I have to write a personal statement...help!

[JDBfangirl]

Last Saturday, I managed to blag secure one of the last places for a nursing degree at a local uni starting this year... 3 weeks time in fact (gulp).

So I'm desperately filling in forms that have just been sent to me. I've been too healthy for my Dr's surgery and they've insisted on me seeing a dr before they'll fill in Occ Health questionaire for which I'll have to wait a week (deep joy).

I've been asked to write a PS. Now it's 10 years since I last did one. Does anyone have any pointers etc please as my head is spinning from DS/paperwork mountain.

Actually, any advice at all would be very helpful right now.

Thanks

. Why do the uniforms have to be white? I am useless with white - it always ends up stained!! As for shoes - can we really not wear trainers??? Or how about something like this cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330154730971 Joke!

lol at that high heel...I would fall over nowadays....used to wear heels when younger with no problem, but now ...no chance (I obviously didn't wear heels when working, lol...)

I have no diea about trainers....can't see why not really...they low heel, enclosed...non-slip....I think, but not sure though, the shoes will have to be black...but could be wrong....( I know when working as an Auxiliary Nurse in an Hospital over here we had to wear black shoes....)

As for white...I know....not good with white neither...I know they are also bottle green...but ccan't remember if that is top or bottoms...)

Sadly the top is white and the bottoms are green. Stains here I come!

Think I am going to have to start looking for sensible shoes soon. . I love shopping but not for sensible workshoes lol.

How are you getting on with the books now? I have finished the Bell Jar and am now on Memoirs of Iris Murdoch. Am finding it a bit hard going though it is touching and revealing re Alzeimers Disease in places too.

I finally finished the Book I had been reading..so, will start on the ones I should be reading now
Not sure which one is on top, lol....whichever it is, I shall be reading that first...or mihgt just start on hte one that arrived today "losing my mind" by Thomas DeBaggio, it's about Alzheimers...

anyway...really should be doing some housework now...house a tip , lots to do and no motivation to do it, lol!

God tell me about it. I need to do some cleaning and organising too but the lure of the pc is too much! My god what will we be like when we have assignements to do and we still have a mumsnet addiction?!

Let me know how you get on with whichever book you start on, and I will carry on (trying) to wade through Iris

Oh, and I forgot to mention. Have you looked into your Hep B jab yet? I went to see the nurse at my GP's and he said that it takes 6 months to be fully immune and its a course of 3 or 4 jabs (not including the vial of blood I had to give today testing for anti bodies). He said a lot of GP's charge around £200 for this too . Or are you ok because you have already studied nursing or do you still have to have this? If you have had it is this usual practice? I thought it would be one jab and then immunity

hm...had my last Hep B jab in 2000....but don't think you had to have more than one , but think that they did check my blood some month afterwards....

£200 seems rather steep....hm... I didn't have to pay for it back than as it was done by my Employer...NHS Occupational Health department....but they did say we could do it once started through someone there, if i remember correctly...

Did you get any side effects? My nurse said it is likely - aaarrgghh!!!

I had my lastjab on teh 23rd of December 2000....and I remeber that so well, because I wasn't feeling that great....I wasn't ill, but I had , what I can only describe as an uncomfortable liver, and was off my food (not a bad thing, lol)

I am an emetaphobe and really can't be sick. Were you ever sick on it at all? I don't mind being off my food though lol

I got my Willard and Spackman book through today - my god it is massive!! The pages are really thin too so its a hell of a lot of reading! I am still struggling through Iris which I will persevere with. Its hardgoing but what I am picking out about alzeimers and how it affects the partner of the sufferer is useful so for this reason I will continue. It is a bit late searching for a few needles in a haystack though as I don't feel most of it is relevant - it would perhaps be more suited to someone studying English Lit. I might see if I can get hold of the film instead actually now theres a though How is your reading going? Do you have all your books now?

no, never been sick after the jab...luckily I am hrdly ever sick....because well...not ematophobe, but it just not one of the greatest experiences...

still not started (luckily all that was on teh reading list doesn't have to be read until after next years summerhols )...lol....but seen some of the films ...got the Iris one (aswell as the book)...try E-bay or amazon for the movies...

I am really getting scared now....and overwhelmed and stressed out....are you?

Good luck 3andnomore- this has come around quick hasn't it?

