It has been a bit of a roller coaster since I found out that I had been accepted into uni. I will go into that on another post as it is going to be a long one.
On 6th January 2015, I found out that the University of Newcastle was having an advisory day, As I had never set foot on the university campus I thought I would go and have a look and maybe find out more information about the Nursing course.
I drove in and immediately knew I wasnt in Kansas anymore. It was huge!!!! I have been to University, so I was expecting it to be big, but this was HUGE!!!!!! It made my last university (University of Western Sydney) look miniature. I guess it is like the feeling you get when you are a kid and you walk around a high school for the first time.
As I drove around the University trying to find out where I was supposed to go, I could feel the nerves building. My stomach was gurgling and I had butterflies in my stomach. I eventually stumbled on a parking station that looked pretty full, so assumed that that was where I was supposed to go. As I walked up to the 'Great Hall' where the advisory day was being held, I noticed that all of the potential students looked very young. Hey I look very young for my age, but I knew I was a lot older than them. Suddenly the thoughts came into my head "what am I doing here?"
I walked into the Great Hall which was crowded with people and very loud with many peoples conversations. I couldn't see anything relating to nursing, so I walked back out and happened to stumble on a university tour starting. I tagged along with that. As we were walking along the tour guide asked who finished Year 12 the previous year. Everyone apart from a couple of us put up their hands. "What am I doing here????" again came into my head.
As the tour progressed we walked through one side of the campus and looked at the different schools. Medicine, engineering, and so forth. Then we were taken to another part of the uni which has a bank, cafes, subway, newsagents and load of other shops. The tour guides then asked us what we were looking at studying. I said "Nursing" and was immediately told that it was on the other side of the university.
As the tour started to walk I realised that there was no point in continuing on. There was nothing on the tour that would relate to nursing and so I was better off going and finding the nursing department on my own.
I got back in the car and found a map of the university and drove to a spot that was closer to the nursing school. As I walked around the School of Nursing, my nerves started to calm down a little bit. One, I was grateful that I had found the School of Nursing and I am sure I will be able to find it again. If you single out the School of Nursing, it is pretty big, but not as big as the Uni itself, so not so scary.
So here I am, 16th January 2015 and O week starts in one month. In the two previous degrees that I have done I have never been to O week, but I think I will go this time.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Sunday, December 7, 2014
First Round Offer
I know it has been 4 months since I last updated. I didn't think that the University of Newcastle was participating in placement offers until December, however to my surprise they started their offers on 23/10/14.
Thankfully on the morning of 23rd October 2014 I received an email stating that I had received an offer. A first round offer!!!!
A lot is going on at work, so I'll come back and update on what is going on there. My boss isnt happy with me going to uni
Thankfully on the morning of 23rd October 2014 I received an email stating that I had received an offer. A first round offer!!!!
A lot is going on at work, so I'll come back and update on what is going on there. My boss isnt happy with me going to uni
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Just Waiting
I applied for Uni nearly two weeks ago. I noticed that if you had everything in by the 18th August 2014 you may get a place in the first round offers which starts 4th September 2014.
I have gone back onto the UAC website today and found out that the University of Newcastle does not participate in any of the early round offers until December - their first offer being 4th December 2014 - nearly 4 months away.
The only positive is that when I checked my application it says that I am eligible for nursing - just got to check my competitiveness. I am hoping I will be fine as they told me the highest GPA that was required was 3.65 and my GPA for my accounting degree was 5.25
I guess all I can do between now and December is try to forget about the application.
I have gone back onto the UAC website today and found out that the University of Newcastle does not participate in any of the early round offers until December - their first offer being 4th December 2014 - nearly 4 months away.
The only positive is that when I checked my application it says that I am eligible for nursing - just got to check my competitiveness. I am hoping I will be fine as they told me the highest GPA that was required was 3.65 and my GPA for my accounting degree was 5.25
I guess all I can do between now and December is try to forget about the application.
Saturday, August 9, 2014
I Applied
UAC applications opened on 06/08/14. I have been checking every week waiting for them to announce when they were going to open. I was at work on Wednesday when they opened, so I applied as soon as I got home.
