4 posts tagged “money”

I went to the welcome meeting Monday night which was fairly informative.  I also ran into Alan, my chemistry partner 2 years go.  He said he was wondering what happened to me since he hasn't seen me for awhile.  I told him I had to take a pre-req I forgot and then I took a year off to work.  He's in semester 3, just like 2 other people I saw who I took pre-reqs with.  It's kind of...well, it sucks because I could be there right now.  Oh well, in a year I'll be third semester too, and in the meantime, I got Alan's email address in case I have any questions about the classes.

I also found out that after your first year in the program, you can sit for your LPN (licensed practical nurse) exam.  It costs $450, but this woman from a nursing agency told me that they will pay for your exam and in exchange you work fifteen 12 hour shifts for them over the course of a year.  They pay you $15 an hour instead of 17, which is more than I'm making now anyway.  It sounds pretty good except that they do home and hospice care, which really isn't an area I want to spend a lot of time on.  I am also eligble for nursing externships at the end of my first semester, so that is worth looking into as well.

Yesterday was orientation.  They went over the course sequence, and general program information.  I tell you, I felt a lot calmer after that because hey, at least I'm not the one asking when Skills Lab starts when they've already told us that 4 TIMES.  I found out what I need to bring for "clinicals" on Monday, and how I really didn't need all the books I bought (some are for semester 2).  I put clinicals in quotes because what we are doing for the next few weeks is called "front loading".  They are going to teach us the basic skills we need before they turn us loose on the hospital.  I'm glad of that, because I really don't think I could take a BP to save my life right now.

I have 6 chapters to read for Pharmacology and I've already done 4, plus notes.  Then I need to read the first 3 chapters for Nursing Lecture.  Pharm may not end up being too bad.  I discovered that I could have taken that class before I was accepted into the program, and that sucks!  I wish I would have known that, things would be easier on me now if I had that out of the way.  Oh well, I can't change it now.

So far I have had to do online orientation for Pharm and also a student website (which took about 5 minutes, really) and then email the prof to tell her they were completed.  It's not due until next week but it's out of the way.  I have to do the same for Nursing Lecture, but I haven't done the website for that online course yet.

Starting next week I am going to be working Wed-Thur-Fri at the hospital in Information Services.  It's an ideal schedule, so long as I can live off the money I earn from it (doubtful.)  I really need to get on the student loan train.  I hate stressing about money.

Oh, yesterday I went to Fossil to get a new battery in my 3 dead watches because I have to have one for school.  Turns out my newest watch didn't have a battery problem, it's the watch movement.  Fortunately, it's under warranty so I just have to send it out with $7.50 (yeah, cause I'll ever get around to going to the post office!)

I guess that's about it for now...

Alex came with me yesterday to get my books from Booksmart.  The woman behind the counter got them all for me (a huge stack of about 12 books) and sat them at the register until it was my turn.  When I got up there, the cashier said, "Wow, these are all for you?  You getting books for someone else also?"  I said, "Nope, those are all mine."

"Well you're the kind of customer we like."

As he rang them up he told me that they have been working hard all summer to get a lot of used books in.  I told him I definitely appreciate it!  After the last book he paused before he hit the total button.

"You might want to sit down for this", he says.

The total was $578.

I shrug and hand over the credit card.  The cashier remarks to Alex, "She's taking it pretty well."  Alex tells him that I've already looked up the prices online so I had a pretty good idea.

I also bought a penlight which I put to good use when we went out to the Improv to see Charlie Murphy later that night.  I kept shining it in Sabrina and Alex's eyes.  Hey, you never know when your friend might have an undiagnosed head injury!  Gotta make sure those pupils are equal, round and reactive!  Oh yeah...Alex and I also went to see Snakes on a Plane.  I really could have done without that.  I covered my eyes for a good bit of the early parts of the movie!  Alex actually sat indian style so his feet weren't on the floor.  SNAKES IN A THEATRE!

Today I spent some more time browsing through WebCT, checking out my two online classes.  I have to do a student website for Pharmacology, so I went ahead and got that out of the way.  A couple upcoming assignments aren't too clear at the moment, so hopefully we get more info on those as time goes on.  I think I'm going to try to get some reading in because my first quiz is on 6 chapters and I'm working 6 days this week!

Wish me luck, and I hope you all had a good weekend!

I went to Copy's to get my uniforms and order my nametag. Two shirts (size small mens, so a dress on me basically) and two pants (ugly and uncomfortable) cost around $100. Then I got a stethoscope and decided I might as well get a relatively good one which was another $50. Bleh.  I thought it was broken (or I was dead) but that's another story.

After that I went to campus to buy some of my books so that a. I wouldn't have to wait until the last minute when there are 89023457 people all trying to buy their stuff at once and b. I wouldn't have to drop a fat wad of cash all at once.

Well, apparently the school likes having complete bedlam in there the first week of classes, because "those books aren't in yet, they are for the fall term". Um...what? All I was able to get was my syllabus for 3 of my classes which cost me $31. For my syllabus. The school charges us how much for classes, and then makes us pay for the paper they print our course outlines on too? Ass.

I decided to look up the books online to get an idea of cost and it looks like it's going to cost over $500 for this semester. Weak. Thank GOD for my dad letting me live here and not pay him rent right now because there is no way I could afford this otherwise.

Which brings me to my last point...I don't think I'm going to be able to manage working 40 hours a week while I'm getting my degree. I misread the class schedule and thought I had clinicals Monday and Tuesday from 7:30am until 11:30 am. Not too bad, could put in 5 hours at work after that and spread out the difference over W, Th, F. Well. It's actually from 7:30am- 1:30pm. So what, go in to work at 2pm and work until 7, then go home and do another 12 hour day the next day? I really don't think so. The nursing program recommends you don't work over 15 hours per week (don't know what universe they live in, but whatever) but I somehow thought I could manage 40. Well, I don't think I can. Or want to. I'm cool with my life sucking ass for 2 years to an extent. But I don't need to be butt ass tired every minute of my life. It's not good for me, my daughter, my life, or my grades.

I'm looking into student loans now...

I'm trying to get ready for school, but it's hard to do without cash. I got my blood work done, and I get my last Hep shot next week. I also have to get a drug screen and background check, which I of course have to pay for. I have to get uniforms, a name tag, and a stethoscope (which I am excited about because I am a dork). I get to register for classes on July 5th, so hopefully my financial aid will get to me soon after.