When will my life begin? | Woes of a newly graduate

      You would think after 2 years in preschool, 6 years in grade school, 4 years in high school and another 4 years or more in college, your life will dramatically change. Nope, not really. As a nursing graduate, I still have a long way to go before my "LIFE" really begin. I still need to take and pass the board exam, take specific trainings to practice as a nurse. And that is if you can find a nursing job here in the Philippines.

Have you ever been told that after graduating you "can do whatever you want"? Go wherever you want or experience whatever you want? Well that's not true. How can you do whatever you want if you are not earning money?

I dream of travelling the world and experiencing new things. That is all I ever wanted. Well, also to pass the board exam. :) Right now my current situation is waiting for the results and waiting for our visa to Canada. I have to admit I'm excited to go because I got to be with my mom. And also because I want to see what Canada has in store for me.

   Don't get me wrong, I love my country. I love the Philippines. But I just don't see myself living here the rest of my life. I want to see the world and what it can offer me. Sometimes I panic when I think about the time passing by and I still haven't achieved anything or do the things that I really want.
   I know 21 years old is still very young but the years just go by so quickly.

   I feel so exalted and worried at the same time. Do you get that feeling? Like your whole future is in front of you and you still don't know what it is.

After Boards Jitters | My Experience in taking the NLE Exam Nov. 2014

    OH WELL. That's it. I took the Nursing Board Exam last Nov. 29-30, 2014 and I am FREAKING OUT! They said that it is normal to be a little bit crazy while waiting for the board results but this is just pure torture. Honestly I do not know my stand in the actual test. I mean I answered all the questions, some of it I find easy, some of it were so hard and some were just plain "WHAT THE EFF?" I cried after the first day because I was so stressed. I was trying so hard to calm myself and to think positive things. Because that is what they said, I had to think positive so that the positive energy will come back around. I cannot do it. I just broke down. I feel so sad and stressed and worried. I was thinking a lot of things like what if I didn't passed the board exam? I don't want to disappoint my parents, i don't want to take the board exam again, what will i do with my life??!! Those kinds of thoughts keeps popping in my head that i just snapped.

I cried like a baby when I got home. I talked to my Mom in Viber and she reassured me that everything will be okay. And even if I don't pass the board exam, nothing will changed. She will still love me no matter what. I also talked to my best friends who passed the boards already, they just laugh when I told them my woes and worries. They said that it is normal and I still have 2 exams left, I need to make the most of it.

So I calmed down and just browsed through my notes. One tip is to drink milk before you go to bed so that you can sleep easily and not be too frazzled the next day. 

I was okay on the last examination day. To be honest, after I submitted the last exam ( NP5) I felt the weight on my shoulders disappear. I survived the exam! After not eating for 2 days, I was craving for rice. I was so hungry that time.

Now the real torture begins. Waiting for my name to appear on the PASSED list. I am going crazy! 

Review: Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Treatment

Hi guys! I'm so excited because this will be my very first review ever. :) And I am hoping for more to come.
Anyways, before the review, I would like to say that my skin is not perfect. It was, 3 years ago, but because of of hormones and stress, my face became a fucking war zone. Well, I'm kinda overreacting. But that is how i see it. I have oily skin, big pores on my nose area, and the inevitable dark marks. Oh my God, how I hate this. Good thing I do not have any pitted marks. 

But my war against acne has been raging for 3 years now, and I keep on looking for products that could eliminate this pesky pimples.
And this where Neutrogena On-The-Spot Acne Treatment came to rescue.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

On-the-Spot® Acne Treatment is a spot acne treatment that provides maximum-strength results without drying out your face. It goes deep down in pores to kill the acne bacteria that cause pimples and helps stop new ones from forming.

Some medicated spot treatments contain high doses of Benzoyl Peroxide that can irritate skin, causing redness and dryness that can make acne worse. On-the-Spot® Acne Treatment contains just 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide, yet it provides the same maximum level of effectiveness with 70% less irritation.

Fight acne and get maximum-strength results with an acne spot treatment that won't dry out your face.

• Oil-free
• Non-comedogenic (won't clog pores)
• 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide

PROS:

• Didn't dry out the areas where I applied it.
• Doesn't have any smell
• Dries out my pimples
• Didn't irritate my skin

CONS: 

• I think it is not available locally.

WHAT I THINK:

True to their slogan, TOUGH ON ACNE EASY ON YOUR SKIN, this spot treatment I think is the best one I tried so far. I used OXY the first time but it dried out my skin so bad. I looked like i have combination skin because I am oily but i had dry patches on my cheeks where my acne is. ( I know, bad luck to have pimples there. :| ) So I was really searching for another spot treatment then I stumbled on this one. 

Bad thing is that it is not available here in the Philippines. So I asked my aunt to buy it in Singapore where she is currently residing. 

I had a humongous pimple on my forehead and it was gone after religiously applying for 2 days, every night.   

