It was brought to my attention that I will be done with nursing school in 11 weeks. Wow, where did the time go?

Last May, I looked at my long road ahead and it seemed like an eternity then. The many months of reading, studying, testing and clinicals seemed to drag in forever yet going at breakneck speed, and felt like it would be never done (I’m in an accelerated program – three semesters instead of 5)

So here it is 11 weeks until the end and there are still so many hurdles to jump. Two more clinicals (three if you count the second mental health day coming up in two weeks), 9 more exams (including another dosage, a comprehensive must-pass-prior-to-practicum exam, 2 achievement exams, and 4 module exams and three HESI EXAMS), plus 10 practicum days.

This is more real than ever with our class photos being taken next week after our next exam. I wonder how that will look after I have run my hands through my hair 100 times during the test. I hope I can wear my hair down because I really don’t think I look good with my hair up. But really that is just trivial stuff, right?

My mother-in-law, who was a physical therapist prior to retirement encouraged me to become a nurse. Oddly enough when I made the decision to apply to this program I never though I would go through with it. I figured something would happen and I wouldn’t be able to go. Isn’t that funny? Because that’s the story of my academic life. (Umpteen years ago, I was accepted twice to the psychology program at Florida state and both times something happened and I didn’t go.)

My focus has greatly shifted from work to school. I know it seems a little late in the game. I didn’t make that shift initially although I did decrease my work hours because I could afford to do it. (with a little help from federal student loans) and I don’t know why. Maybe wanting to feel useful and a contributor to society or possibly wanting to still have something professionally in which I felt like I knew what I was doing and was good at.

Honestly this also makes it a lot easier to come to work. I no longer care about the politics and the BS (which occurs at every facility) I don’t spend my days wishing for the protocols I have enjoyed in the past. I just come in, do my job, happy when I help someone who needs my services, and then I go home. And that’s it. So I am a much happier person as well.

I am looking toward the future.