Keep your Enemies Close, but your Classmates Closer

I really like finding Nursing School articles. I think that with more knowledge comes power.
When I do come across cool articles I like to share them with everyone so here you go!

How to Become Close with Your Classmates in Nursing School

Posted On: September 4,2013 | Written By: Kendall Kilander

We know nursing school is tough, but you’ll find strength in numbers. In Olivet Nazarene University’s accelerated nursing program, you’ll travel through the 16-month program with the same group of classmates (your cohort). You’ll spend a lot of time with your fellow nursing students, so we’ve come up with three ways in which you can become closer with them.

1. Introduce yourself to as many other students as possible.

Don’t wait for someone else to approach you. Take the initiative to reach out to the other students in your cohort. Throughout nursing school, no one will be able to relate to you better than your classmates. Chances are people in your cohort will have had many different life experiences. You won’t want to miss out on all of the valuable insights that your classmates have to contribute.

2. Form study groups outside of class.

Our nursing faculty will be available to answer your questions throughout all of your nursing courses, but your classmates are also a great resource! The best way to study is to teach someone else. Take turns teaching tough concepts to the other members in your study group. If you can correctly and thoroughly explain the course material to your classmates, you’ll be well prepared for any exam. Remember, everyone can benefit from group study, even if you usually prefer to study alone, and time spent with a group should not replace individual study.

3. Take interest in your classmates’ lives outside of nursing school.

This last tip is to help you connect with your classmates. You’re going to want the support of your cohort. But, it’s a two-way street. Take an interest in their lives outside of nursing school. Whether you’re a recent college grad or an adult learner, nursing school isn’t easy. You’ll seek the support of your classmates. Between your coursework, clinicals and study groups, you’ll spend a lot of time with your classmates. You should make an effort to get to know each other personally.

Related articles

• 15 Things Every Nursing Student Needs to Know (thenerdynurse.com)

Oh Come On!! High-Expectations!

I LOVE blogging and really it is sort of my escape. I can come on here and vent if I want to.Today I’m venting about high-expectations and how if you set them too high….you are bound to tumble…hard (every once in a while). I’m a pessimistic type person and when I do tumble I feel like the world is crashing on my head! It takes me a while to stand up, dust my shoulders off and climb back up.

You would think being a pessimist would allow me to brace for falls, but truth be told I do get excited and I do have high-hopes (every once in a while).

For example, When I do end up talking myself into going back to the gym in the A.M. I go for like 3-4 days straight and then one morning I’ll miss a workout.

I seriously feel like I’m a no-good loser!Dave makes me breakfast and I’m like “NOOOO! I’m going to be fat! Because I didn’t workout this morning, so I can’t eat for the whole DAY!!!!”

Boo-hoo-hoo! Cry me a river! I’m so whiny sometimes, it’s not okay.

My point this morning is….being pessimistic SUCKS. Setting high-expectations is good, but you must remember that with those expectations comes a few tumble. Do NOT and I mean it! Do not falter and don’t take days or hours to get back up, take a minute or two and snap out of it.

-Jenn

P.S. — Are you an optimist or a pessimist? I want to hear your stories and your opinions! =)

It’s Okay

It’s okay to stay in on a Friday night. It really is. Staying home on the weekend will allow you to gain crucial one-on-one time with who else, but yourself?!!

All week long you have obligations for work, homework for school and errands to run. When can we truly be able to sit down and just relax?

Going out to the club or going to house or parties, or simply catching a movie with a friend is not exactly relaxation time with yourself. It is relaxation with friends.

Whens the last time you can doubtlessy say you had alone time?

Here are some of my {alone-time} favorites.

When is the last time you took some time alone…with yourself? And what did you do during that time?

