Well. It's been quite a while since I posted. One of the reasons is that I haven't had the time to do any crafting, which is what I prefer to post about. Another reason is that when I do have time to do little projects around the apartment, I don't have the time to post about it. Even now, I could post about my Valentines wreath that I made, but it's definitely the end of March.
Someday I will have the time to do things like that again, but for now I'm 100% ok with devoting all my time to learning to be the best nurse I can be. After 7 major exams, 3 skills validations, and 6 days of clinical at the hospital downtown, I can confidently say that nursing school is where I'm meant to be.
I started nursing school at the University of Texas Medical Branch in early January. It has been the craziest, more frustrating and rewarding experience ever.
Can you tell I'm an Aggie? Every single week at clinical someone compliments my scrubs or makes a joke saying sarcastically, "So I see you're an Aggie, huh?". When I have the opportunity, I tell them, "Actually, yes, I am. This is torture." Also: please note the difference in my smile at 3 in the afternoon vs. 4:30 in the morning. One of those is 100% fake... I'll let you be the judge. ;)
This was my first day wearing scrubs. Of course I felt the need to continually keep my stethoscope around my neck because I just felt incredibly cool like that.
UTMB held a White Coat ceremony to mark the beginning of our nursing school journey and it was definitely a great, welcoming experience. I cannot wait to graduate in the same auditorium in just 13 more months!
I've read a lot of nursing school articles about "typical nursing school" struggles and how I'll have no social life, cry every day, and never sleep again. However, my experience hans't been quite that dramatic. I've learned that even though there is SO MUCH information being thrown at us, with very little time to learn it, it's doable. I've definitely lost sleep over school and studying, and I've had a major case of the grumps, but I've also learned that starting early and being proactive is worth it. Everyone from former students to our instructors has been telling us over and over again how difficult one thing or another will be. But heres the thing. It doesn't actually matter how hard it's going to be because we are all just have to do it anyways. So I can either sit here and panic over what I have to accomplish, OR I can just get to work. Worrying myself isn't going to do a single thing for me. Redirecting that anxiety towards productive tasks will.
Most importantly though, I learned that if you spend 2 consecutive weeks sitting in a wooden kitchen chair studying, you will literally bruise the muscles in your butt. Please, if you're reading this, if you plan to sit ands study for hours and hours on end, do yourself a favor and SIT ON A PILLOW.
Clearly Swarlie is an excellent study buddy. However, I wouldn't be able to get through this chapter of my life without my amazing support system. My husband, family, and friends have been extremely important to my sanity these past 2 and a half months. The amazing people I've met at UTMB have become near and dear to my heart in such a short time and I am beyond thankful for them. (If ya'll are reading this, love y'all!)
