Getting Antsy

Well, it’s the week before finals. Normally, this week is where I join in with the panicked, exhausted students who are buckled down to just survive one of the hardest weeks of the semester. You’d think that finals week would be the hardest week, but it’s not. The week before finals is when all the major papers of the semester are due, last minute exams are scheduled, and cumulative reviews for finals are given out. And on top of all that, I got called into jury duty for this week, which threatened to take up an entire afternoon I could be spending doing research for my Hermeneutics research paper.

But...I am oddly apathetic towards the stress around me. Instead, I am dying for this semester to be over. Ever since my nursing orientation, it’s like I got a glimpse of what my life will look like in a little over a month. It’s going to be so new, so hard, so glorious...that I can’t help feeling like this semester is already in my rearview mirror. I am struggling to attend classes that suddenly seem meaningless, to finish homework assignments that have nothing to do with what I’m going to be doing as a nurse. I know that once next semester starts, I’m probably going to reread over this post and want to slap myself. I’m going to miss these simple, easy semesters. But I can’t help it!

I’m ready for more.

And it’s coming.

Nursing Orientation

In life, I have always been a planner. I like to know where I’m headed, and I like to have things laid out for me so I can see the entire picture. So I was excited and grateful for the nursing orientation. It gave me a great view of what the nursing program is going to be like. I got to meet my professors, who assured us all that we would love them at times, and hate them at times, and that they can take it. I got a good look at my classmates, who I will be spending the bulk of my life with in the next two and a half years. I got the perspective of students already in the nursing program, which was unbelievably helpful and helped, at least for me, to reduce some of my fear of the workload.

One thing they all seemed to be adamant about was changing your perspective. Since I decided to go into nursing, I have been fighting for my position in the program. I have been in competition with all of the students who applied. Now, however, I need to lay that down. For the next two and a half years, they are my second family. We will laugh together, cry together, panic together, and overcome together.

Another thing I have realized that I really, really like about the nursing program is how organized they seem to be. Because they are such a small, close-knit community, they are able to truly care about you as a person. They have high expectations for you, but they give you the tools to meet those expectations. Everyone who knows me knows how much I love organization....and can foresee that when they handed me a checklist and packet for every single thing I needed to get done before the nursing program, I completely fell in love. Everything was laid out, nothing was left a mystery, I have all the tools I need. That showed me more than anything that they are in this with me. That they care. Which, given the history I have with Simpson, is more than I’ve ever had.

Excited!!!!

Accepted and On My Way!

     I have to admit, when I found out that I was accepted into the nursing program at Simpson University, I felt conflicting emotions. Beforehand, I was completely at peace, knowing that whether I was accepted or not, I was in God's will and that things would work out. And to be honest, I sort of liked the idea of taking a year off school to figure things out while I waited to apply for other schools for next year. The concept of continuing to work at Outback Steakhouse (a job that I, for the most part, thoroughly enjoy), moving out, and having freedom without the  constraints of looming school deadlines and exams sounded…thrilling.
     On the other hand, though, I know that the sooner I start the program, the sooner I graduate and GET to live that life anyway. I feel so ready to move out of my parent's house and have my life as an adult. Suffice it to say, God's plan was for my acceptance into the program. And, though I know that I have a long, tough road ahead of me…I rest in the hope that He will supply me with the strength and endurance to succeed in this chapter of my life.
     A memory was made when I told my mom about my acceptance. I drove home, thinking about all the different ways to tell her. I had already called my dad, whose response was an encouraging, "But of course!" But my mom…just that morning (and really, the bulk of that week) had been more nervous about the outcome than I! I could feel the nervous energy off of her, though she told me she knew that God had a plan for me regardless of what the letter contained.
     When I found out that the letters were in our mailbox, a couple of my classmates and I sped over to the mail room to tear them open. I was going to wait until I got home, but both of my friends got acceptances, and I decided I just couldn't wait! I tore mine open and felt a flurry of emotions, which included excitement, joy, relief, and a huge sense of responsibility. I had to then go to microbiology lab, and I don't remember much of what the professor said. I was shaking with excitement, and could barely concentrate on anything I was doing! Thankfully, we finished quickly and I sped home, eager to tell people who were so anxiously waiting. I knew I had to tell my parents first. They were really the ones responsible for this. They sacrificed so much to give me the gift of a private school education; they made the decision to allow my brother and me to live at home while we attend Simpson…but the most important gift they gave me was the unshakeable encouragement and inspiration throughout my childhood and teenage years. They gave me so much of what it takes that led me to that moment. They deserved to know first.
     I walked through the front door and could hear my mom washing dishes in the kitchen. I walked in and put my backpack, phone, and keys on the table with a loud clatter to let her know I was home. She spun around, and I could not contain the grin that was exploding off my face. Her eyes widened and she asked if I had gotten in, and all I could do was nod enthusiastically. Then she did something that I had never, in all my life, seen her do before.
     In my life there have been plenty of times where my mom has shown encouragement in my accomplishments. Until this point she has built up a reputation of a woman that showers her children with love, while still maintaining dignity. At my 8th grade Father-Daughter Banquet, at my receiving various awards in school, at my high school graduation, at my first day of college…in all of them, she shed a few tears, pulling me into a soft hug and letting me know how proud she was of me.
     So you can understand my reaction when she literally screamed at the top of her lungs, leaped in the air, and started all-out sobbing (which lasted about 20 minutes) as she grabbed me and held onto me shouting, "I'M SO HAPPY!! I'M SO HAPPY!!" I was shocked and amused, but most of all, I was touched as I felt the overwhelming warmth of motherly love pour over me. No doubt, this is a sweet memory that will follow me all my life.
     So here I am, set on a definite path toward a career. I am terrified, I am ecstatic, I am SO looking forward to this next period in my life. I would like to journal specifically about this program as I go along, if I have time. I have no idea what's going to happen in the next 2 years. But I know that I have the support of my family (obviously, my mother!) and friends as I start on this incredible journey to impact my world.

