Semester Winding Down

I have a total of 5 classes left for this semester and it is over. I have one more lab class left which is Thursday, and I have 4 lecture classes left. Next week, I will be D-O-N-E!!

I got the results of my test from lecture and I got an 88. While this is good, there were 4 questions that I second guessed on that I should have gotten correct. And the stinky thing was that 2 questions were tied together and the other two were tied together, so if you got one wrong then you got the other one wrong, too. Ugh. I am so frustrated with myself. I'd be happy with that 88 if I got that without all the second guessing, but I know I could have done better than that!! So, I'm frustrated. The good news is that I have figured out that I could get an 80 or higher on the last test, and I will have an A in the class. I should be fine with getting at least that.

I'm really glad I was able to get into this class, as when I first went to register, the class was already full. But I really enjoyed this professor, I learned a lot, and I've worked on my test taking skills some. I'm looking forward to next semester when I take Microbiology and I am hoping it is as interesting as it seems its going to be.

I had my last quiz in my lab class last Thursday and all that's left is my Final Practical test. I went to the lab at the library today to study the models and the slides. I think I've got just about everything down, except for a few slides which I will be working on just about every night this week. Technically, I can probably get a 70 on the final and still make it out of the class with an A, but, I would like to hold onto having the highest grade out of either of my professor's two classes for both the mid-term and finals both last semester and this semester. Really does it matter? No. But it kind of makes me feel like I've accomplished something, considering I graduated high school with a 2.9 GPA and got a 930 on the SAT's! Not very impressive.

While I know it is a lot harder to go to school while I am a mother to two kids, I am almost certain I would not have done as well as I am doing now had I gone to college right out of high school. Now, I guess there's always the possibility I would have been able to figure things out and pull up the grades, but I still think I'm doing better than I would have done if I had gone then.

We're finishing up the semester in the Reproductive System and I think its great since right now I think I want to work in OB. I feel very strongly about this, however, I am keeping an open mind through nursing school to the other fields I will be exposed to for anything else that may peak my interest. Honestly though, I feel like I will come out on the other side still wanting to work in OB. I'm already learning a lot in the Reproductive System, and its really fascinating.

That's about all I have to say today. I will have a glorious 2 weeks off starting the 29th until I have to start the new semester, and I can't wait. It's amazing what a little time off does for you.

Busy and Boring

Things have been pretty busy and boring in the school department. Tomorrow I have my second to last test in my A&P lecture class. This test covers the Digestive and Urinary Systems. I have a lot to remember, and am actually going to go over some notes shortly, but I am hoping to get at least a high B on this test to help keep my A average. I got a 92 on my last test, which was Respiratory and Lymphatic Systems. I tried really hard to not correct any answers that I started second guessing, and I tried to think about my answers. I went with my first instinct and I think it helped. There was one question I knew the answer to, but I tricked myself into thinking it was a trick, and it wasn't. Oh well. I am going to work on my critical thinking skills during my downtime between Winter and Summer semester, between Summer and Fall semester, and between Fall and Winter semester (the time right before I start the nursing program). I have a really neat looking book I saw at my school's bookstore that I bought online cheaper that I am going to use. The nursing program is going to really hone in on nothing BUT critical thinking, so I need to make sure I do well in that aspect.

As for my lab class, I only have two more classes left! This Thursday, I have a quiz, and then we will be reviewing for our Final Practical, which is a fancy name for a test, but its all models and microscopes. I actually have been behind on my studying for my final, but my grades are very good, so even if I do so-so, I will still get an A. I currently have 237 pts out of 244, and I only need a total of 358 to get an A. My quiz is worth 48 pts, and the final is worth 100, and there is about 8-12 extra credit points I can earn as well between the two tests. I would still like to do well, however, I don't have to completely freak out about it.

In other news, I have about 3 weeks left before I turn in my nursing school application. I will probably receive an answer within two weeks of that, however, they say it could take a month, even though its always been sooner than that. I'm feeling pretty good about it and so far, I am not stressing over it too much. But that can all change as the time gets closer. Good thing is that I only have about 2 weeks off, and then Summer semester begins, so I will have my mind occupied with school to help keep my mind of nursing school acceptance emails.

Check back in a few days for a test grade update, and anything else I may have to say.

