I passed!

Celebratory dinner--May 23rd is that much closer! 

 Don't worry that's just starters!

October in a post

I know I always say it's such a busy time on campus but who knew senior year was so jam packed? Yesterday, I signed up for my last semester of classes here as an undergrad and this month I applied for graduation.

HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!

So, in honor of my not having class tonight (that and I'm forever procrastinating on my homework!), here is a snapshot into my month

Earlier this month the four of us (Liz, Sam, Wendi) took a trip to a local farm out in Westminster to pick some apples and pumpkins. While we were waiting for the tractor to come back and pick us up, we couldn't pass on the opportunity to take some pictures. Yes, yes we were being laughed at but that's okay we had fun!

My little Sam and I after singing at mass on Sunday for the Family and Friends Weekend celebration

In OB clinical, we got to try on how it feels to be 9 months preggo. I couldn't even make it past 5 minutes without my back hurting. Kudos to women everywhere who go through this. 

Candra is over in Spain still and we sent her a card to greet her Happy Halloween. She posted this and I'm sure she would have never guessed she'd end up here ;) 

Last week, after my medsurg II test and while eating lunch, this bunny shows up out of nowhere! She's advertising for CAB's Monster Mash (I was at work but I heard it was a HUGE HIT!) I'm so sad I missed it but nursing calls :)

More goofing off at the farm,,,,

Earlier this month, my mental health clinical ended. It was not an experience I thought I'd enjoy as much as I did but it was perhaps due to that awesome professor in the center that it was like that. 

So many things have happened this month and to keep writing and posting pictures of them just might take up the entire night. So for now ladies all the best until next time :) 

"Everything we have we can just as easily not have"

NUR-406 Trends and Theories class (some of us left) sneaking into a shot with Liz Murray. Amazing speaker, fantastic message, and a courageous challenge for us all as future healthcare providers especially those currently in Mental Health. It's an issue of counter transference we face every time we see a patient and while it is human nature, "there is violence in the comparison." We can be that Perry, a special person that sees beyond the broken and beyond wanting to fix and instead see into the future of what that person/patient can be.

Liz Murray is the author of "Breaking Night" aka who is the person from that Lifetime 

movie about the rags to riches, homeless to Harvard. 

This was our common read this year and it resonates so much with who are as an institution and puts a special challenge for all of us to be better. 

A day in the life of schizophrenia

Hello ladies on this awesomely orange day (seems like its the color of choice today huh? Lol Go O's! I'm a football fan but I cheer on both Baltimore birds :) 

This morning we were offered a wonderful educational experience to try  and walk around with voices playing in our heads (mp3 prayers and headsets) to simulate how it would be for a patient suffering this day to day might feel. Phew. That was certainly an experience. Sometimes all it takes is to step into someone's shoes for us to see how we should care for our patients. With the negativity of the voices, the anxiety it drew out of all of us, the misunderstandings in conversations...while it was all fun and good between us classmates I can't imagine having that negativity cloud your thoughts every minute. That aside, it was a great break from lecture and an opportunity to increase awareness on campus even!

Check us out :)

First call night for admissions!

It's a beautiful evening in the admissions office tonight where your decides red student ambassadors are making personal calls to YOU. Yes, you. Please pick up--we're oh so dedicated to get to know you ;)

Look at all those lights and convos going on! 

Growing up is hard but cute :)

Today is the junior's lighting of the lamp ceremony for the school of nursing. So proud of this girl!!! Too bad Candra isn't here to join in the fun :( 

Welcome new student ambassadors!

Today was our training day and the first time the veteran and new SA's met up. We bonded over beach ball questions cupcakes and a scavenger hunt around campus! 

Here's some of the pic!

By the time you ladies start to visit campus, they'll be as seasoned as we vets are. Don't forget, fall open house is just around the corner!

Happy birthday, Arrecka!

Happy 19th to one of our sophomore CA's, Arrecka! I snuck out of my study time (and beauty sleep before clinicals tomorrow!) to come get a taste of our mascot...literally. It felt wrong eating gator but it DOES really taste like chicken. Have you had it? 

Senior shenanigans

Good evening ladies! 

Just wanted to share this awesome photoshoot by my little, Wendi (the only brave soul to comment on here!! Yes, that was a challenge to all you ladies reading this). We are creating #ndmutogas14 which is how we will be documenting our Halloween adventure as a group of college kids trick or treating  around the neighborhood as the Greek deity. Yep, you read right. 

We have the best times when it's unplanned. This ironically inspired my upcoming senior photoshoot by Wendi. I know I'm always behind the camera but according to Liz and Wendi, I need to step out sometime :) 

More to come soon! 

First psyc clinical in the books!

After a grueling 12 hour shift at JHMI, I can finally say that I have completed my first clinical day of my senior year (and in psyc!)

Awesome floor, great mentors, and a fantastic professor. Six more weeks to go ! 

the first of many lasts

Hello ladies!

Today, Wednesday September 27, 2014 marks the last day of my final year in school (I don't count grad school yet!) and at home here at Notre Dame. I face a six hour lecture on mental health ahead of me but that's overshadowed by the fact that this is it when it feels literally just like yesterday that I was starting college and only first living in Doyle (yes, I'm back!). I have been on campus for a little less than a week now but I finally have everything settled (pictures to come soon) and today I woke up to this beautiful view of the sunrise. It's so symbolic of future that we are all heading towards today whether it be the first year or (sadly) the last in that there is a light at the end of the tunnel filled with endless possibilities.

