The End Is Near.

The end of fall semester is nearing. This is when an abundant amount of stress comes into effect and consumes a college student. The majority of my stress and concern is focused on my EMT class. Next week is our NREMT Skills test (National Registry EMT). We have a total of seven skills that we have to perform and pass at different stations. I have taken all the extra time I have and devoted it to going into class and practicing my skills. I am nervous but if I am confident I know I will do great. I know what to do. Graduation for class is on the 12th and I am super excited! This is a big step in my life. A huge goal that I have accomplished. I couldn't be more happier. Well...I will be the happiest after I have passed my skills test, graduated and then taken and passed my National Registry written test. After all that, I will have my certification and be an EMT. Next my goal is to get into a Paramedic program somewhere. The 'where' is my road block. I'm very excited for my future though.

I recently did my ER clinical and ambulance ride along. For class we have to do 24 hours of clinical time. Each was a 12 hour shift. Doesn't seem like a long time, but after the 12 hours, my body was tired! Mostly after the ER clinical though. I was standing most of the time and barely ate. It was so awesome to help the nurses and take vitals on the different people that came in. The nurses were really nice and helpful towards me to. I couldn't just expect them to ask me to follow them and help them, I had to put myself out there and jump in. I couldn't be a wallflower. The ambulance ride along was by far my favorite. My shift started at 7am and by 7:50am we got our first call. I got a total of three calls that day. All the paramedics were super and nice and funny. I learned a lot. I loved sitting in the back of the ambulance with the lights and sirens going, speeding down the road. Such an adrenaline rush.

I took an Extrication class the day before my ER clinical. It was loads of fun. I have had some experience with extrication before. We learned about it when I was a Fire Explorer. Most of the people from my EMT class were there, but not all. We had to wear turnouts, but of course I'm the smallest person in the world and nothing ever fits me. You can see for yourself...haha I look pretty sweet though. My friend Amber and I take extrication class very seriously...

Behind us is an old Aerostar Van that we took apart. We took the whole roof off, so you can't really tell that it is a van anymore. The guy in the middle was our instructor for the day. He is a volunteer firefighter/paramedic/ER nurse. Yeah, he pretty much does it all. I worked with him in the ER the next day. He is awesome and I learned a lot from him.

Levi and I sit next to each other in class. He is the funniest guy I know. I apologize for my face. I started to laugh then made a funny face. We have a lot of fun in that class together. Sometimes when we practice our skills we like to mess around. Levi was strapped to the spine board and wanted to see if he could do a push up. We flipped him over, he did his push up but then wanted to add some weight. Kassie then laid on him. We also like to take things to the extreme, so we flipped Levi all the way around, and put him upside down. It was so funny. I promise we are safe! Learning needs to be fun right?

Tennis as usually is going great. The fall season is over so we can't practice as a team with the coaches. We can go out and hit together, just as long as the coaches aren't there. So pretty much we still have practice. We also condition everyday...lots of footwork drills, sprints...technically just running. The joke is that if the college didn't have a tennis team we would be the girls cross country team with all the running we do. All this hard work will pay off soon enough. February our season starts. I know we are all ready to start playing some matches. In January we will gain another player. She is from Zimbabwe. Crazy I know. After stalking her on Facebook, I know she will be a great asset to our team. Pretty much every one of her pictures includes her holding a tennis trophy of some sort and she pretty much looks like a sibling of Venus and Serena Williams. We did lose of our girls last month. Long complicated story. There are currently five of us, but the girl from Zimbabwe will make it six. Coach is still trying to see if she can get a couple more girls to join us. I love my team. We have too much fun together.

I promise I'm sane. It was suppose to be a funny picture but Kindra, Sally and Patty didn't really do anything out of the ordinary. Then there's Kenna and I looking sexy as usual.

Have I ever talked about the sunrises and sunsets here? No? Oh, well let me show you some majestic views. The first is a sunset, the second was my awesome view on my drive to my ambulance ride along at 6:50 in the morning.

Longboarding down main street at night is often a fun adventure my friends and I like to take. The streets are smooth, there is oldies music playing outside some shops, the sense of freedom and the cool breeze overwhelms me.

My roommate/friend Sally is in a Phlebotomy class and she needs a certain amount of blood draws to complete the class. The nice whiling person that I am, allowed her to use me as a pin cushion. I have never had my blood draw because I don't weigh enough. Teachers always give extra credit if you donate blood. I have come to terms with my size and know that I will never receive those extra credit points. Anyways, I'm not afraid of needles, blood or someone sticking me. I mean, if I was afraid of all those things, I wouldn't be going through the EMT class and pursuing to become a paramedic. Sally needed three sticks to complete her paper. Long story short...Sally wasn't able to able to draw any blood from me. She stuck me three times on the arms and a prick on the finger. The whole time I was teasing her and making her nervous. I would act like it was hurting and was freaking out, but I really wasn't. In my view, it seemed like Sally was getting the needle in my veins, but every time she would stick the tube on the end to get blood nothing would come out. Blood would come trickling out when she would pull the needle out but nothing more than that. Afterwards I seriously looked like I was a druggy or something all patched up. I consider myself supernatural now. I like saying that rather than that Sally is just a bad Phlebotomist...good thing that isn't going to be her career.

Remember how I really enjoy watching Volleyball and cheering loud at all the college sporting events? Yeah, well one of the volleyball girl's sister caught me in action. I was in the background of one of the pictures she took. Pretty good looking I'd say. Intense also. EAC's #1 fan. I bring my megaphone to every game and wear a school shirt.

