The Joys of Being a Nursing Student

Nursing school. AKA: mini medical-school boot camp. There should be a disclaimer that you sign prior to attending any level of nursing school. It should read something like: will never sleep again, have any kind of social life, will lose most if not all of your sanity and in very fine print: the nursing school is not responsible for the loss of said items.

Now, I'm not saying that other degrees are not challenging or that the above issues don't come along with other majors. However, when I was in my undergraduate degree, I couldn't help but envy the English majors or fine arts majors lounging on the grass, sleeping, doing nothing in particular while I dragged my sorry ass to the library for the 6th time that week prepping for another 20+ page paper. When in the library, you could always differentiate the nursing majors from everyone else. They would have the BIG tables reserved, with huge reference books spread out, and a look of defeat in their eyes knowing that even though they are selecting the "correct answer" it isn't the "most" correct answer.

But, I signed up for this, right? Right. The profession of nursing is a choice. Its also a calling. Cliché, right? In all reality though, nursing isn't made for the faint of heart, the money hungry, or the lazy. (The money hungry part always floored me; I mean, nurses really don't make that much money considering most of us get yelled at, kicked, spit, peed, or pooped on.) I believe that is part of why nursing school is so hard, because nursing is hard. School is a way to test your desire, your drive to be a part of this amazing profession. If you don't want it with every part of your being, you are going to hate every second of your education followed by hating every second of your job.

Graduate school has proven not that much different from my undergraduate nursing education. The classes are tough, deadlines are strict, and minimum GPA to pass is no joke. I mean, a B+ to pass? Come on! This adventure of schooling has been a slightly different challenge in that I have to balance a big-girl job, not just work study and the occasionally dog-walking gig like I did in college. I have a house to pay for, bills that come every month like clockwork, and patients that are counting on me to be at my best every day I clock into work.

Why do I torture myself? Because being a nurse is all I have wanted to do my entire adult life. I wouldn't have it any other way.