Liebster Award

Yippie-Ki-Yay!! lol.
I was nominated for the Liebster Award! You can go to elle at wishingoodluck for the definition of the award. Who by the way nominated me!
Thank You Elle dear

Rules of Engagement:

List 11 facts about yourself 

Answer the 11 questions given to you 

Create 11 new questions for the bloggers you nominate for the award 

Choose 11 bloggers with 200 or less followers to nominate 

Go to each bloggers page and let them know about the award 

Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog 🙂

11 Facts About Me:

1. I’m NigerianCoffee is my middle name and my 52 oz coffee mug is my best friend.
2. I’m a Virgo and I judge people based off their horoscope. If I’m going through a rough patch I read what my horoscope says for the month. 
3. I use to be bulimic
4. I also have a tendency to go through extreme phases. Like this week I just got the flu and recently got over it. So now I’m a cleaning machine!
5. I’m a weave-aholic
6. I really enjoy fashion design and I secretly want to be a fashion designer before I die. oh and I write short stories. I love writing! I would like to publish before I die.
7. I use to hate country music…But now I love it. 
8. I’m only now beginning to accept my natural hair. I use to hate it!
9. When I was the new kid on the block I was teased (the hell out) for acting like a “white girl”….whatever that means.
10. I have a problem with spending money before I get it. 
11. I love baking and cooking, but baking even more!

+1   I want to be like Bree Van De Kamp

11 Questions for me, from Elle:

Reality TV: yay or nay?
 Nay to Reality TV and Yay to TV Series! I love wandering into the unapprehended world of fiction.
 What is your favorite food?
 I love my mom’s Jollof Rice (an african dish I’m learning to perfect)
Where is your next travel destination?
I have idea! Probably Minnesota….I wish it’d be Paris though =/
Did/do you enjoy school?

uhmm…lol jk! I do like attaining information I’ve never known and I do get excited when it’s lab days.
What would your dream job be? 
A Fashion Designer with my own line of clothes and boutique in every country. (Dream Big or Go Home)…Did I tell you my name is Spanish class was Soñadora.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 
You know what…? It’s becoming independent and flying my wings and deciding to go after what I want. Oh and Phi-Theta-Kappa of course!
Are you a cat person, dog person or neither?
Dog person, Dave is both, but cats freak me out a bit! Dave wants one of those Bengal cats!
Where do you consider yourself “from”?
I’m a self proclaimed suburbanite and full blooded Nigerian-American from the 20s, 40s or 70s….(in another life). Sometimes I joke that I’m Filipino and people believe me!
If you had a theme song, what would it be?
Damn this is a hard one! “I Gotta Get Through This” by Daniel Beddingfield
What’s your favorite season?
Christmas because it’s so freakin cheery and full of glee.
What characteristics do you love about your real-life best friend?
This person knows what I need before I ask for it and I know what that person wants before they want it.



Here ya go…My Nominees!:

1. Beth|  Shug In Boots
2. Taylor Gene| Pre-Med Princess
3. Angela| Selfless Ambition
4. L.| Party Over Hair
5. Emily| Life’s a Beach
6. Taryn|Retro Dreamer
7. Ani|Catch 21
8. Jessica|Lovely Undergrad

To my Nominees…Here are your Questions:

1. What is your least favorite season of the year?
2. What actress would play you in a movie and would play your love interest?
3. If you were to publish a book what would it be about?
4. Who is your favorite Disney Princess (including all the new additionally ones) and why?
5. Which celebrity gets under your skin?
6. Which celeb do you look alike or which one’s personality is similar to yours?
7. Would you go back and change at least one thing about your past?
8. You feel most confident when…?
9. What do you normally do after a bad day?
10. How do you celebrate a good day?
11. If you had an alter ego what would name him or her and how would you describe your alter ego?

It’s Just One of Those Weeks

You know those types of weeks!
The weeks where you just know the week is going to drag in anticipation for the weekend, or is going to go by in a haste due to your ever growing to-do-list.
Yeah those weeks.

I’m feeling like the energizer bunny right about now though.
A wise man once said, “You can sleep once your dead.” Let’s be honest who was he kidding!? I need my shut eye!!! lol.

Tomorrow I have work from 9AM to 9PM and I’m not to enthralled about it. Mainly because my classes are picking up and I want to focus all my time on studying, labs and homework….and blogging.

However, life is all about balance. Life is a balancing act and one must perfect the art of balance and along the road to achieving that equilibrium mistakes will be made.

For me, I’m realizing procrastination is not the way!!

It’s just one of those weeks that deserve one those types of weekends.