Application Essay

As a Christian, I believe that every area of my life should reflect the glory of God, including my workplace. I have always had the dream of having an impacting, challenging career that daily utilizes the strengths that God has developed in me. Nursing, I believe, possesses all of this and more.

     There are several factors that have drawn me into the nursing program. The first indication that God was calling me to the medical field was my senior year in high school when I took Anatomy. I awestruck by the incredibly complex way God has formed our bodies. Our bodies are  the perfect balance of fragility and resilience, and maintaining that balance is something only God could have done. The more I learn about the human body, the more I am drawn into it. When I started to realize my attraction to the medical field, I looked at job shadowing and interviewing people in this field. I will never forget standing beside a doctor in the surgery room as  he operates on a patient. Though every person in the room knew the seriousness of the situation and was focused on their tasks, it was obvious from the conversation that they thoroughly enjoyed what they did. Aside from my love for science, I made the decision long ago that I would choose a career that would contribute to my life, not take away from it. Talking with people in the medical field made me realize that being a nurse would put me in an incredible role of daily impacting my world for the better. Granted, the nursing profession is challenging and at times draining, but it is one that is undeniably rewarding. Patients will shape my life as I shape theirs. Also, it is a profession that has multiple facets. A nurse doesn’t just have one job. As a nurse, one is responsible for so many different aspects that all fall into the realm of contributing to the well-being of the patient.

      Nurses have the pleasure to fulfill many different roles that extend much further than their obvious medical duties. I have gained experience with many of these roles in a general way by working in a restaurant for the last four years. As a server, you very quickly learn teamwork, multitasking, flexibility, and efficiently working under pressure.  Aside from these tasks, nurses have the challenging and rewarding role of caring for the patient emotionally. Because doctors are so busy, nurses need to have the ability to fill in any gaps necessary when it comes to clarifying, explaining, and encouraging the patient.

     God has allowed several personal challenges in my life that have only served to make me more determined in my plan to acquire a degree in nursing from Simpson University. My senior year of high school, I was looking forward to my last year of basketball. Since fifth grade, my coaches and teammates were like my second family. For seven years, I had been out on that basketball court, pushing myself to the limit physically and living for the euphoria of being on a team with a common purpose. However, God had a different plan for me. My junior year of high school, a doctor diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammation of the fascia running on the bottom of both of my feet. When basketball started my senior year, I soon realized that continuing to play with this condition was not going to work. God led me to the painful decision that for my future, I needed to cut way back during practices and games. I was the one of the team co-captains, and I needed to make a choice. Spending the bulk of the season on the bench, I became the biggest cheerleader and encourager I could be. I served my team in every way I could. My feet are healed now, and though it was a rough learning curve, I spent that basketball season learning huge life lessons about flexibility, patience, and serving others.

     Another challenge I am currently overcoming is my financial status. Since I started attending Simpson over two years ago, my financial stability has been threatened many times. I am a conscientious saver, and I love to be a planner in life. I like to know where I’m headed. Last year and this year, my financial aid package made it look like I wouldn’t be able to go to Simpson. My heart led me to Simpson, and I hated the possibility of transferring to another university. Each time, God has faithfully opened a door, asking me to trust Him with this area of my life. This financial area is something I will always be tempted to worry about, but I know without a doubt that God wants me at Simpson University. Each semester it works out, an indication that I am meant to be here.

     Like in every major decision of my life, my faith has played a vital role in my choice of nursing. Aside from my fascination with science, God has instilled in me a growing compassion for people in need, physically and emotionally. There is nothing like having the opportunity to show God’s love through putting a smile on a concerned face and watching the worry wrinkles soften. In this career, I would have that opportunity daily. I believe that my faith would greatly influence those around me. Being a Christian fills me with a peace that can be sensed by others, a discernment to anticipate needs, and a heart that loves to serve and encourage.

     I am truly convinced that God has led me to this point in my life. He has given me the dream of acquiring a nursing degree from Simpson University, and I have no doubt that through this career I will be able to greatly impact the world physically, emotionally, and spiritually.