because I've got nothing but time

Friday:Class 2-5,
Saturday: class 2-5,
Sunday: class 9-1, work 7:30p-8a
Monday: off work at 8a, class from 12-2.

That was my weekend. To top it all off, that night that I worked was horrible. I was in charge, plus had an intubated ICU patient, plus another patient coded and died (that's what happens when you have necrotizing fasciatis on 65% of your body), plus another patient who was crazy. And by crazy I mean, screaming at the top of his lungs that we should call him MARY and then screaming that he wanted to leave despite just having had a fasciotomy to one of his extremities. Psych had to come up to the floor and declare him incompetent and then every-time the patient threatened the nursing staff and/or tried to leave we had to call security. They came to the unit 7 times in 12 hours. By the time the morning rolled around, I couldn't wait to leave. I surely miss my night shift coworkers, but I DO NOT miss the insanity.

Now, I'm sitting on my couch watching Live with R & K waiting for my new furniture to arrive. No, not another new living room set, but a new bedroom set. You see, given the amount of school work that I have and the lack of table space I have (we don't even have a kitchen table) I needed to get a desk for my room. Problem: Where to put it? Solution: Thanks to a fabulous suggestion from O I purchased a loft bed for my bedroom. It comes with a built in desk underneath, so I maximize my space. Thankfully I have very high ceilings in my bedroom, so I can sit up without hitting my head on the ceiling.

I'm trying to think of more stuff to type, as I really don't want to start my economics homework, but I'm running out of ideas. Guess it's time to hit the books.

School Days

As of 8:31 am today, I am an official graduate student at Columbia University. I'm registered for classes, I'm ordering books, I'm meeting new people, and I'm scared shitless. Because I worked so much this summer, the reality of school starting didn't hit me. However, as I sat in the Alumni Auditorium surrounded by my 504 classmates, and listened to the Dean's welcome, I realized my life was about to get crazy, real crazy.

Classes Monday-Thursday//Work Friday and Saturday//Homework on Sunday. And just to spice things up, one weekend a month I have a class taught Executive style (i.e. Class on Friday and Saturday 2-5 and Sunday 9-1).

Are you tired yet? I am. The Director of Academic Affairs said that when they submit coursework to the curriculum committee, the expectation is that for every 3 hours spent in class, 9 hours should be spent out of class doing work. Here's how that math works out.

Class Hours: 15 hours
Work Time for those classes: [(15/3)= 5 (x9)]= 45 hours
Total Time needed for school related stuff each week: 60
Weeks per semester: 14
Number of Days off: 3 (72 hours)
Days spent at work: 2 (26 hours: 2x13 hour shift)
Free day (no work or class): 1 (24 hours)
Minimum sleep requirement: 4 hours

45-20= 25 hours work of work that I simply won't be able to do.

When I break it down financially:
15 credits per semester at $1248/credit= $18720/(14x60)
I'm paying $22.29 per hour to be in class and do work.


So just in case I disappear from the blog sphere, don't get worried. You, me, and my social life will reunite in 16 months.