Branching Out

Dear Newlywed Becca,

As I am writing you this letter, I know you have only been married a few months. You recently left a job that you disliked and that made you stressed all the time. Perhaps you are wondering what you are going to do with the rest of your life.

You will make a decision in late December to go back to school for nursing. Most people will think it’s a crazy idea, which will make you work even harder at going back to school. You will spend a year doing pre-requisites for the program and then get into the MTSU nursing program in the fall of 2009.

The program will begin for you in 2010 and you will find it to be the hardest thing you’ve ever done at this point in your life. This program will stretch you in ways beyond your imagination. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you struggle to do well in Pathophysiology that spring. It will work out for the best when you have to repeat the class in the fall.

In fact, don’t be hard on yourself when you don’t make straight A’s in your classes. Your brain is wired differently and you will do so much better in clinicals than in the course. Will it be a constant struggle to survive? Yes, but that which we struggle with in the end gives glory back to God.

You will soon realize that the entire idea of going to nursing school will give glory to God. Be thankful for the people you meet along the way. There will be some girls that will be with you through most/if not all the program and they will become your closest nursing school friends.

Stick with the idea of being nice to everyone, because it’s a long time to be mad at a group of people. Be grateful for the professors who insist you withdrawal from Med-Surg. They have your best interests at heart.

Enjoy your time with Dr. Sauls, you will learn a lot! She will end up being one of your favorite professors and will be the sole reason (other than God and of course family and friends) on why you make it through the program. Dr. Sauls is amazing.

When you make it to 5th semester and complain that you have Psych Leadership clinicals, realize that this was the best possible placement you could imagine. You will learn to love Psych class and by the end of the program, you will even want to work on a Psych floor someday.

Most of all, learn to enjoy your free time. Take advantage of a gym membership and exercise more. Your health is far more important than a good test grade and you will do better on the test if you are not stressed.

Become aware of who your true friends are and stick with them earlier on in the program. Don’t waste your time on people who are obsessed with perfection because it’s not worth the time spent. Remember: you are a great student even if you don’t make A’s.

Be thankful for your friends: Maggie, Hilary, Lori, Susan, Vicky, Michele, Tiffany, Meredith, Kierra, Liz, Desirée, Mary Beth, Heather, and more not mentioned. These are the women/men who will get you through this program in one piece!

Finally, don’t be too sad when you end up in two different “classes” from the one you started. God has a plan and that means graduating a year later than you were originally assigned. These groups of people are vastly differently and you will make a ton of awesome friends in both groups that will cheer you on to the finish line.

P.S. – Your family and friends love you and put up with the crazy. They probably deserve some love and attention, not to mention an adult beverage, when they put up with you in panic mode. These people will support you through crisis after crisis so you should be thankful they are still around after graduation.

P.P.S. – You can do it. Someday you will be a registered nurse. It will be worth it, I promise.