Upcoming Tests and Whatnots

Well, I have my 3rd of 5 tests in my A&P2 lecture class on Monday. This test will be on the Lymphatic and the Respiratory Systems. I must say, I learned quite a bit of information, and I am hoping to do well on this test. I have a lot of studying to do this weekend, and I'm just hoping that when I'm actually taking the test that I don't make the silly, second-guessing mistakes I usually make. I've learned that they aren't lying when they say, "Go with your first instinct/answer." Every time I've doubted myself and went back and changed the answer, the new answer was wrong and the first one was correct, yet, somehow when I am taking the test, I convince myself that "this time" the new answer will be the correct one.

In my lab, I have been trying to keep it on the DL that I was the one who got the 104, yet one of my classmates from last semester has now changed my name to 104. "Hi, 104, how are you today?" "What's up 104?" Sigh. Our next test is this week as well on Thursday. This test is on the Digestive and Urinary Systems. Guess what I can do? I can tell you the flow of bile from your Liver (and Gallbaldder) to your small intestines. Yay. After some studying this week, I will also be able to tell you the flow of urine from your kidneys and out of your bladder, as I am sure you were interested in knowing.

After this, in lab, the next thing we are doing is the Reproductive System and Embyology. I am BEYOND excited about this part and I can't wait. In my lecture class, we will be starting the Digestive and Urinary Systems next, and then we will also conclude with the Reproductive System as well.

I was able to register for next semester FINALLY this week. I registered for Microbiology lecture and lab, and Human Growth and Developement, which is a pyschology class that I will eventually need for a Bachelor's degree. I am pretty excited about my Micro class, but I heard that it will be EXTREMELY challenging. Apparently, the professor, who is great, so I hear, basically tells the class that if you can pass him with a C or higher, you will make it in nursing school. So, we'll see. It's a lot of critical thinking, which, I am horrible at. I never think outside the box. And when I do, I am too afraid to answer the question wrong, I don't try. I am really going to have to push myself with this class. I won't be too worried about this "grade" in this class as I am with my others, since it is not a pre-req for the program. The only GPA they look at is from the pre-reqs, but at the same time, I am going to work hard and try to do my best. I am just going to try to be happy with B's and C's (hopefully not too many of these). I think Micro is going to be interesting, so I hope I am not disappointed.

I got my first of the vaccines I need the other day- Hepatitis B. This series in particular, requires 3 seperate shots. You get the first one, then come back a month later for the second, and then six months later for the third. So, I started on this one for now, since its going to take a while to complete. I am starting to get all my ducks in a row. I can't even believe its near time to get ducks in their rows, but I am trying to be as organized as I can. I've even already filled out my nursing program application, which was actually just a form asking my name and address and a few other questions.

Anyway, that's all for now. T-Minus 48 days until I turn in my application in.

Midterm Results Are In!

Since I was away on vacation, I completely forgot my professor said we could email him for our midterm grades sometime after this past Monday. Well, today I remembered, so I emailed him to find out. I got his response within a couple of hours and this is what his email said:

"Best one. 104. Good job. Suuuuuuuuuper.
Enjoy the break.
See you soon."

The most you can get was 106, I believe, since there was 3 extra credit questions. While I figured I had an A, I was very excited to see I had the highest grade. I don't know what it is about the anatomy models, but for some reason I do really well with them, and that is basically what my midterm and final practicals are made up of. There were several microscopes in which I had to answer questions based on looking at slides, and there were two stations I believe that had a real pig heart that I had to identify whatever he was pointing at. There was on station with a question on identifying the blood type based on what was set out for us to look at (a tray with fake blood that had A, B and Rh antibodies added and based on what we saw, or didn't see, we can determine the blood type) .Other than that, they were all anatomy models.

School starts back up again on Monday, so look for more updates coming up next week. Next test: World Religion on Saturday, March 14th. Sigh. This is seeming to be my hardest class this semester.

Test Results Are In.....

Well, some of them, at least. Tonight I took my midterm practical. I won't have those results until sometime next week, thanks to my professor, who offered to email us our grades after the weekend. This is good news to me, who is a very impatient when waiting for exam grades.