Just me, Dave and the cuddly girls! oh and my bottle of wine ; ) I can’t wait for Sunday Funday! Hopefully I make it till then! Best of luck to you girls during the week and I’ll see you all on the other side called Monday!

Ready Break!!!

Let’s Be Realistic Here

Let’s be realistic here!
As college students you want to throw on killer outfits that you sport in the dinner hall during dinner. Maybe even to class if you have enough time!
After a while, you begin to run out of things to put on and wear out the door.

Now that I look back, when I had two roommates I was notorious for boring Miss K’s clothing! Which I recommend trying to get out of that habit. Fish through your own clothing.

I’m sure you have a few plain black and white t-shirts, a few pairs of jeans (or leggings),  some sort of boots, a scarf and a sweater.
If not those are essential to have….because when it gets cold you may want to cover up that neck of yours.

During the day when I go to class I’ve learned to save my “nice” clothes for going out and work.

When I see girls dressed in fur vests and leather leggings and wedged heels, I cannot help but think that they were concentrating a bit too much on what they want to wear in morning and less about what chapters that are going to be covered in class.

I know for me, as a college student, I’m low on funds at the moments. So Walmart, Forever 21, Target or Old Navy are my best friends.
As for jeans, I found three bomb jeans for a total of $20.00.

Thrifting…I love you. You are realistic.


Care to Share: Staple basics anyone? What are yours?

Making Priorities Your Priority

Rank Your Priorities | There is no way you will accomplish deadlines if you don’t have a “batting” order. You have to know what is high priority and what is low priority. This concept is key in getting things done…in a timely manner if course.
In my case, I love blogging and I enjoy it so much that I tend to put most of my day towards constructing posts. This is why I have had to throttle back, re-evaluate and revamp my daily routine. Priority number one is to get my school work done first and foremost! College is always on my the top of  my priority list. Another priority that many people confuse is the comprise between shopping and paying bills! Now ladies, if you are getting paid Friday and your credit card bill is due Monday please pay that bill. Do not tell yourself that it is okay to push your bill back another week so you can go shopping. I’m speaking from experience! It is never a pretty situation when you are kicking your bills out the window to make room for some shoes and a new wardrobe.


Make A Schedule | I have to write down everything and create lists to visually digest what I have going on during the months and weeks to come. This is my way of scheduling everything!

 This bad boy here is The Erin Condren Life Planner (the title says it all). It helps to plan out my life!! Month by Month. Week by Week.

I put these bad a** documents  in three separate binders for scheduling what needs to get done! I love it! Visit Sarah White’s Esty Shop to get your hands on these lovely print outs.

Without these tools my brain would be like a tornado…if it already isn’t a tornado!

Learn To Say No | I think that saying no is at times a hard task for me. Especially when it comes to dealing with my family. I also feel that it is my obligation as the first born. However, by saying yes I am only procrastinating with the plans I have already made. Although I am still perfecting how to say no I have found a positive and polite way to turn others down.
Harmoniously, the above point fits directly with this point. By telling that someone you need to check your schedule and will get back to them you are allowing yourself to remove yourself from the pressures of saying yes. You can then get back with a genuine answer that fits your schedule.


Prep For The Week In Advanced |  I know from reading my syllabus that an exam is scheduled for the week. I can either give a fraction of my attention to studying and a fraction of my time to blogging. In the end, doing so will only inhibit my chances of scoring high on my exam. To avoid having to divide up both, I try to schedule posts in advance. If your paper is due tonight, I don’t think going to the gym is your solution. Workout after you submit the paper. In your planner take the time to write “workout after paper is finished.” For me, this is how I motivate and push myself into finishing tasks.

Overall, make sure you know what weighs heavy on your to-do-list and know the consequences when procrastinating on certain tasks.

Motivational Monday (OLD: 4|1|2013)

Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! 

I’ve been gone! …obviously.

Let me tell you! I had all the intentions of making post after post during my Spring Break. 

However, my laptop (new laptop) decided to s*** on me! 

If you guys could feel my fiery…you’d no longer have eyebrows! They’d be singed off. 

That is how hot and angry I was. 

