I cannot stop watching this video and wishing I was there! Nikki emailed it to me. :) We're a mildly obsessed with Disney World and the Magic Kingdom.
Next up, do you realize Christmas is less than 12 weeks away? I have no idea how I'm going to pull it off this year, you know, while I'm busting my butt in nursing school and trying to even just barely maintain sanity. I have a feeling lots of you are feeling the same way, and I'm loving Simple Mom who has a plan. 12 Weeks to a Peaceful Christmas. (Yeah I laughed too at first, but I think she's onto something!) First up, Week 12: Prepare Your Holiday Budget and great topics each week until Christmas. She has plans and downloads, and I think I might just be able to pull it off. I love you, Simple Mom!
For some cute pictures of pets in Halloween costumes, you have to check out Good Housekeeping's 3rd Annual Halloween Pet Costume contest. I won't enter Haylie seeing how much she loathes any form of clothing, but I wish I could! She was a ballerina one year, a pumpkin another... but she just hated it so much. People like my cousin (Hi Heather!) will love this site so check it out. A great time waster too. You know, when you have a huge nursing exam in the morning... yeah, perfect for that! ;-)
Well last week was nuts, this weekend was packed (I took Nikki to the Taylor Swift concert - got floor tickets for her birthday), and this week is going to be no calmer! I'm excited though because on Friday at clinical, instead of working on the floor I get my "alternate experience" which is outpatient oncology. That means I get to hang out with the nurses there all day and see what I can learn. It should be really fun, and I'm excited about it. Then the following week is our last week of peds! The remainder of the semester is Maternal-Newborn Nursing, which honestly, I'm not looking forward to. But we'll see, maybe it will be better than I think. Hopefully so. So today I'm studying, tomorrow is class and an exam, my first experience with acupuncture (not even kidding), and then Wednesday I have my girls. Their mom made L Bug's 2 year old and Baby's 1 month appointment to be at the same time which means double shots, double screaming, double the fun. Good thing I have Thursday to recover, wait, scratch that, I have Thursday to finish my 12 page nursing paper which is due the following week. The fun doesn't end!
It's catch up time on the blog! Lots of stuff going on, and Baby Itty Bitty is finally taking a nap. So here we go...
To update you on the drama at my school, here's an email we all got from the President of our university (lol):
An event intended to celebrate the end of the semester grew out of control this weekend. While the event was a private party and not a university-sponsored activity, obviously many Kent State students were involved. Today, university and community officials are exploring what happened and making plans to prevent an occurrence like this from happening in the future. We are grateful that no one was seriously injured during the incident. And while the events are disappointing, they only strengthen our efforts to work hand-in-hand with the city to aid in the growth of the greater Kent community as we strive to be responsible neighbors. We have enjoyed an outstanding level of town-gown cooperation in recent years, and our successful work will continue. The actions of those involved should not taint the wonderful work being done daily by diligent and committed Kent State students, faculty and staff. Unfortunately, lost is the news of the great accomplishments this weekend by our students. One example is the student-sponsored Relay for Life event that again raised thousands of dollars to help fight the scourge of cancer. Let's all learn what we can from these events and work to move forward together as a community. President Lester Lefton
There, now that makes everything all better doesn't it? Oh, and we also got yelled at in our weekly email from him, and we got a "safety email" today on "being safe" this weekend. Haha
Down in Nicaragua, there's probably a similar stack of letters with mine to Julenia buried inside. People tirelessly translate these from English to whatever language they need to be. Then when the children write their letters back, they translate those into English and forward them onto the children's sponsors. Isn't it amazing?
