Officially an RD2Be

I have done it! I was matched this past Sunday to UNC-Greensboro's Dietetic Internship  and I could not be more thrilled!

At first when reading those words, I just stared at them for 5 minutes straight. I'm telling you it is such an emotional day, Match Day, and you have all this built up stress and anxiety over these few words or you get one that says you haven't been matched. *shudder*

Pretty much all day I watched some Game of Thrones, went for a walk/run to kill some time but it still seemed to drag on.

After the initial shock of it all, then the tears came...

Then the feelings of absolute joy!

I accepted my match Tuesday and talked with the director about what we were to do next now that it's official. We are supposed to get an email with contact information for every intern. I'm excited! I am so curious to find out who is in the internship with me! Also, we still have some final application things to do but no biggie. Then we can get started over the summer on some of our modules/ assignments. Which I'm very excited about. I need to review some things this summer too. 

It feels great to know that I will be returning to UNCG for the internship, too. I love Greensboro so much and it feels like coming back home to finish out everything there. 

This was definitely my biggest goal of the year and do not be surprised if I post more about it in the near future. I want to use this blog to document some of my experiences. One of the things I've been doing lately is reading a lot of previous/current intern blogs to see what their experience was like during their rotations. I would love to add mine to the mix.

The Waiting Game

The Waiting Game AKA the 10 days left that I have to find out if I'm in a dietetic internship. It's an understatement to say my anxiety levels are through the roof. As I've talked about before on this blog, February 15th was the deadline to apply for dietetic internships, a 9 month to a year long program that enables me to get field experience and sit for the Registered Dietitian exam. It's taken me a while to reach this stage in my education/career but I'm here. 10 days stand between me and fate. I'm pretty sure my application is competitive enough. Here's to hoping that program directors/committees see it that way too. 

Last post I was getting a bit anxious because I had yet to hear back from any of the programs I applied to. Over a month had gone by and not a single email or call.  I think I've been driving my husband crazy by just talking about it over and over again.

He deals with it though. Even though I know I'm getting pretty annoying. :)

However, these past 2 weeks have been really hopeful since I heard from 2 of the programs and have secured interviews with both. One being my first choice and I am super stoked!
I'm just going to be honest my first interview should have been a practice run. I think everything that could have gone wrong, did. It was not pretty. I would be very shocked if I got into the program. I may go into more detail at a later time since I still may have a chance and don't want to give away my choices.
Honestly, this was how I felt...

But I am happy that now I get a second chance with another interview. I know I can do this and my confidence level is pretty high now that I know what NOT to do. 

Interviewing is so scary but I have been preparing for a whole week now. Along with doing some yoga that helps with the nerves and stress.

Here are some links/tips for dietetic internship practice questions that have really helped me:

• On The Road to RD Interview questions -Read this blog is you are interested in reading about someone's experience applying and getting into a DI
• The Nutrition Translator : How to Succeed in Dietetics -She provides a list of interview questions towards the bottom of the post. But honestly the whole post is pretty informative
• All Access Internships Getting Matched guide -Download and reap the benefits of this. I believe pg. 41 is where she has provided a list of interview questions but this manual has been my go-to for this entire process.
• Contact previous/current interns for that specific program that can tell you what kinds of questions they were asked in their interview.
• Preparing for the dietetic internship interview -More broad questions to think about
• If the website for the DI provides a guide or handbook for interns. READ IT. Directors and committees want you to know what their program expects of you and they want to know what YOU know about their program.
• Also, I am taking the questions that were thrown at me during my first interview and actually preparing a better answer in case my 2nd interviewer asks me the same questions.

So, that is what I am doing on my day off. I am preparing my answers, reading case studies I completed in MNT (>2 years ago!!!!), and then working out eventually for some stress relief.

Why thanks Ryan, but it's actually an interview for an.. Oh God nevermind. Thanks :)

Glad blogging wasn't one of my resolutions....

Oh yeah, that's right I had no resolutions! But still, I'm sucking at the blogging thing this year. 

