1. Current nurses will warn you about your upcoming pain.

They look at you like the sweet baby nursling that you are. All the nurses will groan at the mention of nursing school and tell you how it was one of the most challenging points in their life.

 

2. Some people will you give you attitude about going to a community college.

Between having to constantly explain that yes you can get your RN lincense with an associates degree and professors comparing this program to a bachelors, you just need everyone to chill.

 

3. Show up so enthusiastic on the first day.

Start with such naive thoughts, like “why is everyone making such a big deal out of this?” or “If I stay on top everything and follow a strict schedule I’ll be okay.”

Cute. So cute.

 

4. Spending the summer in mild isolation.

Starting nursing school in the summer is an extra bummer because you are just watching a lot of insta stories of people drinking at the beach while you watch videos about gas exchange in your parents basement.

 

5. Even your weekends aren’t safe.

Cause that’s when you get to go to your part time job.

 

6. People are not aware you’re not a nurse yet.

It’s already begun where people tell me their weird symptoms and want to know my opinion. While sweet, I’m mostly like “do you want me to listen to your bowel sounds cause that’s all I really got at this point.”

 

7. The anxiety in school is palpable.

You could cut all the tension with a knife on an exam day.

 

8. It starts relativeily easy.

You’re on top of things the first days and the concepts aren’t too crazy yet.

 

Then it gets so tricky..

Like out of nowhere you’re like “what the hell is perfusion and is functional ability supposed to be this complicated?”

 

9. The first skills check off is so nerve racking.

You practive on everoyne you know and psych yourself up to prepare.

 

Then after a few weeks…

You’re so used to being watched and being evaluated it doesn’t matter.

 

10. Hygiene, diet and sleep all fall to the wayside.

Baggy eyes, washing my hair like once a week. Tried to do Weight Watchers during this first semester, That was cute, did you know you’re not allowed to uncontrollably eat donuts during it?

 

11. You have pretty instant comradery with the other students. 

You walk out of an exam and you look back at your fellow tributes like this.

 

12. There is a constant fear of failing out. 

People are always using the phrase like “this class is meant to weed people out” and everyone is very paranoid they aren’t going to make it.

 

Day 1

And…

The end of the first semester.