Today and to the rest of my now limited tomorrows here on this campus, I will keep calm in times of stress and hardship and carry on despite the challenges. Best of luck on everyone's first day!

(Oh and here is my obligatory first day photo)

This was really taken to show Candra (who's in Spain right now!!!) the fact that I needed her back to dress me...I had no other flats that would remotely match my gray and black ensemble that I had to wear purple mocks...whoops. 

a final hurrah on the last day of summer

Tuesday was a whirlwind of events for everyone on campus whether it be moving in last minute, rearranging their rooms, gathering the last bits of school supplies, doing last minute homework....lol (yeah that was me..)

Just a few highlights from yesterday's program. I can't believe this is my final SSND blessing for the year. It's this awesome tradition at Community Luncheon where the sisters sing out a blessing over the community for a wonderful school year. Check this out:

Aren't they so awesome? Oh btw, we had our luncheon al fresco this year in a huge tent as we await the expansion and remodeling of the dining hall. 

In between the luncheon and the student org fair, Liz and I decided to go snacking nearby at Belvedere square and so here is our fooding picture for the day:

After the student involvement fair, Liz, Wendi, Sam, and I decided to go out for a last hurrah before summer came to a close...that and we were hungry and I needed business clothes for my mental health clinical and lecture. We clearly have too much fun. We came up with this dance at the O's game :) Don't worry we're still on campus when this was shot!

So long sweet summer. Until next year....wait! this is also my last summer vacation...NO. Oh well, guess I enjoyed it ;)

Notre Dame at the O's game!

It's a little hard to take photos as the bus is bumpy

We're here!

Let's go O's! 

Great game--we must be good luck :) 

#ndmu14

"Four like the number?"

It's movies under the star on this Sunday night of welcome week! 

We're watching Divergent! I love this movie mostly for the fact that the audience is taught that if a girl says no, you honor that (in terms of relationships) as well as a strong willed female hero! 

Popcorn, ice cream, and drinks. Great way to start the week! 

Move in day 2014 #ndmu14

It's move in day and pinning/signing ceremony. Welcome to the class of 2018! 

Dr Yam at move in with Gabby the Gator!

OL Lauren and the "ice bucket challenge"

Nursing orientation and big/little reveal

Hello ladies!

Today is the school of nursing orientation and look at the cute things they're getting from the seniors! 

Wish us look for a loooooong day. 

Helloooooo, senior year!

So happy to be home tonight! Unfortunately my window will not give me this view of the tower as I am on the other side of senior housing in Doyle but I am ecstatic nonetheless. If you're stopping by or moving in soon, get out your hard hats--we're a campus on the growing end this year with expansions galore everywhere. Don't worry, we're still gonna be a beautiful campus full of women ready to take on the world. Oh yeah, and it's senior year! Can it get any better? Our own rooms in Doyle as seniors?! Okay I'll stop now. 

But seriously...can you believe it? Graduation is around the corner. And so is the NCLEX. Follow me this year to see not only the life of a Notre Dame woman but as a senior nursing major in our very first graduating class for the entry level program. This is gonna be a great year! 

Welcome to the future of Notre Dame!

It's orientation time!

Welcome to NDMU's class of 2018! I decided to stop by after my shift to orientation tonight! I can't wait to have these girls on campus in the fall.

Woohoo gators! 

Look at my little Wendi all grown up as an OL! 

And my little Sam!

A summer of new beginnings

Happy summer ladies! 

I know I have been MIA all spring semester but it really was a hectic end to the year. I survived my first year of nursing school and have moved on to a nursing internship (most of my buddies in nursing did too! We're at UMMC, JHB, MUMH, UMSJMC, UMUCMC, the VA...we're all over the place!) I am spending my summer and then my last year of nursing school in the M/SICU department. It's been an exciting start to my summer!

Haha I call this "the locker shot" because I was thinking about house, Greys anatomy, Hawthorne RN, three rivers, and all the medical dramas while I was sitting on a bench in the locker room after a fantastic 12.5h shift. 

...and yet some things never change. I am back on campus for a class, Women in Islam, for my religious studies minor. After having such a tough semester the last thing I want to do is worry about another class so thankful this is only for 5 weeks. And knowing me, I'd rather be posting on here than writing my research paper...whoops. Lol oh well, it's been a month since I got on here anyway. 

Wish me luck and hopefully ill be on here more often. 

If you've been following my blog, can you believe I'll be a senior in the fall?! Crazy how time flies...

Happy early birthday Liz

Woo hoo melting pot!

It's Bal'more, hon!

Student Life in collaboration with the School of Nursing and the Psyc Department hosted our own mini flower parade. Apparently it's a long standing tradition of creating...err...eccentric, unique hats from flowers. After our nursing research class today my class went into the dining hall to take time to be crafty (and get extra credit on the quiz we just took haha!). Check it out :)

Haha, Audrey making faces at me.

Mmm! Lemon sugar and peppermint stick...another Bal'more favourite! 

Let the judging begin. Olivia got a little ballerina creative

They're so cute!

Taylor, our gran prize winner!

A beautiful day for an open house

It's a beautiful day at Notre Dame. Won't you come visit us? 

I'm having way too much fun with these extra balloons!