Anyway, yesterday I had my lecture class and the grades for our second test was posted. I knew there were a few questions I absolutely made mistakes on once I walked out of class that day. I knew the right answers but second guessed some and I was careless. So there was at least 2-3 questions I knew I could have gotten correct but didn't. I ended up with an 86, which, is indeed a very decent score. I will probably complain about these types of scores because I really need an A in this class. As I have mentioned before, the program is getting more and more competitive and its based on GPA not a waiting list. If I were to get a B in this class, that may be the factor that earns me a denial email letter rather than an acceptance email letter.

Tonight after my midterm, we were given our quiz grades. I got a 43/48, which basically translates to a 90. I do feel that I did very well on the midterm, so I am excited to be getting that grade back soon.

Check back sometime next week to see if there is an update with my midterm grade. Otherwise, I am officially on Spring Break. No school until March 15th, which means no updates until after that.

After Spring Break, we will be studying the Lymphatic System and the Respiratory System in my lecture class. In my lab class, we will be starting the Digestive System.

Well, that's all for now, folks. I am pretty beat, and I have a lot to do for my Spring Break trip tomorrow!

Three Down, One To Go

Well, it's Monday, and I now only have one more test left to take on Thursday night. I almost feel like I am done because this will be the easiest of the 4 tests, at least I think. Its a big one, no doubt, but I do REALLY well on the mid-term and final practicals. There's just something about the models that I seem to just get. I pick up the parts easily, and then I'm pretty much just reviewing and reviewing over and over because I am scared I don't know it. Then I take my test, and I realized I knew it all along. So, I'm not nearly as stressed as I had been, but I gather come Thursday, I may feel a little stressed out. Just a little. Actually, I probably will feel incredibly stressed out, because on Friday, Ray and I are taking a little trip out to see his sister and her hubby for almost a week. With out the kids. Nice. Well, nice and not nice. We will miss them dearly, but I can say that after this week, I will definitely need a little vacation time.

Anyway, this blog it about school, and I'm not really talking about school, so I better get back on task. I had my A&P lecture exam today, and felt pretty bummed after taking it. I know that I passed. I'm pretty sure I did at least OK enough to snag myself a B. But I know that I made a couple of mistakes and it really got me down. How can I take a test where I have to think critically, and not answer the questions correctly and expect to pass nursing school where I am thinking critically ALL THE TIME?? My problem is I know the answers (well, some of the time) but I second and third guess myself, and I don't trust myself, and then I change my answers, only to find out that usually, the answers I changed were right the first time. Go figure.

I must take this time to share with you how incredibly wonderful my husband is. While I was expressing these same feelings and emotions with him on the phone after class, he told me how much he believes that I can do this and that I will do this, and it was so touching. He said that if he had any doubt whatsoever, I wouldn't even be in school right now, and that he knows I make it, and I will finish. Is that a great guy, or what? I am pretty lucky, huh?

But I still have my fears. I've never done anything like this before. I've never got all A's and B's in school before. I've never applied to a program that was pretty competitive to get into and that requires a pretty decent GPA. I can't believe I may be applying as early as a little over 2 months from now, and I'll tell you what, I'm scared. I'm afraid. I won't lie. But I know I'll get through it. Surely there have been others who have survived nursing school before, right?

(As of now, I do not know any results from 2 out of my 3 tests I've taken so far. I did get an 80 on my World Religion test, but it was my fault for not putting much time into studying, so I will definitely be putting more time in for the next test. I'll post the other results as soon as I get them).

One Down, Three To Go

The hectic week has arrived. Last night was the first of 4 tests I have this week. Ironically, the one I am most worried about is the one I have tomorrow morning in my World Religion class. I guess mostly it's due the the "fear of the unknown." I haven't had a test in this class before, so I don't know what to expect on the test. I'm sure that after tomorrow, I will be fine, but I am a worry wort and I can't help it. I have a test on Monday and my last test is my midterm practical exam on Thursday. After that, I will go on vacation with Ray for a week, and man, will I need it! I'll post test score updates as I get them. I don't know when I will get tomorrow's grade since I don't have class again until March 14th in that class. My midterm I will get about 2 weeks later- the week after we don't have class due to Spring Break, so I have to wait until the week after when I have class again, unless my professor is gracious enough to email it to me.

That's all for now. Must. Go. Study!