Dancing in a new place...

Since I'm not technically "at Valpo" anymore, I decided it was best just to start a new blog.

You can follow the exciting happenings of my "adult" life here:

The Chance to Find Yourself


Thanks so much for reading!
-Vickie

Don't Forget to Remember Me...

Well, my time at Valpo has officially come to a close, and I can’t believe how fast the last four years has gone. I’ve met some really great people, many of whom I will miss dearly as we start the next stages in life.

To my family who came to visit and support me through my various activities- thanks for cheering and clapping for me when appropriate, and sharing your Valpo secrets, not to mention paying the bill. I couldn’t have done it without you.



To my nursing friends- We did it!! We survived Pepa lectures and Kessler exams, Brandy’s 8ams and Nola’s jokes, and I can’t thank you enough for suffering through it all with me. I’m so excited to see where you all end up, and can’t wait to hear about the great nurses you’ve become. Congrats!

To my Alumni 4/5W family- Thanks so much for making me fall in love with Valpo from the very beginning. Even though we may not have spent as much time together over the last few years, some of my very favorite memories can be found in those halls.

To the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon, past and present- Thank you for hosting my favorite dance parties and letting me spend far too much time at your house. There was no better place to slip-n-slide, dance the night away or just watch movies on the dance floor. You boys are the best, enjoy the 11 sets of SPE letters I made in my career.

To my various roommates over the years- thanks for showing me how important it is to pick up after myself, and for dealing with my match-a-holic ways. RM- thanks for the priceless laughs, mostly at your expense, and the many messages you’ve left on my voicemail over the years. I can’t imagine a better roommate, and will miss you trying to crawl in bed with me, not to mention hours of NCIS.

To my co-workers who turned into some of my best friends- I will truly miss Friday afternoons in the office, and wouldn’t have wanted to spend my time anywhere else. I don’t think many people laugh that hard while still getting (some) work done. If people don’t choose Valpo after getting a tour from you, then they’re crazy.

To elle dub, Jamesy and Bethy, thanks for listening to me vent and reminding me that life exists outside of my little bubble. Thanks for accompanying me to numerous parties and never leaving me by myself.

And finally, to the boy who took care of me and made me feel special, I can’t say thank you enough. For calming me down when I started to freak out, countless hours spent driving to/from the airport, numerous movies and dinner dates- all of it and more- Thank you. I can’t imagine a better person to have learned so many lessons from.




To all of you- college wouldn’t have been the same without each one of you, and because of you, I can look back on the last four years fondly and smile. So thank you.

But as my friend Carrie says:
sometimes moving on with the rest of your life starts with goodbye.

Love and miss already-

YAY!

I passed!!! And this weekend, I’m doing a little pole pumping of my own. **

Thursday was my exit exam from the nursing program. A three year cumulative test that determines graduation eligibility can be a bit intimidating, and I was SO relieved when I passed. Thank god for instant results… I don’t know how people survived waiting for their results back in the day. I went out with a few of my nursing friends last night and it was so nice to be able to fully relax. I will miss my fellow nursing students- classmates who turned into friends after years of classes and countless study sessions in the library. There’s a bond formed during stressful exam weeks and early morning clinicals that most students probably don’t experience. I’m glad we all got to celebrate passing together last night, and will continue to do so for the final few weeks before graduation.

Go ahead, ask- So, Vickie, what are you doing after graduation?

Well, I’m headed east to Maryland to celebrate Sissy’s masters and then hanging out with the DePriest fam (and more likely Oscar) as I spend the next few weeks studying for the NCLEX-RN, or my nursing boards. After that, I’m headed back out west to work at Riverview Bible Camp just outside of Spokane, WA for the summer. It’s the camp my Rolling Hills students are going to this year, so I’ll still get to see them, and close enough to Portland that I can (relatively) easily get back to watch my three best friends get married in July and August. After the third wedding, I’m headed back to Maryland where I plan on moving in with Liz and Billy short term as I search for a real nursing job in the DC/Baltimore area.

I’m excited. For graduation, and seeing family. For some time off and two cross-country road trips. For summer camps and watching my friends get married. Mostly, I’m just excited to see what the next stage in life has to offer. Bring it, world!

