One of the best ways to fit in at your first job is to talk to people, to learn about their lives outside of the hospital walls. Do they have children? Where did they go to school? Do they root for a favorite sports team? How do they relieve stress? The answers to some of these questions can create connections and lay the foundation for a great friendship. Today, we sit down with a new nurse from Ohio to hear about CSI, microbiology, and The Cheesecake Factory.

A few months ago, occasional Stressed Out columnist Sarah Jane Haynes wrote a piece on the top 10 things she wished she knew before becoming an RN. Now, she takes us inside her life in southwest Ohio.

In five words or less, why did you want to be a nurse? 
Help others

What one thing do you need to do everyday before your first class/work? 
Make sure you eat a good breakfast before your first class because that will help set you up to be successful.

What are your favorite color scrubs? 
Buckeye scarlet and gray!!!

What’s the toughest class you took at nursing school? 
Microbiology, just because I really don’t like science all that much. And, it was just over my head half of the time.

What’s the best way to study for a test?
Look over your notes is the best advice ever. And if you have time, go over the main things you may have highlighted in your text.

On a scale from 1-10, how nervous were you about the NCLEX®
I would say I was a little nervous, so about a 4-5. But deep down, I was sure I would be okay since I had passed the HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) without any problems.

When you need to relieve stress, what do you do? 
I workout at the gym and walk my pup. Of course, on occasion, I do indulge in dessert from The Cheesecake Factory.

If you weren’t a nurse, what other profession would you like to try?
I would say that I would like to be like those people on CSI and investigate murders, and how and why people die.

What’s the first thing you did on graduation day? 
On my pinning day, my family went out for dessert afterwards. After my graduation day we had a small party with friends and family. I shared one with my brother because he graduated from high school.

Where do you want to be in 10 years? 
I would like to be a flight nurse or more involved with Life Connections/Organ Donation. [Editor's note: Click here to learn more about the Life Connection of Ohio.]