Just My Journal

"Do you want to wait in the car? Or do you want to help start the fire?" Nic asked. It was a cool December night, and the prospect of starting a fire didn't enthuse me. "I'll stay here," I said. As he walked away, I grabbed my phone to update my roommates. It took him a couple of minutes before he came back. Enough to tell them how it was a weird date and how he's nice but I'm not sure yet. The fire was nice, warm. Two chairs were set up, side by side. Nic put a lantern on a tree branch to light our way back. It didn't take long for us to kiss under the stars. It was intense, the kind of kiss where explosions go off in the background. The scent of bonfire lingered long after we left his backyard, and as the fire died out ours didn't. He lead me from the fire pit back the house where we spent the night in the basement. Well, most of the night. I left at 3 AM because I had class the next day, not to mention my roommates were wondering where I...

When people ask how I met you, I like to answer with "online." Although that's the simplified answer, it's the truth. The long answer, we met through an app called Whisper . If you've never used Whisper it's a confession app. People post about anything and everything there. Me? I was posting about my relationship life, or lack of one probably. I don't remember what the confession was that got us talking, probably something along the lines of "just a nice girl looking for a nice guy." You say that you messaged first, although I beg to differ. That's something we still disagree about to this day. We didn't message long before you mentioned dinner. Applebee's for wings. But instead of meeting at the restaurant, you wanted to meet in a parking garage. I was skeptical, to say the least. You wanted to meet there because there were cameras so my car wouldn't get stolen or something like that. And while the cameras made me feel a littl...

Saving money is important. As if you needed this blog post to tell you that. But how do you save money? And while not all of the tips I'm going to share with you are feasible for everyone, hopefully, you'll read at least one thing that applies to you. Start looking for jobs before you graduate Yes, you do have a grace period after college before loan payments start. But trust me, those six months will fly by. Between the application process, interviews, and finding time between classes to travel for interviews, the earlier you start this process the better. I was lucky enough to find a nursing job before I graduated from college. It is in Milwaukee which is close to my hometown. Which leads me to my next tip... Consider moving back home after college I know, I know. Moving back home sounds like the worst thing ever. You've already been out of the house for a couple years and moving back home means sacrificing your independence. But if your home life isn't terrible...

That my choices should be knowledge-based, not fear based. Almost every mother says it (I know my mom does). That one phrase that makes you a little more wary as you walk on the street at night, "the worlds a dangerous place." These simple words stick with you and now you're suddenly hyper-aware of everything around you. But as dangerous as the world is, I knew myself. I listened to my gut and I was fine. I kept my head high, I knew where I was, and I made sure other people knew where I was as well. One of my friends even said they knew if they were with me, nothing was going to happen. It's not about avoiding situations because of potential dangers. That's no way to live your (college) life. But it's about knowing them and taking precautions. I probably wasn't as good with money as I thought. I never asked my parents for money. I was pretty aware of what my bank account was because my card didn't get declined. But I didn't stick to a budget....

Although a little late compared to others, I'm finally able to say #MeToo... I didn't want to because that guy on the street catcalling me didn't do me any harm, at least not physically. I kept my head high, brushed it off and kept walking towards my destination. Hell, it was even a bit of an ego boost. But I don't remember what he said and to me, and that was enough to convince me that he didn't matter. He wasn't anything more than a guy on the street. I didn't want to because when I started college, I hadn't had my first kiss yet, so when someone seemed interested in me I jumped. I met him in the science building. He was nice enough... but not really my type. But the prospect of finally having my first kiss pushed that thought to the back of my head. We went from one study date to watching movies in his small dorm room on campus. The kiss itself was underwhelming. But it wasn't the kiss that scared me. It was what he did next. How his hand wand...

Hello again! It's been a good two years since I last updated my skin care routine, and it's been a while since I told you about some of my empties - so why not combine the two. Let's start with empties. Age Perfect Cell Renewal Day Cream  by L'Oreal is a good day cream, but it doesn't absorb into my face as fast as I would like and left it feeling a little too oily than I would prefer. Probably wouldn't buy again... And now for (empty) skin care. During high school, I was one of the lucky ones who didn't have too much acne. Maybe it's partially thanks to birth control. But I was only acne prone during puberty, at which time I had bangs which I think contributed to my forehead breakouts. Once I got to college, my acne took a turn for the worse. I looked at facial mapping, watched beauty influencers on YouTube for the best products, and went to a couple dermatologists. What the dermatologists forgot to account for was my change in location. I rec...

(This will be continuously updated as I find mnemonics I like) Remember, the best mnemonics are the ones you actually remember!  If you aren't going to remember it, or can't remember it easily, then there's no reason you should be using brain space for it. Nursing Process (AD PIE) Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation Remember before administering something (like a pain medication), you have to assess ABCD's Airway, Breathing, Circulation (bleeding), disability (neuro check) Do not  delegate what you can EAT! Evaluate, Assess, Teach  + An unstable patient or medications  Airborne Precautions MTV on the AIR waves... measles, TB, varicella, VRSA  Private room, negative pressure, N95 mask Electrolyte Range Acronym Miss Piggy & Kermit Came Home on Cloud Nine Magnesium, phosphorus, potassium (K), calcium, bicarbonate (HCO3), chloride, sodium (Na) The electrolytes go in increasing ranges  Magnesium 1.5-2...