(** I wrote this at the beginning of the weekend, but have been fighting with blogspot for a few days, so it's just now being posted. In the mean time, I bowled, slept in, shakespeared, dance partied, toured, watched exciting baseball from right behind home plate (thanks Jeff!) birthday partied, songfested and congratulated my friends during the Outstanding Senior Award dinner... I'd say it was a good weekend! )

4 weeks til I’m a… college graduate?!?!

That’s right folks, four weeks from today I’ll be dying of heat exhaustion in a black robe in the ARC. (along with many of you, who will be annoyed that the CoN is last in the lineup) I still can’t wrap my head around it.

What I have noticed is a lot of “lasts” that I’ve been experiencing the past few weeks, and will continue to do so until that glorious? fateful? Sunday. This week I have my last college test ever (which happens to be a four year cumulative exit exam, no big deal) followed by my last SigEp dance party and my last class presentation (which includes the last time I have to write the Valpo honor code.) It seems like just yesterday I was excited about all of my “firsts” of college, and in the blink of an eye it will all be over. Yikes.

Practicum is going really well! Because I’m at an outpatient infusion center, I’m pretty spoiled. I get to pick my own hours, which aren’t midnights or weekends since they aren’t open then. We have drug reps that bring us yummy lunch everyday. I don’t really do much assessment or have to balance a normal patient load since all of the nurses and medical assistants work together. Those things will probably come back to haunt me, but I’m going to be amazing at blood draws and IVs by the time I’m done. I’ve already hit more veins (all but 1 successfully!) than many of my classmates will get to try and I’m only about halfway done. Ports are cake and so much more helpful when they go both ways (seriously Dad- much easier for the nurses). I have no doubt that I’ll be an expert at hanging IV drugs and pushing chemo by the time I’m done. I’m all caught up on the gossip at the office too, which I’ve learned is an important part of nursing wherever you go. The women that I work with are funny and very knowledgeable, and the doctors seem nice, but I try to stay out of their way. We usually have about a hundred patients come through our door each day, so we stay pretty busy.

We had our last Valpo Visit Day on Saturday, and it went really well, despite colder than ideal temperatures and fewer AIAs than normal. I’m training people to take over my jobs in the admissions office, and slowly but surely releasing responsibility- and it feels great.

Hopefully, a week from tomorrow, I’ll be done with all of my academic responsibilities, and able to just sit back, relax and enjoy my last few weeks as an undergraduate.

love and miss-

I'm Celebrating...

Why?
1) It’s my last Monday of school. Technically I’ll still be a student doing nursing things for the next 6 weeks, but I’m done with “school” as of this Thursday at 4:50pm. Or more realistically 3:45, which is probably when I’ll finish my final final.
2) Today and more notably last night, is (was?) the last Admitted Student Day I have to coordinate. It didn’t go off without hitches and glitches, but it’s over and I can kiss it goodbye after two and a half years of slaving over prospective-host match ups and dealing with flaky college students.
3) We’re supposed to have GREAT weather this weekend, and I can’t wait to celebrate being done with classes out in the sunshine.

Also, Sissy and some of her grad school friends have launched this great new blog- Scholar Style Guide. Since I’m the obnoxious little sister, I’m going to continue my celebration by copying their introductions (while I wait for Grinders to open so I can get back to this care plan). Be sure you check out the real thing here. I’m certainly not doing it any justice.

My focus as a student (because I don’t believe I’m a scholar in anything, nor do I plan on being so anytime soon) is on nursing- oncology nursing to be exact. I start my practicum at a large outpatient infusion center one week from today, and I couldn’t be more excited. I also love kids and my eventual career goal is to be a pediatric oncology clinical nurse specialist. Maybe when that happens I’ll consider myself a “scholar.”

I began dressing with intention when I got to college and realized that Disney shirts weren’t nearly as cool as I thought they were. To be honest, I’m not sure that I dress with intention very often at all, but as I transition from college student to working woman, I guess that will have to happen. One of the joys of going to school in the Midwest is that fashion here is still a few years behind the coasts, so what was cool in Oregon when I started college is cool now at Valpo. I’ve spent the last two summers working with junior high and high school students, and like my sister, decided that dressing more professional was one of the few ways to earn more respect.

My personal style is a mix of typical college student, typical Oregonian-hipster and classic professional, as evidenced by my new found love of Express. I’m a sucker for a cute headband, but can’t stand skinny jeans even though they’d probably look good on me. I’ve never purchased anything from Urban Outfitters, but I love a few hipster trends, like structured jackets and cute hats. I’ve learned the art of the fashionable scarf-and-coat combo while going to school in lake effect.

