Lewis University Navigator Blogs

Hello!

So, I had my first actual nursing clinical a week ago. We went to the hospital and actually dealt with patients! My section of 8 students went to Edward hospital in Naperville. We are on the MedSurg unit. It is a very nice unti and actually does not look like a hospital at all. All of us wake up at 4:30 – 5 ish and get ready so that we can make it to the hospital by 6:30. When we get there we are assigned a patient that we will be working with that day, along with a RN and PCT. We start filling out care plans for our patient and listen to the shift reports. Once we introduce ourselves to our patient, it is our responsibilty to do anything the patient needs and work more on getting information to complete our care plans. We do this until about 10:30, and then we go into our post conference, where we can discuss our patient.

The first day is more of a scavenger hunt and introduction day. But most everyone is still very nervous. The next 5 clinicals are more intense, and you are actually doing jobs for the patient. At the end you will have to complete a care plan that will be about 15% of your grade. Clinicals are a great way to experience the ‘real thing’. Many schools do not start them until junior year. Lewis starts it sophomore year to give you that extra practice. Like I said most of us started out really nervous, but I am honestly excited to go back.

HEY!!

So Lewis University is hosting Relay for life in the area on March 25 to March 26. You can sign up now to get you team in on the action. There are 10 team members on each team, and anyone and everyone can help to raise money!! At 6 pm on March 25th walking will start with a survivor lap and continue with more fun laps until 6 am on the 26th. Teams are also encouraged to bring item to decorate their space around the track pertaining to their team theme. You can go to www.RelayForLifeNorthWillCollege.com to sign up or donate. Any amount is appreciated!! It really should be a great and fun night.

Hi Everyone!!

So it is getting to be that time of year when people start thinking about next year. Soon the spring schedules will be out and advising meetings will start. Also, slots will start opening for rooms next year. But if you are interested in rooming in Dorothy Day Hall….. applications start sooner.

Dorothy Day Hall is the newest hall on campus. It is set up in sections, meaning there are two doubles, and two singles. These six people then share a bathroom (with two showers, stalls, and sinks). Dorothy Day also has study rooms on each floor that are perfect if you need to get away to do homework but do not want to go across campus to the library. Dorothy Day also has a unique housing system that lets its residents register early for housing. The sections in Dorothy Day are separated into learning communities; substance free, intense study, and academic. In a substance free section, students sign a contract stating to be free of alcohol and drugs while they live there. Intense study is geared to sections that want quiet hours and a good study environment. Academic section are for groups of student that have the same major. The only ‘catch’ is that every semester your section has to do a presentation relating to you learning community theme. It is very easy and fun. Also, your section will have to write a paper at the end of the semester but again it is not very hard and kind of bonds your section more.

Dorothy Day has a separate application to get into the sections. This is what allows Dorothy Day residents to register early. It is nice to be able get rooming stuff done and out of the way earlier than everyone else on campus. I live in Dorothy Day now and plan on living there again next year. I use the study rooms almost every day. It is a very friendly and clean atmosphere. I would highly reccomend living there.

Hello!

So I know that most everyone finds sitting down and reading a textbook a complete bore, and even though it doesn’t feel like spring, the thought of spring and it being beautiful outside makes reading a textbook sound even more tortorous. Unfortunately, for nursing, reading essential. I honestly have learned more from reading the books then the lectures in some of my classes. The professors do expect you to read before classes so that you are prepared for the lecture and know what they are talking about. And most of the test questions are based upon criteria that you read in the books. Yes, I know that this sounds terrible, but there is an up side. First of all, what you are reading really is not that boring. It is all health related and has some pretty interesting facts with in it. Also, what you read, you then talk about in lecture and then practice in labs. So really you are like bringing your reading to life. A lot of times teachers will have personal stories that will go along with the topic you are reading about also. That always makes the topic more fun and memorable.

There is a lot of reading that comes with the nursing curriclum, but if you stay on top of it (meaning read when you need to read and not putting it off for a later time) it will be much more enjoyable. It will definitely help you in the long run.

Hey guys!! 

We just had our second, and first of the semester, overnight program this week.  The overnight program here at Lewis is is something great to get involved in if you are considering coming to our school.  It is also a great activity to help out with if you are a student on campus because we need hosts for these prospective students to stay with.  As a prospective student, you can attend as long as you have already been accepted into Lewis University.  We then pair you up, preferrably with a related major, and then you can come and spend the night here with us!