I have applied for
Bachelor of Nursing Full Time
Bachelor of Midwifery Full Time.
The UAI required for nursing (if you were a non-mature age student) was 70.00, and for Midwifery it was 97.25 (only 2 points under medicine)
I have spoken with the Uni and I should be OK to get into Nursing. I gave my GPA (grade point average)which was 5.25 and they laughed and said the GPA required for early offer was 3.65.
When I was filling out my uni application, it required a copy of my marriage certificate (my other degrees are in my maiden name) and a reference from my work. I went into work and asked my boss for one, which again brought up the conversation as to why I wanted to go to uni. I have explained at 36 years old I have two degrees, but even though I have this, I have nothing that stands me out from anyone else. I like working with him and I do like my job at the moment, but do I want to do it for the rest of my life - if I am honest - no. If I do leave there, I am in the exact same position as I was before. There are not that many jobs where we live and when part time jobs do get advertised there are hundreds (and I am not exaggerating) and hundreds of applicants. Generally the majority of the jobs the I applied for, I didnt even hear from them, not even a peep. I don't want to be in that position again. I don't want to have to go for a job that is offering $22.00 an hour - it is a slap in the face.
Going back to uni is going to be a hard option. It will be hard for me, it will be hard on my family, but I think it is something that I need to do. Whether my boss can see it and whether he thinks i am doing the right thing.
First round offers are announced 04/09/14.
I have applied for
Bachelor of Nursing Full Time
Bachelor of Midwifery Full Time.
The UAI required for nursing (if you were a non-mature age student) was 70.00, and for Midwifery it was 97.25 (only 2 points under medicine)
I have spoken with the Uni and I should be OK to get into Nursing. I gave my GPA (grade point average)which was 5.25 and they laughed and said the GPA required for early offer was 3.65.
When I was filling out my uni application, it required a copy of my marriage certificate (my other degrees are in my maiden name) and a reference from my work. I went into work and asked my boss for one, which again brought up the conversation as to why I wanted to go to uni. I have explained at 36 years old I have two degrees, but even though I have this, I have nothing that stands me out from anyone else. I like working with him and I do like my job at the moment, but do I want to do it for the rest of my life - if I am honest - no. If I do leave there, I am in the exact same position as I was before. There are not that many jobs where we live and when part time jobs do get advertised there are hundreds (and I am not exaggerating) and hundreds of applicants. Generally the majority of the jobs the I applied for, I didnt even hear from them, not even a peep. I don't want to be in that position again. I don't want to have to go for a job that is offering $22.00 an hour - it is a slap in the face.
Going back to uni is going to be a hard option. It will be hard for me, it will be hard on my family, but I think it is something that I need to do. Whether my boss can see it and whether he thinks i am doing the right thing.
First round offers are announced 04/09/14.
Dilema - written 27/05/14
It has been a few weeks since I last updated as to where I am at.
Can I just say the relief that I feel no longer working at my old job. It is amazing. Most of my headaches have gone and I am hoping that I will be able to come off my migrane medication soon.
I have been at my job 4 weeks now. I love it. I am actually liking going to work again. It is a good feeling, as for the last few years I have really dreaded going to work and the days when I am at work really dragged. Now the days at work are flying by and I have energy again.
The job called for 5 hours per week moving to a full day. The first day I was there I did a full day and they asked me whether I would do two days per week. I did two weeks of one day and two weeks of two days. My boss says that I need to work full time for him!! Currently I am employed through the agency and the money is pretty terrible. He has offered me more money (dont know what it is at this stage) and i will be employed through them.
One of the things that Jamie asked me was why I wanted to go back to uni. I explained that really there is nothing that I do that really stands me out from the rest. If something happens with this job and I end up looking for another job, I am back in the same position that I was before.
To work for Jamie is the easy thing to do. I can put off my plans of going to uni and work for him, possibly full time, but again I am going to be stagnant. I am not going to move forward. For a few days i even toyed with the idea - maybe I should forget about uni. It would be a lot easier for me and it would be a lot easier financially for my family in the short term, but would it be the right position long term???