My biggest style hurdle comes from having a job that requires “Valpo-wear” and a profession/student uniform that consists of scrubs that are so big I feel like I’m playing dress up, which certainly doesn’t help the fact that I look 17 anyway. And while some might say I have the “perfect societal” body, trying to dress said body can be a challenge, especially when I am perpetually cold.

My current style mentors are Lauren Conrad and Victoria Beckham. I think LC does a good job of dressing her age, especially in a casual, weekend way. Aside from my love of the Spice Girls and all things named Beckham, I agree with Victoria that sky-high heels should be a girl’s best friend, and still haven’t caught on to the “joy of flats.” Plus her ability to always look cute while still being a mother and designing a line that celebrities actually wear amazes me.


Time to get back to work. One 15-page care plan, one clinical and two finals away from freedom!

Still on Nica Time…

Well, it’s almost 10, which means I’m about ready to crash. Two weeks of getting up at 5:30 will do that to you I guess 

Spring Break 2010- Costa Rica.Nicaragua was absolutely amazing- I couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend my final break from student life. It was exactly what I needed in so many ways. Here are some highlights:

-Over the course of our 7 clinic days, my assessment skills really did get much, much better. JP and I struggled through our first diagnostic circle, forgetting to ask most of the important questions, and skipping all physical assessment other than vitals. Dr. Jorge, the local Costa Rican doctor we were working with, effectively reminded us of everything we forgot, while simultaneously intimidating the heck out of me. We shared a moment later, after I held this baby girl for a few hours and he expressed his desire to be a dad- which isn’t so intimidating.

-A fantastic homestay experience with a couple who were only a few years older than us- complete with a run to the local MegaSuper for Oreos and birthday hats, Sammi the house dog and Jeffrey, the outdoor rabbit who was much bigger than Sammi.

- Swimming in a waterfall in the middle of a Costa Rican forest (which reminded me a lot of the gorge) It was one of those “I never thought I’d be doing THIS in my lifetime” moments, and listening to the water crash in front of you while hiding behind the falls is completely exhilarating.


-Watching numerous sunsets from the comfort of a hammock, and gazing in amazement at the ridiculously starry sky over Lake Nicaragua while discussing love and life with Laura and JP each night, and all of the unexpected surprises along the way.

- Actually pulling teeth (yeah, I was the one doing it) and being a part of the removal of a rather large kidney stone from the end of a patient’s penis- both things that would NEVER happen in the States. (see, I really am a nurse… this is cool, not disgusting)


-Taking in the scenery during the daily commute in the back of a pick-up truck- complete with lakeshore and volcanoes.

- Running straight into the (warm!) Pacific Ocean following an awesome, but super sweaty, canopy tour in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua.

Looking at pictures makes me want to go back so badly, and I’m praying that at some point I’ll get to return to Ometepe Island. Short term health service trips are something that will definitely be a part of my future, and I’m more excited about being a nurse than ever. Thank you so much to all of you who helped make this trip a reality for me- it was definitely the trip of a lifetime.

"Spring" Break... finally in the sun!

In three days I leave for Central America. I’m looking forward to this trip for many reasons.
1. Current temp in Valpo:25 degrees. Costa Rica: 72. Nicaragua: 82. Get me away from this crap. I don’t think I even remember what it feels like to have the sun warm my body.
2. No cell phone, twitter, facebook or email. Being out of touch with the world is something I wish I could get away with more often.
3. I’m coming back with color, even if it is red. My poor body is practically see-through at this point.
4. I get to use the skills I’ve been learning in school to make a small difference in the world.
5. I’m not in charge, nor am I responsible for anything, once we get on the plane. I get to follow and relax- two things I think I’ve forgotten how to do.
6. Language barriers are incredibly humbling. I can usually tell when people are talking about me, and most of the time I don’t really mind. Finding other ways to communicate is always hard in the beginning, but I’m pretty good at charades, and I learn the essentials (bano, agua) pretty quickly.
7. Since I can’t really talk to people, I’ll have a lot of time to discuss with God upcoming plans for my life, and my dependence on Him always increases when I’m out of my comfort zone.
8. My assessment skills will get much, much better. One of the keys to any kind of nursing is a good assessment, and mine could probably use some work.
9. Ziplining through the jungle? Yes please.
10. Seeing my dear friend the Pacific Ocean again. I’ve missed her.


