Summer 2014

[tintinnabulation]

My summer semester of 2014 had come to a close last Friday. This post is really just a reflection of both the courses and actions I took that, I believe, would help me within my pursuit of a nursing career. Feel free to offer me any feedback, or tell me about what you have done/are still doing this summer in regards to the nursing prerequisites/nursing in general.

This summer, I decided to take General Biology I and Computer Applications I. Both of these courses started around the beginning of June; however, General Biology I ended towards the end of June while Computer Applications I ended last Friday. My biology course was a traditional, Monday through Friday course that started around 10:20am and ended around 2:30pm. The other course was an online course.

I never had a strong background in science. Back in my high school years, I was a horrible slacker that would barely pass his science (or mathematics) courses. During my fall semester of college last August, I took Human Anatomy & Physiology I but ultimately dropped the course due to how difficult I found it to be. That is why, as I attended my biology course this summer, I had the sinking feeling that this was all just going to be another repeat, that I would probably dropped the course due to my weak background in science.

Well, oddly enough, I passed General Biology I with an A, overall. For the first two weeks, I hit the books long and hard and practically lived and breathed nothing else but biology. Towards the latter two weeks, I started to slack off and this resulted in me passing my final exam with a D. Thankfully, with all the assignments and other tests given, that grade for my final exam did not even phase me. In actuality, I should have earned a B. My final grade, overall, was an 87%; however, the professor gave everyone two bonus points should they have attended the entire month without any tardies or absences. I'm assuming she bumped my 89% to a 90% out of generosity.

As for Computer Applications I, I found that course to be extremely easy and manageable. My final grade was an A, with my overall score being a 94%. More people dropped out of this course than the biology course I took in June, which I found to be a bit hilarious (I believe only four students dropped from the biology course while ten or more dropped from the other).

Now my grade-point average sits at a whopping 3.1, which I am somewhat fine with although I do plan on attempting to increase this during my fall and spring semesters. I want to make myself as competitive as possible, although the requirements to the nursing school that I would be applying to seems to allow students with a 2.5 without any volunteer experience, letters of recommendation, or any kind of pre-test for admission. Still, I'm sure the applicants are going to have incredibly-high grade-point averages, so I want to be at my best.

Speaking of volunteering, I did decide on becoming a volunteer at the medical/nursing school that I will (hopefully) be attending soon. I went through the interview process, took a tuberculosis test, and will be heading back up there tomorrow to see what else there is that I need to do. I opted to volunteer within the nurses' desk, although I feel it will be dealing more with office work than anything else. However, I am happy to finally be exposed to a hospital setting. The hospital university is rather huge, and I feel like I will probably need to find a way to memorize where every location is at (I was lost more than once while trying to find the volunteer services area within the hospital).

So yeah! That's how my summer went, and I'm just a beaming ray of sunshine over those two A's I've earned (or somewhat-earned, in the case of my biology course). What do you guys think? What have/are you guys done/doing this summer?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Sounds like you are definitely on your way - Keep in mind that it's a marathon, not a sprint. Each course lays the groundwork for those that follow.

Congratulations on a successful summer.

[smmctowelie69]

Been spending it worring about nursing school that starts in the fall. Studying early so I will know what I'm getting into. Also spending time with my animals because I know I won't be able to come Aug 18th. Watching as much tv and movies while I can. Organizing everything so it will be easy for me while in school. Sleeping while I can...lol.

[FutureJoy]

My summer semester ended almost 2 weeks ago and I'm still basking in the relief that I at least was able to have completed something. Initially I took Sociology Social Problems and Intermediate Algebra, but two weeks prior to completion of my Sociology class I got a rude awaking that forced me to withdraw from the math class. Math has always been my bane throughout my academic career, I'm still surprised I assessed into the second to top tier for my requirement. As majority of the students in my class had taken lower levels of math which assisted them in grasping the information at the faster pace summer requires. Overzealous backwards boob that is me, instead of getting my GE out of the way I took my nursing pre-reqs first and now I'm stuck with finishing Math, Stats and Humanities at the end mark. Anywho, my realization was that I just need to stick it at my pace and to stop giving myself deadlines because I'm so close to what I've been working so hard for. Oh and I received an A for Sociology in which my high road mindset has me so elated about.

Congratulations on your classes. My RN pre-req gpa is where it needs to be to apply for UNR, however my overall gpa is quite contrary, so I aspire to get a bit competitive too and be more efficient with my studying ethics. I'm just acknowledging how my energy for classes towards my major are up here , whilst the rest I give it the least care. All in all, I'm working on it! For my fun time until fall semester starts I'll be living in my kindle until my hearts content. Along with finding enough money for books to give the leeches that make every beginning of the semester feel like blood letting.