Some of my best friends just finished nursing school and I wanted to dedicate an article to the last 2 years they spent working their butts off to get that BSN behind their names. Here are the things you need to know if you plan on going to nursing school.
1. It's expensive but it's worth it.
Just think about that salary at the end of all of this.
2. The library is your home.
Go ahead and set it as your permanent Jimmy John's address for delivery.
3. Your clinical group will be your second family.
You spend more time with them than anyone else so you might as well like them.
4. You will hate your major every day.
Literally every day.
5. Learn how to do without sleep.
You'll be studying until 5 in the morning for a test that's at 6 a.m.
6. Caffeine will be your best friend.
No, one large coffee is not enough and yes, you do want that extra shot of espresso.
7. Never going out is a rumor spread by boring nursing majors.
You will go out too much and you will regret (almost) every time.
8. Your friends who aren't nursing majors constantly question your decisions.
Strangers will probably be shocked to find out your major and you always just giggle and wink at their surprise.
9. Lift the bed and ask for help cause yes, he is as heavy as he looks.
It's the dummy we're talking about here.
10. You suddenly find yourself looking at people's extremities.
You will literally catch yourself feeling their veins before even asking permission.
11. When you get a cold, you'll think you have cancer because that's what you're learning about.
Are nurses allowed to be hypochondriacs?
12. It's all shits and giggles until someone giggles and shits.
And you have to clean it up.
13. When you hear "do you have a boyfriend" all you'll do is laugh.
Do you want to date a girl who at most washes their hair every three days, cries at least four times a week, has more mental breakdowns their your average psych patient and enjoys drinking alcohol more than your typical college student?
14. You'll begin preaching to your patients about how to be healthy.
Meanwhile you yourself eats like crap, drinks a crap ton of alcohol, gets approximately 2 hours of sleep a night, and never exercises
15. You question your sanity every day.
But the compassion and love you have for this profession make every struggle and bad day worth it.
Being a nursing major is not easy but I think anyone who has a BSN would tell you it's worth it. Hang on and you'll get through it.
Thank you to Caitlin Fassold, Jessica McVey, and Taylor Davis who helped me write this article and who are officially BSN's. I am so proud of you guys for chasing after your dreams and I can't wait for all three of you to be working in the units you've dreamed of. I love you.