And RM designed some pretty sweet t-shirts too!

Look for pictures in a few weeks!!

Final Curtain

It's over. My dancing career as I know it, is finished, and I don't think it's hit me quite yet. This last weekend’s Dance Ensemble Spring Concert was a whirlwind of mixed emotions, and Sunday’s performance was a bit surreal. On one hand, I’m glad to get my life back. For some reason, no matter how much time you actually commit to dancing, it takes over your life, so I’m glad to add the time back into my weekly schedule. I’ll admit that I was a little disappointed with this year’s show, and certainly my role within it. I was hoping that after years of hard work, the choreographers’ would reward me with some cool pieces. The two that I was in were a lot of fun- my trio with Jayme and Melissa being my favorite- but I was still a little disappointed.

I’ve learned over the many years I’ve devoted to dance, that a little disappointment is always a part of the deal. Perhaps it was because I didn’t start dancing until 7th grade, so my technique wasn’t as advanced as others, but I never got the really cool parts- the wow factors. Instead, I got to dress up like the “evil fairy” and chase people around the dance floor. Which, I will admit, was a lot of fun, and the only reason I didn’t care that we came in dead last that year. (and who doesn’t love completely changing costumes behind a painted tarp tree)

Sissy recently talked about the character building that can come from judged sports. (not that I’m even going to try to say that dance is a sport, because we both know it’s not) She’s right. At some point along the way, you have to stop defining success as a certain score- there’s too much subjectivity and personal feelings involved. (we were once given a lower score because a judge didn’t like the movie our music came from) So you go out there, and you do your best. You hit every triple and split leap. You sell every single move, regardless of whether or not it’s the right one, and you do it all with the biggest smile your face has ever felt (piece appropriate, of course.)

And I guess that’s why I love dancing- because it’s something that I do, just for me. Because it can cure a broken heart, and a hangover and it reminds me that doing something because you love it is more rewarding than doing it for a certain score.

So yes, I will definitely miss it.


(Because you know you'd seen that picture before...)

Phew...

I'm glad this week is over. After two Admitted Student Days (which kept me in the office for 20+ hours each of the last two weeks), two clinicals, and two exams, the weekend was a more than welcomed break.

So I treated myself to a tanning package. Actually, I contributed to our VU chapter of Engineers Without Borders, and got a free two week unlimited tanning package out of the deal. So I went on Friday to enjoy my 12 minutes of electric sunshine. When I got there, they told me that my package not only included tanning, but all of the "spa" treatments as well, including the AquaMassage table. Free massage and free tanning? These are going to be the best two weeks of my life :)

I have a Dream…

And it starts with finding a job. Oh how I wouldn’t love to just be offered a really sweet job and at excellent teaching hospital in a great city. But, that hasn’t happened yet, so the application process continues. Since I know many of you may be curious, I’ve narrowed my “great city” selection down to about three different choices.

Seattle, WA- because I’m not ready to give up on the Pacific Northwest just yet. Some of my Valpo friends are moving there after graduation, I have plenty of friends from home who live/visit there often, and a cousin who was recently promoted to Assistant GM for the Mariners. Bring on the baseball.

St. Louis, MO- because graduating from Valpo actually means something to people (and employers) in the Lou, but they don’t have to deal with Lake Effect. They also have a couple of LARGE hospital systems, who are more dedicated to hiring new graduates than anywhere else I’ve seen yet.


Baltimore, MD/ Washington DC- because my sister can be very persuasive when she wants to be and free rent while I find a job sounds pretty good to me. Plus, there are a LOT of people in a small area, which means a lot of hospitals.

So far my Excel spreadsheet has about 15 different hospitals/ health systems from these locations, and I start to send out actual applications the end of February. Until then I have 4 exams, 10 clinical days and a lot of work to get done.

(Look Mim, twice in one month!)

Love and miss-

New Year, New Goals?

I’m not a big “resolutions” kind of person. I guess part of that is because I’m lazy. I am also, however, a goal driven person, and tend to write yearly goals instead. Sometimes they resemble resolutions, and sometimes they are just expectations of who I want to be come next December. Usually, I write them on the plane ride back to school. This year, however, I couldn’t figure out what to write. Since I have no real idea as to where I will be next Fall, I’ve discovered that writing goals isn’t as easy as it has been in the past. Hopefully I’ll be able to come up with a few before the month is over. (although my grandmother pointed out that I’m the member of the family who updates her blog least often, so perhaps that should be one of them…)

In other news, Christmas Break was wonderful. The first week allowed me plenty of time to catch up with my friends back in Oregon, and saying good bye felt a little weird since it wasn’t the usual “see you in May.” Other than a few weddings this summer, I’m not sure when I’ll be back. The second week gave me the chance to catch up with a lot of family that I haven’t seen in a while, and it was comforting to find that some things never change, especially at a time in life when I feel like everything is about to.