(I Go back on the 22nd, had an email today regarding dissertation, almost vomited!)

god..dissertation...I daren't even think that far...lol...I have had good marks on my "little" Uni course...Essays were a and b...but dissertation, whole different ballgame...shudder....

that is when I start as a first year student...the 22nd!Well, got to sign "on" on the 20th...but ykwim, I think!

Am still excited but I got my first week timetable yesterday and now it seems "real". I think I must currently be in denial!! What is worrying you the most 3andnomore?

I (finally) finished Iris yesterday. The end is more relevant than the beginning but was still quite a chore. It has rave reviews on amazon so maybe I am just intellectually challenged because I found it boring. . I am now on the Diving Bell and the Butterfly which is scary. The man suffers from "locked in" syndrome which means his brain works normally but all he is able to do is blink his one eyelid. I honestly think I would rather die than live like that. Is that a terrible thing to say?

Notalone, it's 3andnomore, btw...just name changed, as I felt like a change

YOu are doing well with your reading....still not started....but at the weekend I will be able to start...(I always read in the Bath, you see )

I agree, I would rather die then not being able to move...I always have felt that it is possibly kinder to loose your mind than your bodys ability...not that losing once mind is a good thing...but for the person themselfs it might be easier....it is difficult for those that that are close either way...my MIL has Alzheimers and is decling fast....and she is not the person she was once...and it is upsetting to see...but she is mostly oblivious, iykwim...

BTW, do you have Sky? Because there are lots of the movies that are relevant on there at the moment...like I just bought them all, and now they come on there...[hm]...but I suppose I will always have them as reference...as obviously there is a chance that I will have to write reports or something...if it is an over the holiday period homework....

What am I scared off....firstly that I am not intelligent enough, secondly how I will manage to do teh coursework and looking after my family....I think those are my main worries....
I also feel sad that for my youngest as I won't be as much there for him in his first year of school as I was for the other 2....

Hohum...just generally a bit freaked out right now, lol

Went today to a Induction day for mature students...twas interesting...also got my timetable etc...

it looks pretty much like 9am-5pm everyday, bar Wednesdays....yikes....what have I let myself in for...lol....

Am loving your new name 3andnomore! Once I start this course I may have to change mine to something like stresshead or whathaveIdone lol

9-5 all week . What about Wednesday? Are you off that day to compensate? What else did you do during the open day?

I also worry about not being clever enough. I was good at school and got an A and a B at A Level but that was years ago and my brain is not what it used to be. I think you will be fine though - especially as you have already trained as a nurse. Again I share your worry about juggling everything and I only have the one child (how old are yours btw?) I like a clean house and I know that will probably slide which I may find hard being a bit anal lol. Will your DP / DH be able to help you out more?

I got my Anatomy Colouring Book today. I don't get it!!!! I am kind of hoping the book is mainly aimed at medical students and that we won't have to go into anatomy in such depth.

thanks, I quite like my new name, too...so, shall stick to it now, I think Must get my profile done...

Wednesdays isn't really clear...but at the moment the timetable is confusing me anyway, lol.....!

Today was really just about what to expect and what is expected and what help /support is offered.
Saw the Tutor that did the course last year and she was so lovely, really boosting my confidence....bless her...she was genuinely pleased that I got on the course, etc....
It was nice to meet other mature students and realize that we all worry about the same things, lol....lso met 2 students that will be on my course, which was cool!

My youngest son just turned 4 and has just started reception, my ms will be 6 in november and is in year one and my oldest is 12 and in his second year of Secondary school.
As for dh....he has just been offered to only do nights, rather than being on day and night rota, this will mean that we only need childcare for the morning and for the schoolrun in the mornings... and dh will pick kids up and feed them, then as I come in he will leave for work....and I will do bedtime and whatever needs doing before studying whatever needs to be studied....feel exhausted just thinking about it, lol....
I suppose Saturdays will become housework day...the joy....wish we coud afford a cleaner, lol....

That Anatomy book sounds nightmarish....but I think whiles we will need a good ground knowledge, we won't need to know about every little detail....more the rough workings...but, we probably do have to learn the bones of the skeleton etc...

Have you got your timetable yet? I didn't know until today that my UNiversity had a part for New students, where all timetables are published, etc...had to type new students into the Unisites searchengine and then it came up!

How old is your child? And how have you organised childcare, etc...?

Well that sounds reassuring. I haven't met any mature students yet and all the photos of enrolment day show skinny young things!! Still, I am sure there will be a fair few on this type of course

WE don't get our timetable until the actual day of enrollment so it is still a mystery to me apart from the first week. Knowing my luck any free time will be sandwiched between lectures so I won't be able to go home (it is going to take me at least an hour to get to uni every day and the same on the way back) How far is the uni from you?

