I overheard my old boss talking on the phone the other day while I was training my replacement and he explained his future summer plans to someone as “The Lost Summer”. A week into nursing school and the lost summer resonated with me more than I can explain via words on a webpage. I have a feeling my summer is going to consist of lots of coffee shops, late nights, notebooks full of things I need to memorize, and forgetting that life exists outside of nursing school.
When I went to orientation at Emory for their Nurse Practitioner Accelerated Program I remember someone on the student panel explaining that starting of nursing school is like learning to drink from a fire hydrant. I feel that way right now. It just started and I already feel behind. My to-do list is longer than it has ever been and I’m already completely lacking in sleep.
But this is what I signed up for and this is what I love. I enjoy the stress, the late nights of studying, and the immersing myself into something new. I’m excited to see where this all goes. It is a career change but if we are being honest it is also a life change. I’m setting myself up for a career that can support me for the rest of my life and will open many doors along the way. It is undeniably scary at this current moment but I have a feeling I can handle it.
The first week of my first summer semester is officially over and I should be studying right now, but here I am. I’m always good at distracting myself up until I really feel the need to study. Two weeks ago I had orientation and that was overwhelming in itself. Learning about compliance, what’s expected of you, meeting my clinical group, and taking classes revolving around learning how to deal with bias/understand diversity. It was a long, long, long week. But the best day was Friday. Family and friends were invited to Anschutz Medical Campus by the College of Nursing to visit, see our classrooms, simulation labs, and be there to attend our Nightingale Ceremony. This ceremony welcomes new students to the profession of nursing and pays an ode to all the hard work we did to get here. Which is easily forgotten when you get caught up with the stress of the present.
This week I had two of my three classes begin. Pathophysiology and Nursing Role & Practices. So many chapters to read, assignments to do, and quizzes to cram for. This coming week I add in Health Assessment and my simulation onsite clinicals to go along with that. The prep for all of that is daunting in itself. But guys, we are officially doing it. I’ve said goodbye to the 9-5 I’ve had and am jumping all in. Let us hope I learn how to drink out of that fire hydrant.
Love, KMG