Next, let's see... Oh yes, the swine flu. It was just a joke but now it's a reality. As of this morning, there have been cases of Influenza A H1N1, a respiratory flu found in pigs that is now viable in humans, as seen in Arizona, California, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York City, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. So why do we care? Well I care because I have a myriad of chronic illnesses that make me susceptible to things like this. And many of my readers share my struggle and are in the at-risk population as well. 51 cases alone have presented in New York City. Why? How many people travel in and out of that city each day? Exactly. Then they travel to their home states and bring it to people there. Then those people go on vacation or go out to eat or go wherever and send the nice little swine flu to some others. So please people, cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze. Then throw the tissue away or wash your hands for goodness' sakes. Gross. Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. Don't bite those fingernails and spare the pretty mascara by resisting to rub those eyes. No picking your nose either. Gross again. Because the person with swine flu sneezes on their hand, shakes yours, and then you yawn and touch your mouth. See how easy this is? But now if you have a cold, no need to worry either. To have H1N1, you'll likely have a temp over 100* as well as a cough or sore throat. You'll also have done one of the following: been in contact with someone with swine flu or someone who was in contact with someone having swine flu, traveled to an area affected by swine flu in the 7 days preceding symptom onset, been in contact (within 6 feet) with someone who traveled to an area affected by swine flu, or are hospitalized with influenza or pneumonia. So just be careful out there, chronic chicks. If you think you're coming down with it, call your doctor immediately. Oh, and obey the Feds and don't go to Mexico! But above all, don't be too stressed over it. Just use common sense. My dad spoke with family friend and world-renowned physician Dr. Alan Chow (who is a MD, PhD, OD and is cofounder of Optobionics, a company pioneering an implanted chip that make blind people see... not even kidding) and he confirmed what I had been suspecting... H1N1 is not a bad flu - it's just the flu, people. You'll be better in a couple of days. The only deaths have come from Mexicans and other people who likely cannot or did not access proper, current medical care in a timely manner. Immunocompromised people, be extremely careful just as if you were around any other bug. Get to the doctor if you show symptoms, and you should be all right. Healthy individuals? Same for you. Either way, utilize the health-smart tips above just like you would for any other bug. It's going to be just fine.
Wednesday beganBaby Time at the local library. I enrolled Baby Itty Bitty and invited our friends Russ and Sam to do the same with their Madison. So Wednesday morning for an hour, I sang goofy little songs, clapped and did motions, and held Baby Itty Bitty as she listened to the stories. (Okay, stared at other babies, etc. while the lady read the stories...) Until she decided not sleeping during morning naptime was a bad idea afterall and began to squirm and fuss. (Don't worry, "Itsy Bitsy Spider" cured the issue...) Meanwhile, Maddie spent the morning stealing the show and determinedly eating her pacifier and drooling all over the place. The next several Wednesday mornings should be fun for sure. Next week, we get a new room and will add toys, more interaction, and a "water table" to our stories and songs. Yay! :)
My parents just got back from Chicago and I'm jealous. But I shouldn't be because I'm leaving for Disney World on Tuesday! Although I'm stressed because there's so much to do and not enough time!
Craigslist and Freecycle ROCK. And thrift and consignment stores, too. Just saying. For the past few months, I've collected a desk, books, clothes, fabric, toys, Easter and Christmas decorations, crafts, a dollhouse, a TV/VCR combo, things to redecorate, Ikea bookcase doors, and so much more.. all for FREE! I've given away toys, clothes, a vacuum, baby stuff, etc., and I've gotten absolute steals on lots of baby gear (swings, DVDs, a BundleMe, a Bumbo and tray...) an Ikea bookcase, Cavs tickets, books, clothes, and I could go on forever. I've sold a chair, baby items, craft items, and even my printer combo. I have tons of pending sales, too, including my parents' old pool pump. Crazy or what? Maybe... but definitely fun!!
