The holidays have been busy with shopping, baking (gosh, all the baking!), parties, get-togethers, present wrapping, present unwrapping, more shopping (!), plenty of movie watching, and, finally, packing.

As I mentioned in my last entry, I will be temporarily moving. While it will be a very short (8.5 weeks) move, I still have things that I need to take with me. Primarily all of my nursing things (scrubs, shoes, stethoscope, books, etc.). My textbooks alone fill up one carry-on sized rolling suitcase. I may need to reevaluate this and bring them in small amounts and determine what I absolutely need to bring and what can wait until the next time I go home. I’ve made lists, because that’s what I do. Luckily, my sister has gotten internet hooked up again, and the internet company gave her a wireless router so I won’t be connected to a wall. Netflix in bed with knitting…? Or rather, paper writing[1. Yes, I still have papers to do on top of the full-time clinical hours…] in bed. Or maybe I’ll decide that working at a desk is better. All I know is that I need to bring all the chargers and electronic devices.

Where I’m relocating to is technically long-distance for me when I make calls. I internally cringed, but I determined a way to get a free long-distance package for the month of January, and then I’ll tweak my list of Canada-wide numbers to include the hospital unit number and my mentor’s number for February to further prevent long-distance charges. Student life hacks for the win.

Christmas was really fantastic in that I got quite a bit of consumables. This came in the form of chocolate, candy (primarily Skittles!), gift cards (Superstore – for gas and food! Starbucks! Clothing stores!), and then more candy. I also got yarn (!), some doll things (mostly clothes), as well as hot chocolate mixes, tea (!), stitch markers (!), more yarn, and mugs! I love mugs. I swear, when I move out (for real), the only things I’ll have in my kitchen will be mugs (soup mugs, vintage mugs, travel mugs), tea, and bakeware. Oh, and cookie cutters, I have a lot of cookie cutters… It’s a bit embarrassing, really.

I have a week left before Level 6 begins. I have orientation (at school) on the 5th and then my first 12 hour shift should be on the 6th. Excitement! New scrubs so I can go 4 shifts in a row without doing laundry! I can finally use the nice nursing clogs that I bought in September! But before then, I have to start/finish packing and celebrate New Years. I am very much looking forward to 2015 and what it means for my life & career.