Dear Ambitious Soul,

You did it. You’ve completed Pre-requisite’s. You’ve gotten through Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, (and everyone’s favorite), Chemistry. You have passed, and have been accepted to a BSN program you are ready to start. Go get your stethoscope, scrubs, textbooks (yes, they will always be that expensive) and those ugly, uncomfortable, white sneakers. Nervous? Excited? Yeah, get used to those feelings because they never go away. I am starting my third 10-week semester of nursing school & I must pass on to you on a few tips that I have learned along the way.

Now, the most important thing above everything else: You CAN do it. You aren’t alone. Just remember that you will get through it, & that coffee becomes your best friend (next to sleep).

Syllabus week: That packet is your best friend. Read it over and over again. Sleep with it. Eat breakfast with it. Read the due dates again during the 15 seconds Netflix gives you in between episodes. Buy a planner, and sleep with that too. Assignment due dates will sneak up on you when you least expect it. It’s your responsibility to make sure that it is done.

Find your friend group. Find the people that you vibe with; the people that are there to give you confidence when you can’t give it to yourself. Most importantly, find people that will study hours upon hours with you, and that will not let you fail. Before you know it, you’ll be celebrating with them because finals are over, and you can finally breathe (but not for long).

Then the time comes where you get to play with needles (safely, please). You’ll be thinking “OMG, I’m doing more than giving a bed bath! Awesome!”. Don’t worry, you’ll give plenty of bed baths. I find it easier (and less awkward) to either hum your favorite song, or talk to your patient. Trust me, it makes the time go by faster.

Clinical. No one likes getting up at 5am on a day they don’t have classes to feed patients & give bed baths. However, it is a learning experience, and good things come out of it. Don’t judge it too quickly.

Nursing school isn’t for everyone, and I may sound a bit harsh but I’m sorry. Throughout all the excitement, anxiety, papers, exams, you will come to a point where you think you can’t push any farther. Your brain can handle more information than you think. Rock bottom is a thing, and you will hit it. Hitting rock bottom can be a good thing because the only way out is to go up.

Everyone in nursing school at some point feels like a failure. That’s where your ambitious characteristic comes into play. Going through school is not a race to the finish line. You will get there. All good things take time, and the best things are not easy to come by. Nursing school is tough; therefore, you must be twice as tough. Nothing will hit you harder than life itself. That’s when you get up and fight back, and win.

You were born to do this. Never let anyone (especially yourself) stop you.

Sincerely,

An Ambitious Soul Who Was In Your Seat Not Too Long Ago