Still reading My Sister's Keeperand re-reading A Grief Observed. 2 amazing books. I absolutely cannot wait for My Sister's Keeper's movie to come out this June! (Even if it has a different ending...) I started the book a long time ago and didn't get a chance to finish it, so this is the perfect excuse to pick it up again. You should read it too - this book will move you and shake you to the core. I don't really think I'm biased just because I'm sick and I have a sister and I've lived glimpses of this family's lives. I think it would be unimaginable and hard for anyone, not just someone partially living the life. Can you imagine being created to be a genetic match for a cancer-ridden sister... so your cells and organs and tissues could in many ways cure her most of the times she got sick? Going to the hospital each time she had to? In the book/movie, the girl essentially decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body... all while she loves her sister. Wrap your head around that one. And of course Jodi Picoult is a master author. So just read it. And check out the trailer:
Oh and I must give a shoutout to my nerdy fiance. Jonathan found this funny video by College Humor called Twitter in Real Life. If you're into Twitter, you'll totally get this... it made me "lol" :)
Speaking of Twitter... you so should be following me....
K, so Grey's Anatomy last night??? Episode 99 was one of the best in a long time! And I'm so, so excited for Episode 100 - if you want a spoiler, click here. Shonda Rimes confirmed that Denny will definitely be in the episode, and she also added, "Just a reminder: He's not a ghost, and we should all remember what his appearance means." Interpret that one how you will... either Izzie's mets are back making her nuts, or well... he's come to take her... they will finally be together. But back to last night. Krista Vernoff came back to write and the scenes with Izzie and her mom, Meredith and little Maddy, Meredith and Richard... well, there were lots of amazing scenes. Even though lately Grey's has deviated from episodes with obviously resonating themes, throughout this episode, a few ideas were repeatedly apparent: acceptance, forgiveness, and making amends. I loved how Meredith risked her job to tell Maddy's mom, "You have to change her story while you still have a chance... for her, but for your little girl, you have to change her story." The whole idea of a little girl shooting her dad 17 times to save her mom from her dad, now that's controversial. For standing up for a 6 year old murderer, now that's Meredith Grey. I love how Meredith is all "dark and twisty," you never know where she's going next or how she's going to react. She's not afraid to surprise people, and she's not afraid to run or hide when it's the best thing she can do. I can relate to Meredith. But anyways, change their stories... Hindsight is 20/20 but I know my story could have been changed, and maybe yours could have been, too. Instead of letting that realization hurt (I'd never in my life thought of it that way), embrace the realization that all adults change the stories of each and every child they ever get to know, and you have the power to give a child a happier ending, a brighter beginning.
Oh and any Private Practicewatchers reading? How about that season finale?! I knew it from the time I saw that psychotic woman appear back on the episode... Chills!
Got lots of good links for you I'm dying to share....
But first? A kitteh!!
Need a good read? (And a few laughs?) Go welcome my baby sister back from a year-long blogging hiatus on her introspective, sarcastic post, A Year Behind.
Desktop looking a little boring? Go check out Cath Kidston's site for a change of scenery!
Did you miss me while I was in Florida, mourning the loss of my Nana? I tried to keep everyone updated at a special Tumblr site, How to Save a Life. Until I get my "real" pictures all fixed up and pretty, it's all there. :)
Looking for some great freebies? Go over to Couponing 101.
Want to get addicted to Craigslist like me? Got some itty bitties? Check out ohdeedoh's guide to finding things (especially baby/kids) on Craigslist! Bargains!!
Want to hear some big news? Stay tuned to my blog next week. I have someone I'd like you to meet. :)
How about some big news now? I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!! Sure, it might be like my 25th time, but my sister and I are totttttally excited!! Too excited!! And want to know what my favorite ride is? Ever since I was 18 months old and went to Disney World for my first time, Small Small World has been my favorite ride EVAHHH!
Amazing deals, deals on gifts that make them wonder "how in the world do they always find the cutest stuff??," adorable projects that you can make yourself.... Anything like that makes me giddy!! I cannot contain my excitement so I've decided to keep an ongoing, always-updated post (this) for all of my wonderful internet friends to come back to anytime you want and see what kind of fabulous finds, steals, and DIY ideas I am discovering. You might want to bookmark it because I promise the fun is only just beginning! :)
And what have YOU found? Post in the comments if you'd like to share any hot holiday shopping/making/gifting-related sites!