We went away for the long weekend and we spent quite a bit of time with Cathy and Ian. Their daughter Caitlin finished uni last year and is just finishing up her Graduate year at Royal North Shore hospital. I am glad that I got to pick her brains about the job and what she loves about it and what she doesn't like. Caitlin is a bit like me so to get her opinion on things really helped cement in my mind that I need to do this. For my future I need to go back to uni and do Nursing.
Can I just say the relief that I feel no longer working at my old job. It is amazing. Most of my headaches have gone and I am hoping that I will be able to come off my migrane medication soon.
I have been at my job 4 weeks now. I love it. I am actually liking going to work again. It is a good feeling, as for the last few years I have really dreaded going to work and the days when I am at work really dragged. Now the days at work are flying by and I have energy again.
The job called for 5 hours per week moving to a full day. The first day I was there I did a full day and they asked me whether I would do two days per week. I did two weeks of one day and two weeks of two days. My boss says that I need to work full time for him!! Currently I am employed through the agency and the money is pretty terrible. He has offered me more money (dont know what it is at this stage) and i will be employed through them.
One of the things that Jamie asked me was why I wanted to go back to uni. I explained that really there is nothing that I do that really stands me out from the rest. If something happens with this job and I end up looking for another job, I am back in the same position that I was before.
To work for Jamie is the easy thing to do. I can put off my plans of going to uni and work for him, possibly full time, but again I am going to be stagnant. I am not going to move forward. For a few days i even toyed with the idea - maybe I should forget about uni. It would be a lot easier for me and it would be a lot easier financially for my family in the short term, but would it be the right position long term???
We went away for the long weekend and we spent quite a bit of time with Cathy and Ian. Their daughter Caitlin finished uni last year and is just finishing up her Graduate year at Royal North Shore hospital. I am glad that I got to pick her brains about the job and what she loves about it and what she doesn't like. Caitlin is a bit like me so to get her opinion on things really helped cement in my mind that I need to do this. For my future I need to go back to uni and do Nursing.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Where I Am At
Today it is two weeks since I left my job.
I found out that I got paid three weeks pay in advance plus my annual leave that was owing. I was also paid for one day of sick. I also realised that I had been underpaid by a week for the Easter Monday week. It took more than a week to get a reply and finally i was paid last Friday what I was owed. I also had my Superannuation paid. That is amazing as I was owed back to August 2013 - so a total of 8 months that was finally paid. I had already put a complaint into the ATO about my unpaid Superannuation before I was sent through the receipts. I have left the complaint active and hopefully the ATO will look into the company a bit more closely.
I found out that my dads cancer has not spread. Thank goodness for that. He is booked in on 11th June to have the prostate removed.
I have had two weeks of no work - but don't despair, I have a job. I applied for a job the day that I finished up at my old job. It was only one day a week, but will be perfect for next year. I heard the following day that I had been selected for an interview. I went for the interview the day after that and an interview with the company last monday. I also found out last monday that I had the job - I am starting tomorrow. The funny thing is, its another building company. I have not heard of them before, but it is run by a husband and a wife and they seem really nice, so hopefully it will be good. I am a bit nervous, I haven't started a new job in a long time.
In other news I have had two rejections for jobs this week. Woolworths dont want me as a checkout chick and the RTA dont want me as a customer service person. Thankfully I have another job or that would have made me feel really depressed.
I have been having some internal debate whether I start the nursing degree. In some respects I think that I am a little silly, but in other respects I think that I dont really have a choice. When I had my job interview at the recruitment agency I was asked why i only wanted part time employment. I explained that I was going to go back to Uni next year. The recruitment lady agreed with what I said, that office work in Newcastle is hard to find and it does not come up too often and when it does come up there are heaps of applicants. So again I am comfortable with my decision. It is going to cost quite a bit of money in lost income, but I think the long term gain will be worth it.
I found out that I got paid three weeks pay in advance plus my annual leave that was owing. I was also paid for one day of sick. I also realised that I had been underpaid by a week for the Easter Monday week. It took more than a week to get a reply and finally i was paid last Friday what I was owed. I also had my Superannuation paid. That is amazing as I was owed back to August 2013 - so a total of 8 months that was finally paid. I had already put a complaint into the ATO about my unpaid Superannuation before I was sent through the receipts. I have left the complaint active and hopefully the ATO will look into the company a bit more closely.