I flew from sunny, warm Southern California to the frozen tundra of Valpo. We’re currently in the middle of a winter storm warning, and I’ve seen about a foot of snow in the last week. The good news is that it has made me SO glad to be out of here in a few months. I think the weather single-handedly changed my fear of the future into excitement. I’m still rather scared about job hunting and all, but the good news is that whenever I do finally get that job, it’ll be a good one, complete with a very nice paycheck. Yes, the planner in me wants to have it all figured out as soon as possible, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that one more summer off wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

So I face the next semester with excitement. I take finals the week before Easter, and have my official exit exam near the end of April. Looks like my senior week is going to be more like senior month!

love and miss-

My brain is fried, and it's only Monday.

I watched my friend Tim walk in our December Graduation on Sunday (albeit via webcast) and it hit me that the next time it happens, I’ll be the one graduating. Mom says that I look a bit terrified in the pictures the yearbook people took of me in my cap and gown. I’m just trying to focus on getting through the rest of this week.

Honestly, since I’m only done with the first of four finals, the second of which starts in 3 hours, I should be studying. But I just figured out that I don’t even have to TAKE the final in this class to pass it, so I’m not very motivated to study. Naturally, I’m thinking about other things.

I’ll be back in West Linn in three days, for what may be the last time until Chris and Ali tie the knot.
I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping yet.
How did people study for exams before the internet and computers existed? Were they required to know as much as we are today?
I hate it when people don’t actually have finals to study for.
I wonder if experiencing my first patient death will make me wish I hadn’t chosen this profession.
The girl next to me appears to be a met major, and plagiarizing her work from the internet.
I bet plagiarism wasn’t as big of an issue back when there was no internet.
I’m going to miss having class with Professor Zentz- she’s the most amusing nursing professor I’ve had yet.
My ability to get 100% on a paper I wrote the day it was due leads me to believe I picked the wrong major.
At least next semester I’ll be able to actually spend time with patients. Only going to the hospital 3 times this fall was ridiculous. Virtual Clinical Experiences are not at all helpful.
I guess I should go back to learning about global health issues.
I wonder if I can finish this 100 question exam in under 40 minutes too.
Zoonoses here I come.

November is upon us…

And it was 72 degrees today. I can’t remember the last time I went anywhere in just a t-shirt, but today that’s exactly what I did.

I also took some time to enjoy Carrie Underwood’s new cd while driving around the Indiana countryside with my windows down. Today’s route included highway 2, to highway 6 and on to highway 149/130 to get back into Valpo. One of the few things I do love about living here is the abundance of great driving routes, when all you want to do is drive and relax. Back home, I have only one.

Last weekend I was in Phoenix for the National Student Nurses Association Midyear Conference, which was more disappointing than anything. Last year I think there were almost 150 exhibitors at the event, including hospitals from all over the country. This year there were 4 hospitals and 70 total exhibitors. Statistics show that 1 in 3 nurses who graduated with a BSN in 2009 are unemployed. When I started nursing school, I was told that I would have multiple offers before I even walked across the stage at graduation. These days, most hospitals are in hiring freezes, and a lot of nurses who recently retired are coming back to fill what positions are available. Needless to say I was glad that Southwest gave out free drinks to people who flew on Halloween, and that the guy sitting next to me who seemed to have robbed a flight attendant with the stack of free drink coupons he had, was in a sharing mood. (for the record, Bailey’s and hot chocolate is delicious)

Larger hospitals tend to have a “nurse graduate” program, and the ones that I’m looking at right now do. I’ll start applying for those positions in February/March and hope that my passion and willingness to learn can overshadow my lack of actual experience. Those jobs usually have a signing bonus, start in June, and pay for the NCLEX prep before I sit for the boards in July. Hopefully they’ll understand that the summer after graduation is typically full of weddings, and I’ll be able to help my friends celebrate, all over the country.

So that’s the best case scenario- and for the time being, my plan of action.