After all, Black Friday is over, but the forecast predicts the hot deals aren't going anywhere. (But why is it called Black Friday? I prefer Pink Sparkly Glitterly Friday.. but anyways...)
If you're just jumping in, this is part 3 of 3 in a little (okay, BIG) college/productivity internet tools series I have painstakingly (haha, just kidding) put together. Last Friday, I was the featured guest blogger on my friend's site, Hey Stephanie! To make a long story short, I had more resources than I thought I did, so I decided to make it a mini series and continue with two additional posts back here. :) Part 2 went up Monday, and today is Part 3!
So here they are... the random other tools that are helpful in so many ways! Along with Parts 1 and 2, these links should "fill in the blanks" to give you a personal toolbox you can use for projects, school, and most importantly, everyday life. You now have all you need to be the organized, smart-studying, non-time-wasting student/fab person/whatever you are ;-)
MATH
Mathway (this site is amazing!!) .............And now for the calculators...
Bartleby - several reference books, all a click away.
STUDY HELP
Study Guides A freshman? A senior who never really worked on those study habits? Realizing it's time to grow up and you still can't manage that whole "time management" thing? It's okay - check out this site, a great resource for organization, prioritizing, and study skills. Group projects, presentations... this stuff comes up long past college, so I think a lot of people could benefit from this one. I will warn you, the site is a little boring and you might want to click back, but the info is totally legit - they share tips I've been using for the past 3 years and will continue to use through grad school. They also have great math and various English brush-up pages that have helped my friends, and if you do enjoy the articles (or need to know more), they suggest additional sites for further reading.
Cliffnotes & Sparknotes Do I really need to explain this one?? Notes, tips, easy-peasy, the stuff that makes you wonder why your professor couldn't have said it that way the first time. I love how so much on here is free. They're trying to sell their books, but hey, maybe they're just nice people! I do want to mention that they have math, science, etc. - I know I was surprised to know that these companies reach far past things like Shakespeare. (Which I don't recommend taking in college, but hey... that's another story!)
Visit the site advertised all over your textbook! I think I forgot to mention this before, but most textbooks these days have a URL directing you to some sort of "Online Learning Center." They're always helpful, and depending on the subject, I've seen some completely packed with practice quizzes, outlines, games, virtual flashcards, and so much more.
PDF Hammer - add/delete/rearrange pages of a PDF, no software necessary!
You Convert It That crazy professor of yours like to send documents in weird formats? This site to the rescue! On YouConvertIt, you can easily convert just about any type of picture, video, document, audio file, or archive into any other format. Bonus: save any YouTube (or Google Video) to your computer, send a big file to a friend without jamming their inbox, or take "Convert" to the most literal level and click over to find the most sophisticated conversion tool I've ever seen. How many ounces are in a gallon? Simple. In nursing school like me? There's a "Flow rate" category. Science nerd? Electricity, light years, and all kinds of words I've honestly never seen in my life.
MindMeister - Need to do some brainstorming or mind-mapping? This is the place! Check out the interactive demo on the homepage.
Free Graph Paper (and more! Graph, notebook, accounting, musical, dots, engineering... you name it!)
Pocket-Mod (my favorite! Indispensable for nursing students doing clinical rotations! Great for many other uses and seriously fun to make! Watch the video to make it easier.)
MORE RESOURCES
Librarian Chick The side of her page clearly says she supports "Free Educational Resources," and she's not kidding. Among other features, her site boasts nearly 30 topics, each with a clearly organized list of legitimate, free places around the internet to help with all kinds of learning, researching, organizing, and project creation. Some of the topics are actual subjects as well, so no matter your major, you're sure to find valuable learning resources too! Thi s isn't a quick-visit site. If you really want to utilize the best that the internet has to offer, you can definitely spend awhile checking out all the links here.
Crazy Miracle (because I have tons more I'm excited to share!)
