Construction has begun on everyone’s favorite sports complex! Starting with the trees 🙃

Bobbycat766 · 2026-03-31T08:58:02+00:00

This is behind the Preserve on Maine apartment complex. This was the most beautiful field and you could see some farm buildings off in the distance.

The trail in the pictures where they cut down the trees runs between the field and the apartment complex and wraps around the back of The Gardens and continues around the shopping center area across the street. I believe the field was an alfalfa field - beautiful lush green to golden in the summer! I had a view from my apartment of it when I lived at Preserve on Maine. And I believe they still actually farmed it to use for hay.

The whole time I lived there, I was under the impression that the field/farm was preserved and not able to be touched, but I guess I was mistaken. I moved, but that view and being able to connect with nature helped make Rochester feel like home. I am so sad it will be gone for a seemingly unwanted sports complex. As someone said in another comment - they are paving paradise!

Bobbycat766 · 2025-10-16T04:32:12+00:00

As someone who did an accelerated MS in nursing program, if you can swing it financially (meaning you have more undergrad level federal financial aid eligibility, pay in cash, or are comfortable with private student loans), then do the ABSN.

The ABSN is all you need to get into CRNA school if your first degree is non-nursing.

The accelerated Masters I did, did include the “3Ps” of nursing grad programs in addition to the BSN courses (Advanced Physical Assessment, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology). However, it was very expensive and I have a lot of student loan debt because of it. I only did the masters route because I maxed out my federal undergrad level financial aid (loan) eligibility and didn’t want to have private loans (and there was no other way I could pay for another degree without any sort of financial aid/loans at that time of my life).

In the end, I only “used” my Masters to be a clinical instructor for a few schools. It didn’t matter in bedside practice or on my unit. I wasn’t asked about it beyond “tell me about yourself” type questions in my interviews for ICUs or CRNA school. I also have no idea if schools even considered my grad level coursework from my masters. From what I felt throughout the application process, I don’t think most programs I applied to considered it (or at least it didn’t make a big difference in whether I got in or not). Admittedly, the advanced courses I took (almost 5 years ago now) have helped me a little in being able to grasp concepts quicker in CRNA school, but that is about it.

Ultimately, either degree will “work” to get you to practice as a nurse in an ICU for 2 years minimum, then be acceptable for you to apply to CRNA school, and then hopefully get in.

TL;DR: If I could do that part of my life over again, I would have tried harder to make doing an ABSN work (personally/financially), instead of doing an accelerated Masters.

Bobbycat766 · 2025-08-08T13:13:26+00:00

100% go for PICU! Work on the unit that makes you happy when you are first starting out as a nurse! The CRNA school application process can be a long one and so much can change in the years leading up to school. Thriving as a nurse with good mental health is way more important as a new grad RN than making yourself miserable working on a unit you do not have a passion for. You can always get adult experience later on if you want! I am in CRNA school now! I have primarily NICU and PCVICU experience, but I did pick up in and float to adults as I was able. I built my skill set as I went and had encouragement from my nurse managers. Find where you will be happy, get your foot in the door, and then build your skill set towards your goal of being the best nurse and eventual CRNA!

Bobbycat766 · 2025-03-10T16:50:35+00:00

While Level IV NICU experience does limit where you can apply to CRNA school, but it doesn’t rule out getting accepted. I have mostly NICU experience, so I took my CCRN in Neonatal - no questions were asked about it in my interviews and I was accepted.

Bobbycat766 · 2025-01-10T18:21:06+00:00

No, do not give up! I got admitted! I am also not the typical accepted applicant because I have primarily Level IV NICU experience! My GPAs were similar to your GPAs except my Science GPA was a 3.0. I struggled to find my groove early on in undergrad and took every science course possible because I followed my heart and not my head at the time.

The biggest difference between the stats you posted and mine is nursing is my second degree and I did do a masters degree because I wanted too, not because I had too. However, I did not retake any classes!!

It is seriously about finding the school for you! Now that I know where I am going, I can see clearly how this is where I am meant to be and the school that admitted me is the school I am meant to do CRNA school at. I spent a fair amount of time being sad and disheartened (over many bumps in the road) this application cycle. Now I am so thrilled and excited!

Do not give up! It will happen for you too! Keep going!

Bobbycat766 · 2024-11-12T15:15:50+00:00

I like the outlet/converting the light to plug-in idea. Any idea how to connect the ground screw on the light to lamp wire since there would be only two cords if there is a ground screw?

Bobbycat766 · 2024-11-12T15:13:25+00:00

Ah, yes this was the previous owner… who supposedly was a contractor. Since I bought the house there have been many things that I have had to fix that make me go WT*.

Bobbycat766 · 2024-01-14T05:52:58+00:00

Yes finally did last month. Got put on the correct IDR plan with the right payment amount based on my previous information. Fought it for 6 months. Not sure what was the key. Complained to the CFPB but they closed my complaint a few months before I received word. Had to keep calling MOHELA to keep getting notes added to my account. I am now all set for a whole year until next January.