I found out that my dads cancer has not spread. Thank goodness for that. He is booked in on 11th June to have the prostate removed.
I have had two weeks of no work - but don't despair, I have a job. I applied for a job the day that I finished up at my old job. It was only one day a week, but will be perfect for next year. I heard the following day that I had been selected for an interview. I went for the interview the day after that and an interview with the company last monday. I also found out last monday that I had the job - I am starting tomorrow. The funny thing is, its another building company. I have not heard of them before, but it is run by a husband and a wife and they seem really nice, so hopefully it will be good. I am a bit nervous, I haven't started a new job in a long time.
In other news I have had two rejections for jobs this week. Woolworths dont want me as a checkout chick and the RTA dont want me as a customer service person. Thankfully I have another job or that would have made me feel really depressed.
I have been having some internal debate whether I start the nursing degree. In some respects I think that I am a little silly, but in other respects I think that I dont really have a choice. When I had my job interview at the recruitment agency I was asked why i only wanted part time employment. I explained that I was going to go back to Uni next year. The recruitment lady agreed with what I said, that office work in Newcastle is hard to find and it does not come up too often and when it does come up there are heaps of applicants. So again I am comfortable with my decision. It is going to cost quite a bit of money in lost income, but I think the long term gain will be worth it.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Its All Good
I think that if I had posted yesterday I wouldn't have been able to give the same title. Yesterday was a huge day.
Firstly, on Monday I went to the hospital with my parents so that my dad could have tests to see if the cancer had spread. He was prodded and poked and drunk liquid that he thought suspiciously looked like urine. In the afternoon he met with a Prostate Cancer Nurse and she explained all of the options that my dad has available for him. I was exhausted and I wasnt the one that was going through that, so I totally understand when my dad called time on his appointment and said he would have to come back another day as he was exhausted. His followup appointment with the Dr was yesterday where he would be given the results of his tests and give his decision of how he going to treat the cancer. The Prostate Cancer Nurse thought it would be a good idea if I would be at the appointment as it would give another set of ears and another interpretation of what the Dr was saying. My mum really wanted me to come, but after telling them i would come, I decided against it as i really needed to go to work and face it.
Yesterday I went to work. As soon as I walked in my boss asked me to have a meeting with him. What annoyed me was the new girl was sitting there and could hear the whole thing. This was planned as she starts over an hour after me, so for her to be there, something was going down. I was accused of doing things that I didn't do, but my boss didn't care. They wanted me out and really to be honest, I was sick of all the garbage and was pretty happy to go, I just sat there and gave more than I got. He said that I had the chance to resign or they would terminate me. I said I was going home, and I walked out.
Yesterday the fear set in. I have always worked. I need to work. I need to work for us to financially survive. So to have no job and not knowing how much I was going to be paid out frightened me. Yesterday I spent the day (trying to distract myself) looking for a new job.
My mum rung at 3:00pm to say that dad had been told that the cancer had not spread and it was contained in the prostate - thank fuck for that. That news made me sob like a baby. A horrible weight lifted off my chest immediately. My dads operation is booked in for 11th June 2014 - so about 6 weeks to wait. My younger brother is getting married in the USA on 28/06/14, so there is no way that my dad will be able to go as mum and dad had planned a month long trip which included an Alaska Cruise. My mum is still going to go, if I go with her. I wasnt planning to go to the wedding. It sounds heartless, but this is his second marriage and it would have cost over $20,000 for Mat and the kids and I to all go. We didnt think it was worth going into debt for a wedding.
To add to my huge day yesterday, I decided to email UoN to find out if I qualified for Open Foundations. I had read on the facebook page that you cant have a degree. So i emailed them as applications open tomorrow. The answer came back that the information was correct and you will not be offered a place if you already have a degree. Total despair as I had banked on going next semester. The email continued to say that I should call Admissions and find out if my GPA (Grade Point Average) from my last degree would qualify for entry into the degree. I rung Admissions and spoke with the loveliest girl. She asked what my GPA was - its 5.20 and she said she would look. Immediately she started to laugh and said that I would be a total shoe-in. i asked her what GPA was needed and she said that in order to qualify for an early offer you needed a GPA of 3.65. So now I dont have to worry about Open Foundations, I just need to work out what the hell i am going to do for the next 10 months until uni starts.