_._._._
Whew! There you have it. That's my college toolbox in a nutshell. How about you? I hope you find some of these resources really useful. All it takes is one person to show you something that can make your life a lot easier, and my wish is that I have been able to show you a thing or two to do just that! :)
Apology: Also in Part 1, I miscited a fabulous Ning social group for nurses. NursesConnect is now CampusRN2RN. The site can be accessed at http://www.campusrn2rn.com/ .
Last Friday, I was the featured guest blogger on my friend's site, Hey Stephanie! I kicked off my 3-part series of college/productivity tools on the internet by exploring the social media-geared options. (Stephanie is a social media guru!) The response to the first post was really great - I was excited to see a lot of you started trying out new services and sites that you had never heard of before. I hope you continue to enjoy those resources as well as these, as we kick off Part 2! (Part 3 will go live - here on my site - on Wednesday, and if you missed Part 1, it's over at Stephanie's.)
And I can't help but tell you a little secret... I have so many research paper hacks I'm dying to share, so next time I have to write a major paper, guess what? ;-) And I have a few favorite note-taking tricks, too. See, I'm just all about the secrets.... I'm a school pro. That could be good or bad. lol But we all know that too much school = bad. So 1-2-3, series over, so don't expect them next week or anything. :) But here we go... Quick review:
This really is not my focus, but I do want to touch on it because a few small things can truly make a huge difference...
You need a quiet study spacewhere you can focus without distractions, but you also can't make it so cold that you feel like you're locked in a jail cell. Keep the noise low (but non-distracting music has actually been proven to help concentration for some people so if it helps, keep it!)
I like to keep all of my most important textbooks right on the shelf of my desk for easy access. If your major has any vital go-to books, keep those within an arm's reach at all times, too. Keep pens, pencils, highlighters... whatever you prefer, and make sure you have good lighting. (Trust me, this always works on moms - "But Mom, my eyes hurt and you always said doing work in the dark would ruin my eyes. I think I believe you now...." Play those cards, baby...)
Take the time NOW to get your classes organized into binders with dividers (or whatever system works for you) in the beginning. Somehow it just doesn't end up being productive when, in November, you realize you can't study for finals with your notes somewhere between three stacks of random papers, so you head to Staples to buy a binder and some dividers.
Do you have a calendar? Dry Erase boards are definitely fun for dorms, but get something that you can dedicate to yourself only, and make it something that you can easily take on the go or hang. My solution to this is to print a monthly calendar at ePrintable. I like to cut off Saturdays and Sundays, and then I write every single assignment on the day it's due. Each class gets a different color pen, and exams are a little bigger and get stars by them. Do whatever works for you, but having my school schedule in a nutshell at my access at all times is really great. I hang it on the corner of my desk where no one can see it but me, and if I need to, I can take it off and bring it to class, but I always have a special place for it when I get home. I can't believe it, but I'm showing you a top-secret peak at one of mine:
As for making the most out of a small dorm room, check out this post over at Student Hacks.
YOUR TIME
Read these posts. Read them. I don't care what else you have to do. Read.
And only because I like you. And you like movies. And probably being lazy. :) So now, I present, How to Pass the Test When You Haven't Read The Book
YOUR WEB
So your dorm's all tidied up, you know how to study in style, you have all these time hacks that have you done with tasks in no time. Plus, thanks to College Web Secrets Part 1, you are the expert on using the internet to get you answers fast. Perfect! Right? Wrong.
For one, you still need tomorrow's post which will give you a short and sweet run-down of links that you're going to wonder why you've missed your entire life. Secondly, is it really your web? Are all of your sites and services integrated to save you the most time? Are you using the most efficient browser and programs? For you blog readers, are you still checking your favorites by hand, or have you learned how to use a "feed reader"? On Friday, I went over several products and services that could very well fit under this category, but they mostly shared one trait: being somehow "social media"-related. Here's a few of my all-time favorites that will make your life easier, simply by simplifying. (And honestly, it would take hours to go into detail about all of these, so for a few, I'm going to link you to articles and reviews that I have handchosen just for you.)