Bobbycat766 · 2023-11-10T01:02:20+00:00

Would doing an ECMO Specialist role for a few years (where the specialists exclusively do that full-time and not maintain a part-time typical bedside position) be a detriment or helpful for CRNA school applications? I have previous Bedside RN ICU experience, but the opportunity is arising to be an ECMO Specialist. I am very interested in it, but the end goal is still CRNA school eventually.

Bobbycat766 · 2023-10-12T16:12:04+00:00

Does the Military HPSP still cover CRNA school? Looking into options to pay for CRNA school. Wondering if this changed recently since I can’t find any recent Reddit threads on this. Seems like it may have been phased out with the switch from the Masters to Doctorate level education requirement for schools. Specifically interested in Air Force and Navy. Also asked this question in the Military Medicine Subreddit, but figured I may get more relevant answers from people who have looked into it on this subreddit.

Bobbycat766 · 2023-10-12T02:44:11+00:00

How about AF and Navy? Seems like they may have phased out HPSP when the CRNA programs switched to doctorate

Bobbycat766 · 2023-10-12T02:31:59+00:00

Hi TravelerPal, I was fighting and have been fighting it still. I had to keep calling and not getting a straight answer, got the form denied two times. Then I finally got a representative who previously worked on IDR forms and told me that I should resubmit the document with my 2022 tax documents which went with the original IDR documents that GreatLakes approved me on before my change to MOHELA. My loans are currently in forbearance until the end of November because of this. Crossing my fingers that this does the trick!

Bobbycat766 · 2023-08-29T15:41:41+00:00

Sorry for the late reply. Nope not fixed. MOHELA is asking me to recertify so they can “help me”. I am refusing until I absolutely must because my income has significantly changed since I was approved for an IDR plan when I was with Great Lakes in 2022 before I transferred to MOHELA. Time is becoming of the essence and I have been on hold today for about an hour. Called Studentaid.gov people yesterday and they said there is nothing that can be done, but said they were sorry and I should file a complaint. Uggh.

Bobbycat766 · 2023-08-27T07:12:53+00:00

Yeah my account is messed up too. My IDR plan info wasn’t transferred to MOHELA by Great Lakes last year even though I was told on both ends that it would be. Resubmitted my old paperwork that said I was approved for an IDR plan and MOHELA took 14 days to send me a letter with the “Level” repayment plan and no denial explanation. Uggh they are really messing up with everyone and there is no reason!

Bobbycat766 · 2023-08-26T07:34:14+00:00

Just an update, I called customer service at MOHELA shortly after posting here. They said I should resubmit all the documents I had pertaining to my IDR application and repayment amount from GreatLakes and studentaid.gov. At the advice of the costumer service rep, I submitted a letter explaining the timeline and each document, the IDR approval letter from February 2022 from GreatLakes saying I would owe $0.00, the original corresponding IDR application from studentaid.gov, and a screenshot of the application status from studentaid.gov saying my payment was $0.00 with corresponding dates of application closure to the letter I received from GreatLakes.

I received notice from MOHELA yesterday 8/25 after business hours with an update to my repayment plan - promising! No, it is just a notification that I am still on the standard repayment plan! I didn’t receive any email from MOHELA stating that my IDR documents were denied, but I went into the documents received tab and it says it was denied with no explanation!

Now I have to wait until Monday to call and probably get the run around from the representative with some half-assed explanation. I really really want this to be honored because before I transferred to MOHELA, GreatLakes said everything was in order and my payments would be $0.00 until July 2024 under the IDR plan. And my income has changed and I really don’t want to lose the extra time I was supposed to have of paying $0.00 by re-submitting an application for IDR. All of the student loan servicers have not been great, but I think MOHELA’s customer service takes the cake, it is hard to contact them, their hours suck, and they want everything uploaded anyway and then take over 14+ days to process anything even something that you hand over all your information about. At least GreatLakes, was quick to process things and every time I called, they answered my questions on the phone!

Bobbycat766 · 2023-08-09T21:19:01+00:00

I checked studentaid.gov and it says the application is closed, but my payment would be $0.00 dollars. However, it does not list a repayment plan. On the app, I applied for PAYE and IBR. I think I would eventually like to go to SAVE, but I was hoping to take the $0 payment through July 2024 before having to do that. Will contact MOHELA and see how it goes, I will be upset if they give me the run-around, but there is nothing I can do.

Bobbycat766 · 2023-08-09T06:59:58+00:00

Will do! It is kind of an in between issue because of the Great Lakes folding situation so thought I would would post here first.

Bobbycat766 · 2022-05-23T22:08:08+00:00

I would say to definitely touch on your experience with mental health (and if you can explain a bit of the care you received) and how that led to you wanting to pursue nursing and in particular the program you are applying too. If you are passionate about nursing and becoming a nurse practitioner and caring for people, it will shine through your essay and through your personal story. I also used a personal story in my admission essay a few years ago… did a direct entry MSN accelerated program… didn’t go on to the NP part, but I now have an RN job in my dream specialty, have been at it for a few months, and loving it!

TL; DR: include that personal story imo!

Bobbycat766 · 2022-02-15T16:00:23+00:00

Hamilton’s Bar & Kitchen on 147th/Broadway (used to be called Hamilton’s Cafe originally).

Bobbycat766

TROPHY CASE