I am a big ball of anxiety at the moment because DICAS apps have been submitted (Feb 14) and we still have 3 weeks to go before the highly anticipated/dreaded Match Day! April 6 cannot get here sooner. I had an opportunity arise that would have saved me this stress and anxiety but I chose to forgo that in order to stick with my original plans. I'll be so mad at myself if Match Day doesn't end well for me but I am still hopeful I can get accepted. I've told some of the RDs at work and they seem to think I have nothing to worry about so we shall see. I am more worried because I haven't received any notification from any programs I applied to regarding interviews. I let it slide the first month, making excuses like "oh the weather has been horrible, maybe the committees haven't been able to get together" or "maybe my application blew them away that they felt I didn't need an interview?". That's just silly. However, I am now 3 weeks away and I have heard nothing. One of the programs I applied to says they don't do interviews. It will be interesting to see what happens. In the meantime I have been obsessing over intern blogs and reading about current and past interns experiences with the DI. It helps me realize that everyone's path to becoming a registered dietitian is different. I'm also deciding that if I get into an internship, I will create a strictly nutrition related twitter and I will chronicle my DI experience on another blog. This is really my de-stress and have fun blog. :)

Besides that....worrying over getting accepted has made me very productive in other aspects of my life. I had my 6 month evaluation at work and it was great. I am very happy that I can do my job well. It makes me happy even if there are always frustrating situations to deal with but I feel like these situations prepare and make me even better at my job. I work a lot but I've been making time for friends a lot more lately. This has been my goal for this year to make time for friends because ever  since the wedding and starting this job my husband and my dog are the only ones I seemed to have time to do anything with. My best friend and I have made us plan to visit more NC wineries this year. We made it to Raffaldini vineyards last month and it was so much fun! We had a blast! It felt like old times with her and I miss that. 

In other news, I've been busy getting ready for my other friend's wedding. I'm the matron of honor and I am so excited since she and her fiance started dating about 2 weeks after Thomas and I did. We love those two and are so happy they are tying the knot! A couple of weeks ago her and I went on a relaxing weekend trip to the beach where we spent one day at the spa, it was much needed for both of us in different ways, of course. She's dealing with that glorious wedding anxiety while I'm stressing about getting into internships. 
We also had her wedding shower recently. We had a great time laughing at the multiple canister sets she received. (8!!) 

It's comforting to know that no matter where my life leads or what happens to my career I have great people in my life. I wouldn't know what do without them.

Until next time and hopefully I will have some good news in the future!

Reading List 2014

Happy New Year! Time for a new list and reading goals for 2014! I'm excited. Gotta love Goodreads!
 I'm bumping up the goal to 28 this year. Hopefully I'll be able to pull this off and even beat it!
Here's 2013 & 2012

1. The Twelve by Justin Cronin **** stars
2. A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin ***** stars
3. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes **** stars
4. The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty  **** stars
5. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin *** stars
6. Something Blue by Emily Giffin *** stars
7. A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin *** stars
8. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin *** stars
9. Love the One you're with by Emily Giffin *** stars
10. Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin **stars
11. Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham **** stars
12. Blood and Beauty :The Borgias by Sarah Dunant **** stars
13. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta ( currently reading)
14. A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (currently reading)

Next to read:

• Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
• Thérèse Raquin by  Émile Zola 
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
• Under Wildwood by Colin Meloy
• The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies
• And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
• The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
• A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
• The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
• A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki
• 11/22/63 by Stephen King
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys
• Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

2014 is almost here!

It's New Year's Eve. I have the day off so Thomas and I have been binge-watching Breaking Bad. And like so many others that have done the same, we are hooked!

Yeah...

Other than that, we are gonna have to tear ourselves from our TV screen to get ready and head down to Charlotte. I bought NYE concert tickets to see The Avett Bros , again! So, hopefully we will be in store for an awesome show. If it's anything like last year's, we are sure to have a great time!

I'm this excited!

Happy New Year!

In other news, I am so close to having everything done for my DICAS application. A few edits to my resume and personal statement and I will be set! It's such a relief. My goal is to have everything in by the end of January. So, one of my 2014 goals is to change my life by getting into an internship. I've worked so hard in 2013, I'm hoping to get some pay-off in the new year. 

Also, I was so close to meeting my 25 books goal for 2013. I may up it for 2014. I have feeling I'm gonna be reading like crazy. But take a look at what I read this year.

