tonight was no different. I needed a recharge...and they made it happen.
There is a reason I am studying what I do. Families are essential. We need them and we need to protect them-both from the inside and the outside.
Funny moment of the day: So seriously How To Train Your Dragon...best movie EVER!!!!
Favorite line???? Try lines!!!"Thank you for summing that up!"
"You just gestured to all of me."
"Oh I am hurt. I am very much hurt!"
"Today is about survival. If you get blasted, you're dead. Quick! What's the first thing you're going to need? A doctor? "
"Most people would leave, but not us. We're Vikings. We have stubbornness issues."
"Duh Duh Duh Dum...we're dead"
But the BEST of all??
"Whoa! Toothless! What is wrong with you? Bad dragon! He-he's not usually like this... Oh, no... Toothless, what are you doing? We need her to like us! And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing, you useless reptile. "
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