Feed reader - you need one! My favorite is Google Reader. Some like Bloglines. There are many others. This video is actually fun and it'll tell you all you need to know!
Evernote - integrate your life on your computer, cell, internet, whatever. This document/image/hosting/whatever-you-wanna-call-it/does-it-all is amazing and free. Yeah I know, I didn't believe it either!
I Want Sandy Oh, may I do the honors? Sandy is my personal assistant. See, anytime I think of something I should be doing or should do on a certain date, I just shoot her off an email, a text message, a tweet (on Twitter), etc. She gets it, confirms it (unless I want to turn off confirmations), and then I'm off on my merry way. So what's that? Part 3 of Amanda's College Tips goes up on Wednesday? Not a problem - you could whip out your phone, text Sandy: "r wed amanda's blog college post" and on Wednesday, in your daily digest (a run-down of the day's events), there it would be! Ahh, Sandy, she's my girl! I don't use her for actual calendar-type things, but for a to-do list of sorts, or especially "remind me every October 1 that Grandma's birthday is coming up" or "remind me in 6 months..."... you know, things you don't want sitting on your brain but you really want to trust that it's taken care of. I was skeptical at first, but Sandy's never let me down. I can send her the most abbreviated to-do list and she sends me back an exact confirmation run-down within seconds. Amazing. She's awesome! Don't You Want Sandy Too? (Another review)
HONORABLE MENTION
Looking for sites to integrate your entire school experience? They're new and not anything I'm ready to use yet (I've tried them both), but given the chance and a little more time, here are two up-and-coming sites you may want to check out. My Grademate and My SchooLog.
That’s all for Part 2!
I hope you enjoyed it. Don’t forget to check back Wednesday for the last part, our Toolbox of Bookmarks. I'll sharing lots of other links plus my favorite free service-sites for doing things that would have taken a ridiculous amount of time or cost a pretty penny a few years ago! And there's a lot! :)
And as always, let me know what you thought. And final call for any perplexing school-web-college-studying-whatever questions. :) Do you use any of these sites already? Do you have other favorites you want to share? Definitely let me know and if they're not already on my list for Wednesday, I'll give you and your blog a shout-out!
And from me, to you.... (umm, or from that site on the bottom of the picture, lol)
Watch out for this:
You may laugh, but it happens to the best of us! Combat it with the productivity tips! :)
I am 22 & currently spend my days nannying my itty bitties + going to college (working on my nursing degree, goal: pediatric oncology) & am honored to be a published writer in a nursing anthology & a contributor to many scrapbooking publications. i love hanging with my amazing friends, sister & family. i love my baby puppy haylie brooke and our silly doggie ri-ri. in my rare spare time, i read & get crafty. i thrive on organization, my mac repertoire, learning & absolute fabulosity. my favorite place in the world is paris. my favorite color is pink. i love being a nurse & i believe each one of my patients is precious. i'm a night owl & wish my lifestyle promoted such habits. i like lazy jammie days. i believe in god and am thankful for his hand on my life. i believe that life is too short to be anything but happy, & i’m thankful that a chronic liver disease + the effects of a car accident have taught me important values that most people learn far too late. i hope that the world will find hope, and my idea of a good day is one in which i made someone smile :)
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Next up, do you realize Christmas is less than 12 weeks away? I have no idea how I'm going to pull it off this year, you know, while I'm busting my butt in nursing school and trying to even just barely maintain sanity. I have a feeling lots of you are feeling the same way, and I'm loving Simple Mom who has a plan. 12 Weeks to a Peaceful Christmas. (Yeah I laughed too at first, but I think she's onto something!) First up, Week 12: Prepare Your Holiday Budget and great topics each week until Christmas. She has plans and downloads, and I think I might just be able to pull it off. I love you, Simple Mom!