Right now, I’m going to watch Taylor Swift on SNL, and enjoy the fact that I don’t have to get up at 4am on Monday.

Love and miss-

p.s. Dear Starbucks- November 1st is FAR TOO EARLY to release your red Christmas cup. I will boycott you until I feel I can fully enjoy the season.

Cramming

Senior year is off with a bang. Unlike high school, there aren’t thousands of pictures to post and get people’s opinions on, or new territory to claim in the parking lot and football stands. Instead, there is cramming. Cramming of schoolwork into the little amount of time I want to devote to it. Cramming friends into cars for spontaneous adventures. Cramming books and binders into my bag to that I don’t have to walk to campus more than once in a day. Most of all, cramming many many memories and time spent with good friends into the last few months of my childhood.

Luckily, I’ve spent most of my life cramming, so I’ve gotten pretty good at it by now.

Time management is supposed to be mastered freshman year, and for the most part, it was. But I wasn’t as interested in getting the most out of every week back then. In those days I had years of college left, and more time to sleep than I ever needed. Both of those things have abandoned me.

Sleep happens when it can. I figure I can sleep when I’m out in the real world next year. I’ve been here for three years, and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve met truly incredible people, and continue to do so- which makes cramming lots of friends into what little free time I have something that takes skill. That’s a skill I will have mastered by the end of this year, that’s for sure.

I don’t really know where I’m going with this- I’m just really grateful to be where I am. I walk prospective students around campus and try not to sound too dorky about how much I love being at Valpo. It’s not the facilities, weather or food- it’s the people and the family that I’ve found here.

I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to say goodbye to these people, unsure of when I will see them next- or even if I’ll see them at all. But, that day will come- much faster than I can comprehend. Wearing that black robe will be very bitter sweet.

Until then, you can find me at a full table on the 3rd floor of the Christopher Center being the people everyone else hates because we can’t shut up.


Love and miss-

The Beginning of the End

There are a few times in life that I feel are truly defining moments. The truth is that there are lots of little defining moments that actually make up who we are, but every once in a while, a big decision comes around that I know will make a significant difference in my life. In a few short months, I’ll be making one of those.

In all honesty, I’m scared. It’s really hard for me to think that I’m only 9 months away from being a real adult with adult responsibilities and adult decisions to make. The one that is currently haunting me, and everyone seems to want to know the answer to is “where am I going next?”

I don’t know, and that terrifies a large part of me. My entire life I’ve been planning for this- adulthood- and now that it’s practically here, I’m not ready for it.

But at the same time, I’m ecstatic. Few people have the ability to do whatever they want in life- at any point. While it’s scary that in a year I could be practically anywhere, it’s also somewhat thrilling to think that in a year, I could be practically anywhere. And I mean ANYWHERE. A part of me wants to use this time to go abroad and use the skills I’ve acquired over the last few years to help those who really need it. I’ll be getting a taste of that during Spring Break on a service learning trip with the College of Nursing. (if they accept my application) My dream would be able to find a hospital with a nursing graduate program to help ease me into pediatric nursing- specifically oncology- but I’m not sure I have the GPA to make that happen. I’ve been really surprised with how hard it has been for some of my recently graduated friends to find jobs- while the need is still there, the money just isn’t. All the more reason to use this time to do something that I won’t be able to do once I have a family and roots somewhere.

My answer to people when they ask is simply “Only God knows” and for now at least, that’s the way I like it. I know that as it gets closer, the control freak in me will start to try to figure it all out, and want answers to it all RIGHT NOW. But I’ve learned in the last few years that life can be much more exciting and rewarding if you DON’T plan everything out all the time.

So for now, I’m going to try to fully enjoy my last year of childhood. I’m going to keep myself very busy with 17 credits, 3 campus jobs, intramurals, the fall musical, dance ensemble, and leading SNA all while maintaining some sort of social life. I’m going to follow my own advice for my youngest patients and enjoy being a kid.

Love and miss-

Camp Mode

Two weeks from today I’ll be in the Quad, introducing the first night game. This Thursday we have our final leader training. All of this means that I am in full camp mode. I love this time of year. This is when my “green” gets a chance to shine. At work we describe our abilities based on four different colors as described as the people at Personalysis. While I’ve never gotten to take the test to find out what colors I actually am, I know enough about the process and myself to think I have a pretty good idea of what I would be- green. Green means I’m detail oriented- a planner who makes lists, works best in organized situations and thinks things all the way through beforehand. I love being behind the scenes and making things happen. While other people are the dreamers, the ones who come up with the ideas, I do my best to make them happen smoothly and efficiently. People don’t tend to realize just how much organizing and planning goes into each aspect of camp, and that’s fine with me. I hope that I can make it look effortless- that means I’m doing my job well.