Overnights arrive on a Thursday (or Tuesday in the last case) at about 5 and meet your host.  Your picture is taken with your host and you are welcome to pizza that is from the Den for dinner.  After dinner, the overnight and their host go to the hosts room and hang out for awhile, before the icebreakers and planned activities begin.  Hosts usually answer questions about the rooming prosses, dorms, and roommates while showing them around the dorms.  Later in the evening, there are fun icebreakers so that everyone gets to know everyone.  Then there usually is a fun planned event to follow.  A hypnotist came one overnight, and we have also had a movie night and free game time in the rec center. 

The overnights are given a free ‘snack’ pass to the Den, where they can get ice cream or a smoothie.  After the event is over, overnights and host are allowed to do what they please, within reason.  Most overnights and hosts hang together, watch movies, play games, walk around, or stay at the Den.  The idea is for the overnights to see what a typical college student does on campus.  I have usually had a movie night with some of the other overnights and hosts.  It really is a good way to get to know some other people even before you go to school!

In the morning, overnights are required to go to one class with the host.  This gives them a chance to see what college classes are like also.  Overnights get a free breakfast pass also.  At around noon, a lunch is served and a few speakers came to talk and remind overnights about deadlines as far as scholarships and other additional forms go.  You are also given a copy of your picture, and there is a slide show of all the fun from the night before.  After lunch, overnighters are free to leave or check out the book store to get some amazing Lewis goodies!

I hope many of you decide to participate in overnights.  It really is a great experience and gives you a heads up on what to expect at college.  It can also make your decsion that much easier!  For all students aatending Lewis already…. you should get involved too!!  Even if you didn’t go on an overnight, we need hosts and what better of a way to get to know some more people, and show leadership skills.  Our next overnights are February 17th and 18th and March 25th and 26th.  Hope to see many of you there!!

Hey Guys!!!

As I stated in my welcome blog, I am a nursing major here at Lewis. I haven’t really written about my nursing experience before mostly becase I had not actually started classes that related to nursing as I was finishing most of my general education classes. But now that I have officially started them, I can share with you how the begining process of entering nursing classes goes and express my feelings about it.

The last week before finals first semester, the nursing department sent me and my peers a packet of information about preparing for classes and what needs to be completed, bought, and read before we returned for our second semester. I was a bit suprised at this because I really had no idea there was so much that that had to be done, and I was a little upset honestly because they were giving us all this information right before finals, and naturally I was already overwhelmed. We were told to buy many books (close to 15), and then were given the reading assignments for some of them, which were to be completed before classes started in January. We were also instructed to buy scrubs, shoes, and other fun nursing ‘toys’ for our labs. I was very excited about this part and went ‘shopping’ with my friends to get our stuff. A physical and TB tests were also required and needed to completed over break. Like I said before, I was a little upset that they didn’t give us this information earlier but was still very excited about the upcoming semester and the new classes and curriculum. I got everything completed and it really turned out to be fine.

The Friday before we were supposed to return for spring semester, the nursing department had all of the sophomore nursing students come back early for a Success Day where they talked about dos and don’ts for the upcoming semester. They also had a student panel talk about their experinces with their sophomore year. I was encouraged to buy a recorder to tape classes, which I had never done before, and given the syllabi for my classes. All of the professors were really nice and so caring. It was obvious that they really did want us to succeed. Though this was all very intimidating, I was still pretty excited to get into my classes. I left Success Day with mixed emotions, but was glad they offered it because it really did explain some important information.

My first day of class was fairly easy. One four hour theory class that will usually be a two hour lecture and two hour la, was all I had along with a Pathipysiology class. I realized that this was going to be OK when I was talking to a girl who transfered from a different college where she had teacher assistants who didn’t speak English teaching her classes of 500 students. I felt very releived that I had chosen Lewis when she told me this. For a first day, I really did not think it was all that bad.

I hope by including all this information in my blog, I don’t scare anyone who is thinking about nursing away but can give you a heads up on what to expect. I really am excited about my classes and look forward to many others that I have in the weeks to come. Clinicals will start in March, and that will be a whole different experience to write about. S, I hope that if you are thinking about nursing, you will be just as excited as I am and not let the scary stuff get to you. As people have been continuing to tell me, ‘It will be ok!’

Hey Everyone!!

Hope everyone had a great and not too stressfull finals week. The great part about being done with finals is that you get to relax over break…. and when you come back you get to start all over with new classes, teachers, schedules, grades, and a chance to even meet new people. It’s important to be prepared and ready for the new semester so that you can make the best of it!

I hope everyone enjoys their three weeks off and has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Since it is the holidays and we are all prone to staying in watching movies, making cookies, cutting out snowflakes and of course studying for finals, I thought it would be appropriate to add a few tips on how to not gain the Freshman 15… even if your not a Freshman.

