March 20, 2011
Gym Time!
I have an ongoing battle with the bulge. Here goes another attempt at dropping 10 pounds.
Ideally, I’d like to reach this goal by the end of Spring semester (Cinco de Mayo).
I’ve joined 24 Hour Fitness and will try to get to the gym at least 4x a week! I looked for a gym before, but finally settled on a $12.5 a month deal from Costco.
February 20, 2011
Loans And Debt
I just received my 2010-2011 student loans this week and I realized how scary it is that I don’t FULLY understand them. All I know is (1) I have debt, (2) I need to pay someone back, and (3) the interest rate is high so I should probably pay them back quickly.
Here are the things I need to look up when I have the time:
- The full amount I borrowed.
- The interest rate & how it is calculated.
- The maturity date of the loan.
- Rights I have to extend the maturity date (and how to go about doing so)
- Any fees & their due dates.
January 27, 2011
Give 10, Get 1.
I have a weakness for designer clothes, but with law school and nursing I don’t have much money to play with. I love clothes, but you would never know it by looking at my wardrobe. My clothes are embarrassingly old and out of style because I haven’t really updated them in the past five years.
C and I made a deal donate 10 items from our closets. I’m going home tonight to look through my stuff, but it really won’t take me long to find 10 pieces I NEVER wear.
Since I’m donating 10 items, I figure I can pick up one new item! I’ve picked a Rachel Pally (www.rachelpally.com) top that is such a beautiful, bright yellow. It is normally $160, but I found it for $32!
January 9, 2011
Purge or Splurge?
I am in the process of MOVING! Right now I’m living in a downtown studio, but I’m slowly moving all of my belongings to a 2bed apartment that I will share with my friend from law school. I’m looking forward to the change and the move will save me $150 a month on rent!
My roommate (M) and I agreed that I would take the master bedroom, which is just HUMONGOUS! I love moving into a new place because I really enjoy organizing my belongings. I know this sounds strange, but moving has become an annual cleansing process for me. I get rid of things I no longer need and rediscover items I didn’t know I owned.
M is currently in a purge phase. She wants to get rid of a lot of her belongings because she feels that she doesn’t need to have as much STUFF right now. While I should probably join her, I’ve been leaning toward a splurge phase! I want to update everything I have.
I went shopping today and picked up a new tablecloth for my beautiful new wooden dining set. I also found a 7-piece soft gold bed set that I absolutely LOVE! I can’t wait to be completely settled in at my new place!!
November 28, 2010
New Grads Today
Last night I trained a woman at the hospital who recently passed NCLEX and was a registered nurse. She had applied for the “new grad volunteer position.” Upon graduating (six months ago), she has been unable to find a job. I have heard a lot of people are having an extremely difficult time finding work. This seems especially true for nurses (and even more so for attorneys).
The new grad I trained even had prior experience as a phlebotomist. This makes me doubt the benefits of having this experience. I only want to pursue the certificate if it is likely to increase my chances of getting hired later on. My other friend, who is a nurse at a well-known acute care facility, said not to become a phlebotomist. He said to focus on nursing and law. I’m still not sure what I’m going to do, but I have found the best phlebotomy program for me:
- Bay Area Medical Academy
5 week weekend course
One Hallidie Plaza, Suite 406
San Francisco, CA 94102
Starts: Saturday, June 25, 2011
$2,450
November 5, 2010
Experience
Above all things, employers seem to be looking for experience. Many jobs require 3 years experience before the company will even give you a chance to interview. I know that it will take at least that long for me to complete my education and I can’t afford to emerge with nothing more than a diploma.
Therefore, I have decided it is in my best interest to get a certificate and start doing work on the weekends. Below are a few of my options:
- CNA (Certified Nurse Assistant)
CHW offers a course on weekends for $850 [http://www.sacmedtraining.com/home]
Also, Kash Career College offers a course on weekends for $995 and Southwestern College has one during the week for $550. There are a few free ones (sacrop), but they are predictably full. I have also heard that St. Claire’s Nursing (90 bed facility) has a free course, but I’ll have to call to confirm.
- Phlebotomy
Boston Reed has a course on weekends for $2695.
Kaiser Permanente has a evening course for $2275. It lasts 4 weeks, starts sometime in July, and is approved by the California Department of Public Health. [http://xnet.kp.org/kpsahs/applications/phlebotomy_application.pdf]
November 3, 2010
Registration!
Today is registration day! I’ve picked a miserable bunch of classes for my last Spring semester of law school. I say miserable because I’m seriously not interested in taking a single one of them!
October 24, 2010
Makeup Review: MAC, Loreal, and MAX Factor
Lately, I’ve been on a makeup shopping spree!! Today I dragged C into Mac Cosmetics to do a little shopping. I picked up my first Mac brush and I LOVE it! It’s a small slanted brush ($19.50) that I use to apply my black eyeliner (Fluidline). So far, Fluidline ($15) is so much better than any other eyeliner I have ever used!
I bought a makeup train case to store my makeup and there is SO much empty space in the box that I’ve been feeling the need to fill it. I knew it would be dangerous to buy it in the first place! C always jokes with me that I don’t own any makeup (compared to most girls) so I’m sort of starting from scratch.
I recently tried Loreal’s True Match Soft Ivory compact, which was actually just a little too light for my skin. There isn’t that much inside (.3 oz), but it is oil free and has SPF 17 sunscreen. I love how smooth it goes on and how well it evens out my skin tone. I would definitely buy this again (just a little darker color).
Another recent discovery is the ULTA clearance shelf. This is where the broke nursing/law students go (or at least it’s where I’ve been going lately). Today I found a great MAX Factor product called MAXwear lip color (color stain + gloss) that is normally priced at $10, but I purchased for $1.99!
I’m really enjoying adding new beauty items to my collection. Browsing for new makeup products (or hair/skin products) is my numero uno choice for relaxing from the stress of work and school!
October 18, 2010
Shakira, Shakira
I am so excited for the concert tomorrow night!! I’m going to see Shakira, live! I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight!
My friends from the Company were really nice to purchase a ticket for me so I can join in this once in a lifetime experience!!
October 14, 2010
Basic Life Support, Then What?
This certification is necessary for many jobs at the hospital. Luckily, the hospital pays for employees and volunteers to obtain it by taking an AHA approved course. I’m taking my test in two weeks! In order to get my BLS card, I have to attend class for one day and pass a test.
My next step is to become a CNA. I found a weekend class that I can do over the summer. It’s just under $1000 for all the materials and lasts 2.5 months. The CNA license is good for two years before I have to renew.
My hopes and dreams to transfer to UCLA to complete my last two years of nursing school have been dashed by my job. I enjoy my job and the income, but I really am having to rethink my life because of it.
Next year I hope to enroll in Northeastern University’s MBA Health Care Management program. This is something I hope the Company will help me pay for. I’ve heard rumors that they pay for the full expense of obtaining an MBA!
Silly Little Student's Blog 