Seriously?…seriously. *insert side-eye*

Okay I’m rambling here and I don’t want to do that because I have a chemistry study guide that I now must complete. =/

For me, I have been bummed out because of said issues form above and other dwelling topics and issues that have been heavy on my heart and are still  heavy on my heart.

I was also in the middle of typing out this post on how I felt about family and marriage. 

Damn technology! Sometimes you can not count on them! 

So now I am working on re-typing it up. 

But you know how when you first type up a paper, post or whatever project you are working on and you have to start all over for some reason and you just can’t seem to join or stitch back the pieces with the same finesse as the first time! 

Well, that’s how I feel right now!

By the way, the Moose is kind of somber….don’t mind him. lol.
I’ll catch you guys later! Have an AWESOME Monday.

Intercultural & Interracial Relationships

I am a Nigerian-American woman that was brought up on straight American-Nigerian culture. I am
Nigerian-American for a reason. I was born in America and my parents are
Nigerian. Which means both cultures are simultaneously intertwined in my mannerisms.
 

I’m like a red, white, blue and a green, white, green
smoothie. I can’t help that and honestly I love it just as is! Hell I can claim
both sides and love both sides EQUALLY, and I have no shame saying or showing
pride in both.
I don’t think my parents, along with others parents that gave to children in America grab hold of this concept very well. The thing that irritates me the most about it is when I am told that I should
marry a Nigerian or a Nigerian-American.

I don’t understand why I should single ANY one race, culture
or ethnicity out from the rest. If I find love in a white man, then so be it!
If I do find a Nigerian man then so be it! In my case I found a white man that treats me the very way I want to be treated. 

I find when I hear about my very own cousins or family
showing antagonism or hostility towards me and my choice to be with Dave. I cannot decipher why, when they themselves were born in America. I understand that the culture and morals differ between the two. However, if you are having problems finding a significant other that shares the same morals as you, then you are looking in the wrong place PERIOD!

Their whys and wherefores consist of: “I would like someone I can share my culture with, to understand my jokes, to go Nigerian events with me and to speak with me in my language.” ….etc.

Number one, you are Nigerian-American. Like I stated above both cultures (Nigerian and American) are intertwined in your mannerisms.

Number two, the problem is not in the race and, or ethnicity.  If your reason for marrying a Nigerian is because you want to share jokes, then you have the very WRONG idea of what love is. Go find a Nigerian friend to share jokes with. I mean SERIOUSLY…if you are worried marrying someone who is not Nigerian will inhibit you from sharing jokes together then you have a real problem….especially if you were born in America and are claiming this idea as a suitable reason for marrying a Nigerian.

Number three, you were born in America, therefore you have American tendencies please do not try to turn your back on the fact that you are Nigerian-American.

Why not seize the chance to spread the Nigerian culture. Why must we keep our culture to ourselves? I want to enrich others with the rich culture that Nigeria has to offer? Let’s not be so close minded.

Anyway!!!

That is just my thought! Share with me what you guys think.

By the way look at these beautiful couples! I love it!

XOXO,

Jenn

Total Lack of Blogger Diversity

The majority of blogs that I come across are owned by white southern blondes. yeesh!

Do not get me wrong, I have no hard feelings towards blondes, brunettes, redheads, race or ethnicity. 

I have a problem with the lack of diversity when I find bloggers doing link ups and there are either 1 black blogger, or no black bloggers involved. 4 times out of 5 there no black bloggers. 

View example A.

I have a problem with the “sponsor” buttons on the side of blogs that have a meager amount of black bloggers. Am I missing something? 

On top of that they are all mostly southern!?! I only have a select few northern USA bloggers and you know what? When I typed in “Northern bloggers” or “Northern blogs” I got blog results from Ireland, UK and Canada. However, I type in Southern bloggers and I get a ton of “Southern bloggers rock” BS. The same goes with “Midwest bloggers,” I think I found one or two new Midwest blogs.

Excluding others is not Southern hospitality. It actually comes off as Southern hostility. 

Also, why must people find more and more ways to segregate one another. I thought we were over the south versus north thing after the Civil War.

Anyhow, that’s just me and what I have noticed. 

If anyone can direct me to a more diverse community please do so!!