But, that means that the next two weeks are a little chaotic and very busy. Luckily I work with a lot of great people- both paid and volunteer- and after ten years, I feel like we’ve got this camp thing down pretty well. Even though we aren’t taking as many students this year as we have in the past, I have complete faith that God is going to bring the kids and leaders that He wants to be there, and He’s still going to move through camp that week.

I finish my teaching series next Sunday and it’s been a really great experience for me. Not only has it helped me grow in my own faith, but I hope that our students get something out of it as well. I love that it has given the students the chance to get to know me, and I feel like I’m getting to know them as well- both of which will make camp even better.

It’s going to be a great week- and the only way I want to end my summer

Time, It Marches On

Less than six weeks before I get to move into my new apartment in Valpo. I can’t tell you how excited I am to be living off campus this year. Luckily, it’s close enough that getting to and from shouldn’t be hard, and my classes are in pretty good blocks, especially when I add the hours I plan to work. I’ve started purchasing things for my room- changing up the decorations this year, and have consequently forbidden myself from going to Target for the next few weeks. It is way too easy to spend money there. I ventured into IKEA for the first time, and all that did was get me really excited to someday have an entire house that I can decorate. Emphasis on someday.

Work is going really well. I’m teaching in our Sunday service for the next three weeks and am pretty excited about that. Hopefully the students will be able to get something good out of it. We’re also getting ready for camp- and the closer it gets, the busier I get, but the more excited I get too. There is nothing in the world like the Peak, and it’s something that I look forward to all year.

It’s hard to think that in a year I’ll be out there in the real world- somewhere. I don’t know where that will be, and am trying my hardest to leave that in God’s hands, especially because I get incredibly overwhelmed when I start to think about big decisions like that. I look back to this time last year- how much has happened since then, the things that have changed- and can’t believe that so much can be different. I guess this just reminds me that a year is a LOT of time, so trying to plan for that right now doesn’t make any sense anyway. Plus, it’s kind of exciting to think of the wide range of possibilities waiting at my door.

I’ve realized in the last few days how much I enjoy having something pretty to look at. Turning the corner and seeing Mount Hood in all it’s glory is something that I can’t do in the Midwest- all I ever see is corn fields and smokestacks. For so long I’ve taken the beauty of the northwest for granted, and looking back I wish I’d done things like hiking, camping, exploring more often. I guess that saying is true- you never know what you got til it’s gone.

Love and miss-

Home Sweet Home

Well, I survived the end of junior year. I am now officially a college senior. I was looking at pictures of my friends graduating this year when it hit me that next year, that’ll be me in the black gown taking final pictures with my friends and family of the last four years.

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been three years- it seems like just yesterday I was moving into Alumni and going out of my way to meet new people. And I have- met some really great people that I don’t want to think about saying good-bye to anytime soon.

People keep asking me where I’m going to go after graduation and I really don’t know- aside from NOT northwest Indiana- that I know for sure. Otherwise I’m just waiting to see where God wants me, and trying to be patient in the meantime… not really something I’m great at.

Until then, I spend the summer doing what I love- working with Junior High students yet again. I got a bit of a promotion- no longer a lowly intern. I get an official offer letter and everything! I’m in charge of most of the summer activities, as well as some Sunday morning teaching in July, and I’m pretty excited about it.

I finish the summer with camp, and then pack my car (I just realized how great IKEA is) and head back across I-80 to an apartment with my name on it. I’m so ready for my own room!

Love and miss-

4 weeks til I'm a SENIOR?!?

Charge me with neglect- it’s been months, I know. Life has been so incredibly busy, that the little downtime I have is spent sleeping, studying and eating. Let’s go over some highlights of the semester:


College of Nursing Gala- Dad flew out for the 40th anniversary VU College of Nursing Gala in Chicago, and it was a ton of fun. We got to experience the city as full fledged adults (where I was carded all of zero times) including drinks atop the Hancock Building. Second City provided excellent entertainment for the actual dinner, and it was fun to experience life with my professors outside of the classroom.