You thought I was going to forget to talk about my Thanksgiving break huh? Well...I almost did. I get writing and find pictures that I want to add stories to and sometimes I forget the big things.

My Thanksgiving was great. I didn't drive home and surprise my family again this year. Although it was on my mind. I think my mom had it in the back of her head also, trying to figure out what I was doing for Thanksgiving. I went to my roommate Sonora's house on Thanksgiving day. I was welcomed into her family's house with love. I had many offers from friends to join them for Thanksgiving since I was not traveling home. I am very appreciative towards all of them. It means a lot to me that people are willing to share such a special family day with others. I felt very comfortable at Sonora's house. Her parents and brothers were all very nice to me. Dinner was amazingly delicious as always this time of year. After dinner some of us went to Walmart for a little black Friday shopping. Craziness I tell you. People go ape. I enjoyed spending Thanksgiving day with another family since I wasn't with mine. Having this holiday break has been super nice. Even though I haven't really been that productive, it is just nice to relax and be lame. I did do some homework today though mom, don't worry, I was somewhat productive. Finals are coming up quickly I can't get behind on homework. I need all the time I can get to study. I honestly can't wait until Christmas break. It will be like heaven. My body is going to go into shock when I get off the airplane. Its been cold here but not Utah snow cold. I am adjusted to the Arizona weather.

Until next time my friends. Be Strong. Live Free.

November?

It's already November...my how the time flies. Soon it will be Christmas break and I will be flying home to the cold Utah winter. It still amazes me that I am living, going to school, and playing tennis in Arizona. I have lived on my own for over a year. I can't drive home on the weekends for home cooked meals and to do my laundry. I don't get to see my siblings for family dinners or birthday celebration get togethers. But you know, I do alright. I make it through the rough times and think about my family often. I can't wait until I unload from the airplane at Christmas break and see my mom smiling (and probably crying) waiting for me. I'm counting down the days until I'm warmed by her arms around me. Dad don't think I forgot about you...but it sounds like your "Girls" are high priority now. Making the newspaper and all. I can't wait to jump into your arms and wrap my arms around you.

Let me catch you up with some of my random adventurous. The Student Counsel put on a dodgeball tournament and us tennis girls got a team together and played for the heck of it. Yes we are an odd looking team. We needed some guys to bring some extra strength to the playing field. We wore pink since it was breast cancer awareness month in October. It was really fun and we ended up winning gift cards to R&R a pizza restaurant for 'best outfits'. 

Volleyball had a pink out game during the month of October. So my roommates and I decided to make it fun since we stand up and cheer every game. We...well they, decided we should make pink tutus to wear to the game. I was down because I thought it would be funny. It took us forever to make them. All we used was elastic and pink tool. Once I finished mine I put it on and then really didn't take it off because I was caught up in watching one of my tv shows online. I wore some of my roommates pink clothing to go along with the tutu. One of my roommates came home from work and caught me in my tutu and about died of laughter. Everyone at the volleyball game got a kick out of us and thought it was funny. All the volleyball girls and the coach couldn't believe I was wearing a pink tutu. I told them it was just for them. The team got a picture with us after next to some signs the tennis team made for them. You can't really see Sally, Stephanie, and I but its the thought that counts right?

                     

My friend Alyssa (one of the vball players) and I hung out one weekend and carved some pumpkins. Pumpkins that actually came from my home in Utah. Thanks mom for shipping them to me! ....Just Kidding. Sally traveled to Utah for conference and stayed at my house one night and my sweet mother sent her home with some pumpkins from our garden. Alyssa like any typical girlfriend would, carved her initial and her boyfriends initial in her pumpkin. I was artistically original and carved a face in mine. Needless to say we had fun. This picture also shows how short I am...Which happens in all my pictures. Typical. Whatever. I'm used to it.

My roommates on Halloween night planned a dance party in our house. I had EMT class until 10pm so I missed the beginning. I wasn't expecting many people, but word definitely got around. Especially since our party was the only cool thing going on around campus. There were so many cars parked on the street I thought we were famous or something. I walked into my own house and couldn't even make it to my room. Everyone was dressed up and I must say, people get creative with their costumes. In a good way. My friend Alyssa dressed up as a sister missionary. She pulled it off perfectly. I was an...EMT in training...Since I didn't change out of my uniform. Don't worry the people in the back of the photo are playing Mnt. Dew pong...no alcohol was involved.

My roommate Sonora (far right) borrowed her brothers Nintendo 64 for a weekend. We could't stop playing Mario Kart. We would get very competitive and into racing each other. So much so that we would push each other and yell if we got hit or lost. 4 girls playing Mario Kart is a sight to see. When her brother came to pick it up, we were devastated.  

I pride myself on being fit and getting good grades. ...I wouldn't show you the bad grades though, would I? I have had 3 perfect papers in my Sports Med class. It feels so good to see that written on my quizzes when I get them back. I'm just one step closer to my future. Yes...I did take a mirror workout selfie, my roommate Stephanie laughed at me. We have been going to the gym and working out Monday, Wed, Friday mornings, and on Thursday mornings we do Insanity. I love it. I want to be a buff little girl.

Like I always say, I'm loving life! Changing my life little by little to be the person I want. When I head home for Christmas break I will hopefully have one of my goals fulfilled. And that is to have passed my EMT Basic tests and be a certified EMT. I'm one step closer each day.

SMILE!