I'm not doing resolutions because they stress me out more than they help me better myself. I have goals and I'm fine with that for this year. 2013 held some pretty big changes and I created beautiful memories that I will never forget this year. It had it's emotional ups and downs and I've had my fair share of stress from finishing grad school, wedding planning to job searching. But I am thankful for my new family, my job, my education, and my husband who is always there for me no matter what is going on. 

I may not be where I want to be, but I am getting there.

Happy New Year everyone!

Oh, and Luna says Hi!

Productive Day!

Things haven't exactly been busy lately, it's just that I haven't felt like doing anything for about a month now. Thanksgiving came and the feeling of Christmas has hit me and I feel like I'm on vacation. (But when you are in the midst of DICAS applications you are never on vacation). 
This has been me lately:

Like seriously.

Of course I'm working but Thomas has been sick all week so I pretty go home to catch up on Scandal and in between is Game Of Thrones books and Christmas music. Sad.

However, today has been a real catch up day of everything I've wanted to do this week.
I cleaned the kitchen, made these, worked on my personal statement for DI applications and have entered some more information in to DICAS. Yay! It's amazing what I can accomplish when I don't have to work on the weekends. 

Honestly, these applications should be my first priority since it's the only way I can get a better job than I have now. I have just been so tired of feeling like I'm not getting anywhere. I have a feeling that once 2014 gets here, my motivation will be on full blast to get everything done for these apps. I feel bad for even contacting references right now because I know Christmas is a week away so my plan is to ask my other two references after Christmas closer to new years. I have put off my personal statement for months and have finally sat down and written most of it today. Before this process I felt like I had no experience but after writing it all down, I feel like I have so much that it's hard to pick and choose what to write about in my statement. You never know what's going to win over the directors and I'm already close to the word limit and I have two more paragraphs to write. EEK!
Luckily I have an english teacher for a husband so he's going to read over it and let me know if there is any "fluff" I can get rid of.

BTW Christmas is almost here! Exciting! Yet, I still haven't finished my shopping and can't until I get paid next. So that is a bit nerve wracking but it will be done and it helps that I have the Friday and Monday before Christmas off. 
Here's our tree!

It's our little island of misfit toys tree but we love it!

Hopefully I'll have more to blog before Christmas but if not Merry Christmas!

Goals for November!

I know we are a week into November (time is flying by!), but now that I have some extra time outside of work I want to get some things going in November.

1) Get a head start on my DI applications. I am in the process of getting in touch with some professors and having them go over my resume and eventually my personal statement. Which reminds me I have to start my personal statement too! I think once I have secured 3 references and written and edited my personal statement the hard part will be over until February. Which is why I'm starting the process in November instead of January. I try not to procrastinate in serious situations as these. When I turn in my applications in February, the hard and nerve wracking part will be hoping I get an interview and if I get an interview preparing for said interview. Then the countdown to April will begin! In the meantime, I am trying to prepare for my phone conference next week with one of the directors of the internships I'm considering. I'm excited and anxious to get the ball rolling!

2) Keep my house clean. This past weekend my mother so graciously came over and helped Thomas and I cleaned our entire house. In 3 hours no less! It's fantastically clean now but I fear we will let it slip again. So my goal is to keep this way for as long as possible. The kitchen is the hardest part since that is where food is made and it tends to get messy. 

3) Exercise for the month: Yoga! I've been doing it this week and I feel like it's exactly what I need. My job has been a bit stressful this week, probably because the patient count has been steadily increasing. But I feel that this helps my posture from sitting in a chair for most of my shift. Another goal is to stand more at work too. What I need is a stability ball to use at a chair but I don't think my supervisors would care for that or my coworkers. I aspire to be more flexible, strong, and toned and I feel the more I practice yoga the better these things will be. 

4) Meet my reading goals . I need to read 4 more books before December 31. However I am choosing long books so I don't know if I'll make it to 25 books this year. Hopefully. I'm currently reading The Twelve by Justin Cronin . Seriously it's so good. 

5) This may be a silly goal but in anticipation of the 50th Anniversary Doctor Who special "The Day of the Doctor" I plan to re-watch the David Tennant Doctor Who episodes. He is by far my favorite Doctor and it's been a while since I watched those episodes so I am looking forward to seeing them again. Thanks Netflix!

Nothing is going to be better than seeing these two on screen together.