Dance Ensemble Spring Concert- The following weekend, I danced in the dance concert for school and everyone loved it. This was our 10th anniversary concert, so the directors brought back some of the favorite pieces of previous years for a long, but entertaining show. I was appreciative that I have so many great friends who came to support me in that. It’s something that I spend a lot of time working on, and it’s fun for them to get to see a different side of me. Plus I enjoy getting to know different people- dance team girls are a special breed.


Spring Break in Florida and Maryland- Disa, Kristen, Beth and I drove to Florida for the first week of our spring break, and had a total blast! We needed to get out of the snow, rain, and general weather nastiness of the Midwest, and Disa’s grandparents lovingly opened their home in Naples to us. The beach, sun and even a Spring Training baseball game meant that I was in heaven.


The second week of break (I LOVE that we get two weeks) Brett and I headed out to visit Liz and Billy in Maryland. It had been a while since I’d been out there, and he’d never been to the DC area, so I figured that after Florida, the 11 hour drive to Millersville would feel easy- and for the most part it did. We showed Brett around Baltimore and DC, taught him the art of DuckPin bowling, explored the Naval Acadamy and Camden Yards, and experienced the local culture during Shamrock Fest. It was also fun to see him interact with Liz and Billy and get away from life at school for a bit.

Unfortunately, not long after we got home, we ended our relationship (two weeks shy of two years). Not particularly because of anything that happened while we were there, but more because of things that have been building over time. I’ll spare you the details, but I advise anyone considering a long distance relationship to think about it from all angles, and anticipate a lot of effort from both people involved. We’re now trying to find a way to balance an interesting friendship.

All of this means that I head into the summer and next year in a place I haven’t really been since I was a Junior in high school- single. I’m more excited than I am scared right now, mostly because I don’t feel like I have the time that I feel is necessary to devote to any kind of serious relationship and have a ridiculous number of amazing friends to keep me occupied.

Right now, I’m just trying to survive the end of the semester. Life actually appears to be slowing down, and I’m so excited about the three day break for Easter (and getting Facebook back!) May 14th Alex Marie flies out to help me drive back home, and I’ll be ready to start working at RHCC that next week. This is our tenth year of junior high camp, and I’m so excited to spend another summer working with people that I love!

Until then, love and miss-

21 means I’m really an adult now… I guess.

Twenty is practically a teenager- people don’t expect anything of you when you’re only 20. Twenty-one, however, is “early twenties” which involves much more adult decision making and plenty of things I’m not quite ready to think about.

My birthday was so much fun. I couldn’t imagine a better way to turn twenty-one than in Las Vegas with my siblings. All of my friends were incredibly jealous when they found out what the plans were. Here are a few pictures from the weekend.




The snow and ice brought to the Portland area during “Arctic Blast 2008” made getting to see people at home much more difficult that I wanted it to be, and I didn’t end up seeing all of my friends, but I suppose that too is a part of getting older. If we didn’t get to hang out over break, I’m sorry- blame it on Mother Nature. I will say that it was amusing to see Portlanders freak out with snow in the forecast, and I was amazed at how poorly the city was able to deal with it all. I guess it doesn’t take long to get used to going to class in 14 inches of snow, constant plowing and salt lines in my jeans and on my car. In other weather news, Billy just told me we have a blizzard warning, and the highs this week hardly get above 10. Thank God I don’t have to pay for heat!

My classes this semester look to be good, at least so far. I’m taking more nursing classes than ever- Care of Adults II (Med-Surg), Care of Childbearing Family I (OB), and Gerontological Nursing. I’m really excited about OB, and have heard that Gero is pretty easy. Med-Surg is just a continuation of a class I took last semester, so I already know how the professor works, and the best ways to study for that. I’m also taking Christianity in America- which so far has turned out to be much less interesting and much more demanding that I was hoping. It’s basically just a history class, which wouldn’t be so bad if the textbook didn’t put me to sleep. (Literally twice over the weekend)

Outside of class we’re getting ready for our dance concert that goes to the stage in about a month. That, plus the 40th anniversary CoN gala and the CoN/CoE dance make February a very busy month for me. Thankfully, Spring Break is only 6 weeks away- although I have no idea what my plans for that are. I’m fairly confident that we’re the only school that starts it’s spring break in February, but I’ll take what I can get- and that’s two weeks off.

I can’t believe I only have 3 semesters left until real life.

Love and miss-