i took my first exam today, getting an a-. i'm taking developmental psychology at ecc for their winter session, which lasts only 2 weeks. i read the whole textbook and take eight exams over the two weeks.

i thought i was going to have to take the bus to orchard park every day, spending at least 4 hours travelling a day, but it turns out that this is an online course, which really means that you can skip class every day. i personally enjoy going to class; that's where i learn the most, but i am glad to not have to waste all that time on the bus.

this is working out perfectly.

i had my interview at ub today. even though i am not used to doing this formal type of thing, it went wonderfully.

there were three people there interviewing me, which could be a little daunting, but i was pretty relaxed, especially after answering the first question "why do you want to be a nurse?", i saw that "stern lady" rated my answer 4-5, on a scale of zero to five (five being best). yes, it was weird that she wrote that down right in front of me. i didn't look at her sheet any more because if the numbers went down, it would have been a little stressful.

but i found that i had really good answers for those tougher questions, like "why should we pick you as a candidate for this program?" i said that i have had many different experiences and have lived outside of my comfort zone for extended periods of time, which would enable me to deal with anything that comes my way..., etc, and then i added, "and i'm a really caring person" with a big smile. it was cool to see that when i talked a bit of my experiences, my essay had made an impact on at least one of the interviewers, she obviously had remembered reading about the things i mentioned.

oh, the toughie was, "how is being in this intensive type of program going to change your lifestyle?" gulp. i flat out said that it would change everything about it. i am used to going wherever i want to go and doing whatever type of peace-keeping work i find, and this would severly change everything. but i was honsest, although i had chosen different words from these, and i think they appreciated that.

when i was leaving, i heard "grandmotherly type" exclaim something to the effect of "wow." that felt really good.

one silly (i guess) thing that i did was that i asked them, "why should i choose UB?" they all kind of chucked, so i came up with a quick follow-up: "tell me about the best things in your program" or something to that effect. i gave myself a pat on the back for a quick response to a slightly awkward moment.

i was pleased that i was able to be open with the interviewers and not intimidated by them at all.

here is the essay i submitted to UB for nursing school. i'm kind of proud of it (although i liked it better when it was much too long; i had to cut a few hundred words to make it almost fit in to their word count requirements)


    When I was working as a hurricane relief volunteer in New Orleans, I found immense joy in being able to help people directly. I enjoyed cooking and serving meals to over 2,000 people a day. I enjoyed passing out drinking water to residents who had lost everything. I enjoyed picking up trash, beautifying the living space that was covered in debris from the flood. And I enjoyed teaching yoga and relaxation techniques to weary volunteers. But the most gratifying part of my experience actually happened because I had a bicycle accident, making me unable to do the physical work I had come to New Orleans to do.

    We had a medical tent at our organization. Since I had a number of injuries, including fracturing my scapula, I spent much of my time recovering in the medical tent. The registered nurses volunteering there helped me by cleaning my cuts, removing my stitches, positioning my sling correctly, and teaching me exercises to regain strength and flexibility in my shoulder. I know that I felt secure because skilled, experienced nurses were able to help me during this time.

As I recovered, I continued to spend time in our medical tent. The more I healed, the more time I spent focusing on others. I was able to open my heart to people, taking time to help them by cleaning and bandaging their cuts; finding them something to eat, no matter what time of day or night; getting them vitamins and over the counter medicines; and just being available to listen to them. I cherish this time I was able to devote to each person who came in to our medical tent. This work was, by far, the most rewarding work I have ever done.

I came to realize that I would be a much bigger help to people if I became a registered nurse. I have long known that I would like to work in the health care field. I completed yoga teacher training and have studied Reiki and other healing modalities. I have looked in to various alternative and holistic medical programs, but I have found them to have either a limited scope or limited employment opportunities. Nursing is a demanding profession that requires serious course work and credentialing, and offers immense career potential. There are many nurse specialties, and I am not yet sure which I will choose. But I enjoy learning, and nursing is a career that will keep me learning all the time. The human body is a wonder and we are fortunate to have top-notch health care in the United States.

I have been fortunate to spend time in a number of countries, gaining an understanding of people from varied backgrounds, which will help me be culturally sensitive to my patients and their families. I speak Spanish fluently, and see my Spanish ability as an asset to most hospitals. Everywhere I have been, the most rewarding times were those when I was helping people. Being a nurse will allow me to help much more-I will directly affect people's lives every day.

    I know that nursing will be a challenging career. And I am certain that my varied experiences have made me a strong person. With a solid education and practical clinical experience, I know I will be able to face each challenge I encounter as a nurse. I look forward to embarking on a career where I can use all aspects of myself-my physical body, my intellect, and my compassion.