So that is my review for my current favorite acne treatment. :) Feel free to comment below and share your acne tips. Cause I too really need it. :)

Ciao for now lovelies! ♥

Summer Fail.

Long time no post huh? I scheduled this vacation for more blog posts but because of my infuriating laziness, NO POST. Tomorrow will be the start of my summer duty, so I won't let this day past without any post or whatever.

I decided to do reviews on products that I purchased and used. Beauty blogs have been a big source of information and help to me. I love reading the reviews and trying new stuff. So this will be the introduction. :)

Anyways, if you guys are asking about my 1 week summer vacation + Holy week ( that equals to 2 weeks obviously, pinahaba ko lang. Teehee. ), it was okay. I didn't go to the beach or out of town because of my Finals's schedule. Poor me. My Titas went to Caramoan actually. And let me tell you, based on their stories and their pictures, it was soooo beautiful there. Walang wala daw ang Boracay. 

AHHHHHHH lalo tuloy akong nainggit ! HAHAHA

Here are some of the pics. Courtesy of their friend/travel buddy/photographer Kuya Ron. :)

My sexy Titas. Tita Marj, Tita Hazel, Tita Karla and Tita Kenneth. 

This is my Tita Marj. She is like my second mom. Like my Mom, she works abroad. She works as a accountant in Singapore. :)

Don't wanna elaborate on this photos because I'm not physically there, and I'm still a little bit bitter. Anyways, Caramoan is just one of the most beautiful islands here in the Philippines and how I wish I can visit it someday. :) WHICH I WILL. Period.

Being a NURSE, is it worth it ?

nurse  (nûrs)n.1. A person educated and trained to care for the sick or disabled.
2.a. A woman employed to take care of a child; a nursemaid.
b. A woman employed to suckle children other than her own; a wet nurse.
3. One that serves as a nurturing or fostering influence or means.

Definition of a nurse according to http://www.thefreedictionary.com.

There are a lot issues about nurses lately. And the latest is the Cynthia Villar's blurt out. For those of you who don't know Cynthia Villar, she is a congresswoman running for senator. In a question and answer portion of a television program she was asked why she opposed the move to close nursing schools that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said did not meet minimum requirements to continue operations. She stated that the owners of the schools have already invested so they can't close the facilities.

 And the follow up question is, "Bakit bumaba pa ang nurses na na-employ sa abroad kasi hindi sila qualified? Bakit nag-resign ang Technical Education Committee after 7 months in office?" And the answer that infuriated hundreds of our fellow nurses were. "Yung pagre-resign po ni [Fr. Rolando V. De la Rosa] is a personal quarrel with the owner of the school. Medyo personal po iyon. Pero 'yung amin po, 'yung sinasabi po namin sa kanila na actually hindi naman kailangan ang nurse ay matapos ng BSN kasi itong ating mga nurses ay gusto lang nila maging room nurse, o sa Amerika o sa other countries, ay mag-aalaga lang sila. Hindi naman kailangan na ganoon sila kagaling."  

Being a future nurse in this country, I was really affected in what Mrs. Villar said. Even though this course is not what I really wanted, it hurts me that a Filipino said that about a profession that is so complicated and so complex. A profession that is the reason why I am so stressed right now. 
People may think that what nurses do is just a simple task of obeying and doing what the doctors ordered. I admit that when I was young, that is my perception too. I thought that being a nurse is so glamorous because of the tv shows that I watched growing up. In my eyes, nurses looks so good in their immaculate white uniform and shoes, their clean slick back bun, and their ever present smile. But that is the opposite in real life. Hindi ko talaga maisip kung gaano ka-haggard maging nurse ! If I realize that sooner, I would just stand up against my dad and shouted " Ayoko ngang maging nurse sabi eh ! " 

But I didn't. Instead, I raised my head and said arrogantly, " Psshh, nursing lang pala eh. Sisiw. Diba taga admit lang sila ng pasyente ? " How wrong and ignorant I was then. 

I didn't prepare myself from countless sleepless nights due to extensive memorization, from night duties that makes you appreciate your bed at home, from situational questions that makes you go HUH?? when you got it wrong because you swear to God IT is the right answer but its not, from 3 day case presentations na required talagang mag-overnight ( malas pa kung wala kaung place na pupuntahan. In my case, there was a time nakarating kami sa Katipunan para lang makahanap ng coffee shop na bukas pa, may outlet, and may WiFi. All through that trouble, 75 kami sa Case Presentation ), walang kamatayang NCP and FDAR, and we have to digest all the patient's woes and troubles. Not to mention, all the disgusting things we have to face so that the patients will look presentable for their relatives and for the doctors. Sinong nagpapaligo ? KAMI ! Sinong nagaayos ng higaan? KAMI ! And sinong nagpapalit ng diaper ? Por Diyos, KAMI RIN ! 