1. Take the stairs. Most all of the buildings here at Lewis have stairs, but many of them also have an elevator too. If you take the stairs versus the elevator, you add a little more excercise to you day and you can burn some of the calories you got from the cookies!

2. Choose water at meals. Water is obviosly better than pop, but it is also better than the sugary juices. At Lewis, if you get water at the fountain, they do not charge you, where as pop, tea, lemonade, or any bottled drink is charged.

3. Walk to class (and other events). Not that students can really drive to class on the Lewis campus, some people do drive to a closer parking lot when they go to dinner or a game at the Rec. Center. If you’re not into always walking, many students bring skateboards and bikes and ride them to class. There are bike racks for bikes in front of the library and by some of the dorms. When it’s cold, you will also walk faster, burning more calories and keeping a bit warmer too!

4. Going off of number 3, take walks! Yes, during the winter months, it is cold, but walking is really good for you, especially after you eat. The campus is very safe and well lit. I feel totally comfortable walking by myself at night and during the day. It will help you relax and gives you a good excuse for a break from studying. Not to mention, during the Christmas season, the campus is decorated beautifully!

5. Don’t stress. I know that not stressing is a lot easier to say than actually do, but a lot of the time, stressing makes us want to eat more and then we gain weight while worrying about everything else. Of course sometimes it works the opposite way, but that is not really healthy either. Make sure to take deep breaths and be conscious of what you are consuming.

6. Going off of 5, eat healthy. Charlie’s Place and The Courtyard Cafe both offer salads. The Courtyard has many varities of salads, plus a ‘make your own’ salad option. Charlie’s has a salad bar. Both options are very good.

7. Make use of the Rec. Center. Any Lewis student is allowed to use any part of the Rec. Center. You just need to show you student identification beforehand. There is a wieght room where you can run on treadmills, bike, lift weights, and do abdominal workouts. The field house is also open to students when practice is not occuring. The pool is also open for students during free swim times. The Rec. Center is always kept very clean and nice to use.

8. Related to number 8, get involved with the excercise programs affiliated with the Rec. Center. There are a step, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, and spinning classes. They are offered at different times to accomodate different schedules.

9. If you are a commuter, park in the far parking lots from your classes. This will allow you to walk further to and from your car and in turn, burn more calories. As a side note, the further parking lots are less hetic for parking.

Hopefully these few tips will help you stay healthy not only during the holidays or freshman year but throughout your college career. Lewis offers many ways to help avoid the Freshman 15, and I personally have use many of these tips and resources myself to help keep me on track. Hope everyone has a great finals week and begining of their winter break.

Hey guys!! There are a lot of things to do on campus, but one of the most widely diverse and exciting activities is participating in on campus intramurals. I myself have participated in two so far but have watched and cheered for many others. Intramurals are all different kinds of sports, including dodgeball, soccer, volleyball, football, and many others, that allow students to play these sports in a relatively non competitive way. All you have to do is get a team together and have a captain attend the captain’s meeting. There is a coordinatior who makes the schedule, and you just have to show up to play!! I have participated in soccer and am currently playing dodgeball.  

Worried about not being athletic or good enough to play? Our soccer team ended up losing every game, but we had a ton of fun making matching team shirts playing our hardest. The dodgeball team I am on now is pretty good. We have a lot of fun and again made team shirts and bandanas. Dodgeball is really cool because everyone makes it to the championship round. I do not consider myself to be athletic, but I really enjoy having fun while playing and hanging out with my dodgeball team. I sometimes question why I even played dodgeball because my friends tease about how easy I startle, but I really do have a lot of fun!! LOTS of people come to watch the games too. Just because you are not playing doesn’t mean that you can’t watch friends play! It can be like a huge party when a bunch of people come. When I first came to Lewis and others were talking about joining intramurals, I figured that it just wasn’t something for me, but I have seriously enjoyed every game that I have played with the intramural program here at Lewis!

Hey everyone!! Hope you have a had a great week!! Last weekend I participated in a weekend retreat called Koinoia. It was a great way to get off campus, relax, have REALLY good food, and meet new friends! Friday, we left for the LaSalle Manor, not knowing how great of weekend it was going to be. While at the manor, we participated in group reflections, small group discussions, and free time. During free time many of us played kick ball, while others walked around and canoed. Later groups of us played group card games like Mow and Mafia. There were a lot of other activities that took place but cannot explain because of how special they were!! I just keep telling people to go and as our leaders told us at the begining of the trip, “Expect the unexpected”. By the end of the retreat I was very refreshed and made SO many new friends! It was a really great experience!