My DS is 7. His school have a breakfast club starting at 7,30 and an after school club until 6pm. I will have to get a 7.25am train if uni starts at 9am so the school have said that if I need him to be looked after from 7am they will sort it for me and I will need to pay the extra hours pay for one member of staff which is fantastic of them. However DP had an injury at work a couple of months ago and won't be at work for a while as he is waiting for physio. He is also thinking of getting into taxi driving as his old work involved driving a telescopic handler on building sites and these jobs are very few and far between at the moment. I guess if he does this we can work it out between us and he, like your DH, will mainly be working evenings and nights. Do you think we will both still know what our other halves look like by the end of the 3 years lol?

Yes Saturdays will be housework day here and then I will torture myself about not spending enough time with DS. Not gonna be easy is it?

Notalone, I think on courses like Nursing and OT etc. there will always be a fair few Mature Students...however....how old they actualy are is a different story...because you are classed as a mature student when you start and are 21 and over

Like I said the timetables fr al courses can be found on my Universities website...must be a specific thing with them then.

Believe me, it seems there is no free time inbetween , it pretty much is 9am-5pm...and I doubt it will be much different anywhere else...I suppose....

Yes our families won't be able to recognize us, lol...but there are some studyweeks aswell and then the Holiday times....so, it will not be all year round...I suppose!
Oh god, what are we letting ourselfs in for, lol!

Oh, looked on the Uniform Form the otehr day, and it mentions that on clinical placements students can wear white trainers, but otherwise, enclosed, non slipping, flat black shoes...however, black trainers would probably be fine anyway....

Mature at 21 . I am 30 so I must be classed as pre historic then!

I am really hoping my timetable is different to yours but somehow I doubt it. Apparently next Friday we are "out in the community". Wonder what this involves....

Thanks for the uniform information. I will make sure mine says the same but will probably go for white trainers - comfy and can also be worn outside of work too.

I agree. What ARE we thinking of. Last week of freedom for us then the fun starts!!! Are you doing anything this week? I am going to try to get through more reading. Am on Before I Say Goodbye by Ruth Picardie now. I bought a bright pink academic diary yesterday so what with my new bag and new stationary I really do have the "back to school" feeling!

lol...well...I am 38...so I am probably considered ancient and pre-pre historic... I assume there will be some young students who have younger mums than me, lol!

Not sure if using Workshoes outside the work environment is a good idea...especially when you work in a clinical setting...something about germ spreading etc...what with things like MRSA and such....when nursing we were certainly not allowed to do this, however, rules might be different....also....black might be better even for trainers....you never know what could drip on ya ( again especially in a clinical environment )

As for timetable...compared the one send to me via E-mail with the one on the Uni website, and they differ...but pretty much show the same amount of time there...I waas told beforehand that fulltime attendence on this course pretty much means full time...., 4 full days and 1 halfday...

Got lots of appointments with my younger sons and for myself(eyeclinic, urology) and for myself wiht practice nurse and dental x-ray...sigh ad should really make a vets appointemnt for our Dog and our little Kitten, too)

Where did you get an academic diary? And how does it differ to an ordinary one?

Oh, started reading The Diving Bell and the Butterfly....it is written lovely, isn't it...but so hertbreaking for the guy to be in that positiion

Also watched a movie from the list...watched Ladybird, Ladybird....hertbreaking film!

Gosh I never thought of not being able to wear shoes for OT outside work too, but can see why this may be a no no. I guess it all depends on where you will be working - it probably would not be as strict in say a rehabilitation home than in a hospital. And I never considered bodily fluids going on white shoes either. Eeek!!!

The academic diary I bought was from WHsmith. It runs from Aug 08 - July 09 and has sections for each terms timetables, exam dates etc etc. I think I normal diary would be fine though too.

I have just finished Before I Say Goodbye by Ruth Picardie and my god it is so sad. She seemed to be really brave despite suffering terribly. All these books have not been my typical light hearted summer reads lol. I agree with you about the Diving Bell and the Butterfly. It really makes you think. The guy went from being a hugely succesful man to not even being able to use the toilet, talk or even move. How desperately awful for him.

I went back to Dr's today and they can't fit me in for my first innoculation this week at all plus they have run out of the vaccine. I hope I can get them done in time I hope things go ok with the hospital for ya

PS - What is Ladybird Ladybird about?