And mind you, doing all these things with a smile on our faces. Well, you can't really see our faces because we have our mask on but I assure you we are still smiling underneath. Because we are trained that way. We are trained to alleviate our patient's suffering and so we have to smile our face off just so they won't feel anxious and think that there is something wrong with them. 

We nurses are experts in patient interaction. Sino pang mangungumusta sa inyo except your relatives kundi kami lang ? 

I know I am only a student nurse and you might say that my passion is not really nursing so what do I really know?  But as a person, I know what hardships nurses go through. Even the journey through nursing is hard. So how dare Cynthia Villar belittle and limit what nurses can do. I won't be a hypocrite and say that I don't want to go to other countries and work there, because I do. And who doesn't ?? Judging from our country's  economic stature, almost everyone wants to go to greener pastures. So I won't be a hypocrite about that. But to say that nurses doesn't have to be smart ??!! 

Oh my God, we have to rush Mrs. Villar in the hospital because somehow she swallowed her vocal chords and got lodged in her rectum,  because she is talking out of her ass! ( Got that line from How I Met Your Mother, btw. Love that series. ♥ )

Kung ganun lang rin sana, jusko po, eh di wag ng mag course audit A pag 3rd year, wag ng mag course audit B pag 4th year, and lalo ng wag mag board exam ! Saves us all the trouble. 

The moral lesson of this is, TANGGALIN NA YUNG BOARD EXAM. Di naman pala kelangan kagalingan eh. HAHA


I'm kidding. Of course.



P.S. During the writing of this article, the Course Audit B results of our seniors is revealed. So during this time, I am super stress because we, juniors are going to start our Course Audit A this summer. Papalapit na papalapit na rin ang Board Exam. And I can't barely survive this semester. Oh please help me Lord ! 

My First Car Show

Disclosure: This will be a boring post. Advice: Just look at the pictures. Don't bother reading it. Seriously. Don't.

Last Friday, March 1, 2013, my school hosted its first Grand Auto Show. It is to wrapped up our Intrams week. Basically this is a show for custom-made cars, It was really cool and all because their is loud music everywhere and some cute car owners. :)

from right to left: Jazzel, Ate Jill, me, Karen and Dais

We are so excited that day but our excitement subsided because we learned that we still have classes in the afternoon. Bummer ! I was like freakin' out that time because I really want to stay there and see the car show. I was so envious of some my friends who got to watch it.

We can still watch it later in the evening but I would be so drained na that time. Anyways, we still got our pictures, so I'm happy about it. 

Btw, this are not ALL the cars in the auto show. There were a lot of cars that day. Too bad I didn't get to take pictures in all of them.  

 This are some of the cuties I am talking about. And take note, they are the ones who wants to take a picture with us.

 ( Ganda lang namin diba? ) HAHA LOL

This pink car is so cute! I think this is my favorite. I'm not usually keen on too much girly stuff, but this one is too cute! And the owner is really nice, so big points for that. 

This car is so bad-ass. When I saw this in the morning I didn't really see what is so special about. But when I saw it later in the evening, ohmygad. The lights were on, and it looks like the cars in the movie Transformers! I literally can't see through it because the headlight is so bright !  

Faces of Umak ( University of Makati ) Coronation Night

Last Thursday, February 28, 2013, me and my classmates attended the Faces of Umak Coronation Night. It was a really fun night because we get to cheer on our classmate and contestant, Princess Olivia Praile.

 That's Niño with last year's winner of Faces of Umak. Dunno his name though..

 That is me with the 2nd runner up. Still don't know his name. HAHA but he is Niño's bet and I think everyone's because of the crowd surrounding him. I had to really put myself out there because my classmates are kinda shy to approach him. 

 And here she is, Ms. Princess Olivia Praile Ngo. She looks like Heart Evangelista no? Too bad she just took the 3rd place award. But she's still pretty, so no regrets about that. :)

I am not here in this group photo because I think I am outside the grand theater.

My attention is caught by this guy....

Is he cute or what ?? HAHA. His name is Aldrine. Don't wanna post his full name though. Privacy issues :)

 ( or I just want him all by myself. Selfish much? *snicker )

I am not usually the type who swoons over a random guy. No, scratch that. I am like that. But I don't really make it that obvious because I don't want that certain guy to have a Prince Syndrome. A Prince Syndrome is a guy who thinks he is all that just because a lot of girls like him. In short, ayaw kong lumaki yung ulo.
But this one is different. He is soo cute and approachable that you can't help but all giddy inside. :)

Don't get me wrong. I AM NOT IN LOVE with him or anything. I just share wanna my experience.
*sigh I really like this moments because I think I only have giddy moments like this when I was in high school. After high school, I became quite cynical so please bear with me if in my future post I will rant how LOVE SUCKS and those people in a relationship can kiss my a**. Yep, I have dark moments like this.

But this day, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2013 is not one of those days. Because I am so inspired. And I thank God for this day. Kasi seriously, ang raming gwapo ! :) ♥♥♥

HAHA Dad is soo hilarious talaga. :)