To say I've ignored my dearest friends, acquaintances, and entire family 98.7% of the time for two months might be an understatement. And I'm so sorry. I chronically over-commit. It's my own problem. My excuse was "this is my final semester, why not" but mid-way through that's not sounding so logical anymore. I am now struggling through a mild case of misery while completing the last semester of nursing school.
Progress report: when I spoke earlier about ending to my over-commitment by declining a committee invitation because of time constraints, the leader convinced me to remain on board to assist with the project and I would be exempted from all board meetings. And you know what? I folded like origami. Progress grade: D-
My family is extremely supportive, as well as most of my friends (it's difficult, 'tho, to see who truly cares and understands, and who, well, doesn't). But they're still scratching their heads as to how nursing school and adjacent projects could "be so hard", so here's the gist what I'm doing.
- State Breakthrough to Nursing (BTN) Director for the Alabama Association of Nursing Students, which includes monthly conferences either in Birmingham or via phone; I assist with projects occurring statewide and will host a BTN event for children in Huntsville this April.
- Chair of Community Health and on the Legislative board for UAH's chapter of NSNA, which includes monthly meetings at UAH; I've coordinated and completed one community event and am planning another, which will be presenting health maintenance information on two evenings for the local community free clinic; researched, conducted surveys, wrote a legislative document and am completing a research paper on ADD/ADHD symptom management through recess in schools; the legislation will be presented at NSNA national conference in Orlando Fl and the research document presented at the UAH Honors Day in April and published in a scholastic journal, if accepted.
- Precepting in the STICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit) x fourteen PM-AM shifts
- Group leader for the Community project involving selecting a local community group, surveying them, creating a 55-slide assessment powerpoint, designing an intervention program, implementing the program, analyzing the project; coordinating agency days and completing appropriate assignments.
- Mentoring peers who need assistance in passing the HESI; I develop a study plan based on the topics the students request and then meet for 4- three hour sessions to tutor and review all the content, HESI book, and NCLEX questions; this wasn't voluntary, a group of us were selected by the course manager to mentor, it's punishment.
- Assisting with the planning and art production of Let's Pretend Hospital, a week-long event hosted by a local hospital and UAH Nursing Department collaboratively, happening next week.
- Attending every single lecture.
Or babysitting, modeling, and exercising.
This post took 45 minutes of my valuable sleep time to compose, but I feel much, much better after writing it all out. And accomplished. When I feel terrible about declining events and postponing dates and hiding from friends and hardly ever working my job, this list will kinda justify and kinda vindicate me.
Until May. May 12th. And it'll be all done.
Oh and by the way, my professional resume is beautiful.
ADDENDUM: My mom's response:
That's my Kait....get out of her way!!!!! and when she falls its BIG and its LOUD and then ......very still and quiet for about 10-12 hours!!! snoozing away... so angelic and peaceful.........and then she arises and gets a goin' agin!!
oh dear.....sigh......if u will tell me when you will be home and what time i will fix you a very healthy dinner! does that help? low-cal, non GMO, organic.....
luv, Mom ;-*
Posts
