Another Year in the Books

Senior year– here it is. And here I am, about to finish my undergraduate nursing degree. While I always knew this day would come, I don’t think I ever really thought it would. It always felt so impossibly far, as I studied and crammed for the next exam or checked the latest COVID-19 guidelines. But, again, here we are.

As I look back on the last year and even prior, and look towards the next, I’m filled with awe. From my freshmen year, adjusting to college and then getting sent home from COVID-19, my grandma died, and spending my summer working in the healthcare trenches. Sophomore year we got sent home for COVID-19 again, and then in the spring dealing with changing (ceasing) friendships and finding my home in the school newspaper. Junior year was the best yet by far; I look back with so much joy and satisfaction on the experiences and relationships I made, no matter the outcome. And the academic challenges that I conquered, and professional success I experienced. Fisher, finally, felt like a community. I could walk down the hallway and wave at people, and go out and do fun things on the weekend. I assume that is what college is supposed to feel like– unmasked.

There were/are struggles, and there were definitely nights I remember just staring at my ceiling fan spinning in the dark crying (no shame) and wondering how I could make it through the week. But, my professors always told us, take it week by week. And so I did, and here I am.

I’ve taken to tea, I’ve started reading more books, I’ve been writing more, I've been good about going to the gym everyday, and I started making tik tok’s…! Several not very substantial changes, but still I count them for something. Passing pharm was probably my accomplishment of the year, as it felt a little touch and go there for a second.

I’m about to leave my hometown hospital– a final farewell to my humble roots in a way. I’ve been there in a variety of roles (career day, student, employee, etc…) since I was 15. And here I am, actually doing those things I always said I would. It’s quite humbling. So as I leave, I will miss everyone there and the experiences I had immensely. With COVID, I spent so much time there over the last nearly 3 years as a PCT it had started to feel like a home. It was a constant, when nothing else was.

But, at the same time, I’ll be transferring to a much larger hospitals and be working in two different large hospitals in Rochester. Both of which are known for being excellent OB hospitals. I’m so excited.

A year from now, life will be so different. Really, two weeks from now life will be so different. So, that’s my recap on college so far I guess.