I didnt sleep much last night. I was worried about work. I came to the conclusion this morning that there was nothing I could do. They wanted me out and they were making it very well known. I was more expensive at 2.5 days per week than the new girl was working full time. She was brought in to do the sales role and it hasnt worked out so they are slipping her into my job as a massive saving. There is no point in worrying. I have checked my pay this morning and I have been paid out about 6 weeks pay. Its probably more, but there is additional tax for the lump sum payment. The good news is - I dont have to go back there, so really I am the winner.
Its all good today!
Firstly, on Monday I went to the hospital with my parents so that my dad could have tests to see if the cancer had spread. He was prodded and poked and drunk liquid that he thought suspiciously looked like urine. In the afternoon he met with a Prostate Cancer Nurse and she explained all of the options that my dad has available for him. I was exhausted and I wasnt the one that was going through that, so I totally understand when my dad called time on his appointment and said he would have to come back another day as he was exhausted. His followup appointment with the Dr was yesterday where he would be given the results of his tests and give his decision of how he going to treat the cancer. The Prostate Cancer Nurse thought it would be a good idea if I would be at the appointment as it would give another set of ears and another interpretation of what the Dr was saying. My mum really wanted me to come, but after telling them i would come, I decided against it as i really needed to go to work and face it.
Yesterday I went to work. As soon as I walked in my boss asked me to have a meeting with him. What annoyed me was the new girl was sitting there and could hear the whole thing. This was planned as she starts over an hour after me, so for her to be there, something was going down. I was accused of doing things that I didn't do, but my boss didn't care. They wanted me out and really to be honest, I was sick of all the garbage and was pretty happy to go, I just sat there and gave more than I got. He said that I had the chance to resign or they would terminate me. I said I was going home, and I walked out.
Yesterday the fear set in. I have always worked. I need to work. I need to work for us to financially survive. So to have no job and not knowing how much I was going to be paid out frightened me. Yesterday I spent the day (trying to distract myself) looking for a new job.
My mum rung at 3:00pm to say that dad had been told that the cancer had not spread and it was contained in the prostate - thank fuck for that. That news made me sob like a baby. A horrible weight lifted off my chest immediately. My dads operation is booked in for 11th June 2014 - so about 6 weeks to wait. My younger brother is getting married in the USA on 28/06/14, so there is no way that my dad will be able to go as mum and dad had planned a month long trip which included an Alaska Cruise. My mum is still going to go, if I go with her. I wasnt planning to go to the wedding. It sounds heartless, but this is his second marriage and it would have cost over $20,000 for Mat and the kids and I to all go. We didnt think it was worth going into debt for a wedding.
To add to my huge day yesterday, I decided to email UoN to find out if I qualified for Open Foundations. I had read on the facebook page that you cant have a degree. So i emailed them as applications open tomorrow. The answer came back that the information was correct and you will not be offered a place if you already have a degree. Total despair as I had banked on going next semester. The email continued to say that I should call Admissions and find out if my GPA (Grade Point Average) from my last degree would qualify for entry into the degree. I rung Admissions and spoke with the loveliest girl. She asked what my GPA was - its 5.20 and she said she would look. Immediately she started to laugh and said that I would be a total shoe-in. i asked her what GPA was needed and she said that in order to qualify for an early offer you needed a GPA of 3.65. So now I dont have to worry about Open Foundations, I just need to work out what the hell i am going to do for the next 10 months until uni starts.
I didnt sleep much last night. I was worried about work. I came to the conclusion this morning that there was nothing I could do. They wanted me out and they were making it very well known. I was more expensive at 2.5 days per week than the new girl was working full time. She was brought in to do the sales role and it hasnt worked out so they are slipping her into my job as a massive saving. There is no point in worrying. I have checked my pay this morning and I have been paid out about 6 weeks pay. Its probably more, but there is additional tax for the lump sum payment. The good news is - I dont have to go back there, so really I am the winner.
Its all good today!
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