Stop Saying 'Good Luck' To Nursing Majors

Whenever you get to the college you usually always get asked three questions:

1. "What's your major?"

2. "What are your plans after you graduate?"

3. "Have you found the one yet?"

Usually, as soon as I tell people I am a nursing major, especially at one of the top nursing programs in the state, I hear the same phrase: "Good luck with that." But for some reason, I never feel that this wish is sincere.

Please stop telling nursing majors "good luck," because when you tell us that it does nothing put actually bring us down. We know when you say those words what you are actually saying is: "Your major is actually super hard, and this is my way of telling you I am not exactly sure if you will be successful, but hopefully you will be."

Let me speak for most nursing majors when I say that we knew what this major held when we chose it. It is not about how hard it is, the tests, the cost of college, or the money we will make when we graduate. We are doing this because it is what we want to do.

We want to take care of people. We want to heal. We want to bond with patients and their families. To us, starting an IV is so much more than sticking a needle in a vein. We are not in it for the money. We do not care that we will get bodily fluids on us.

Most of our time will be spent in class, studying, or having meltdowns with our friends because we did not choose the BEST answer on the test. We are being trained to save people's lives.

We are intelligent, capable, empathetic, and strong human beings. We are lovers. We are healers. We know the power of a gentle smile, and we will face death more times than most.

So the next time that you meet a nursing major, do not tell them "good luck with that." It is an insult. We do not need your sarcastic and underhanded remarks. We are able to say that we are nursing majors because we worked our tails off to get to this point. We put in the hard work and we know what lies ahead of us. Instead, please say "Wow, the world needs more nurses," "Congratulations," or "I can't wait until you are my nurse one day."

When you tell a nursing major "good luck," you might as well be telling us we are going to fail because we all know what you are really thinking when you say that. Keep in mind that the next time you say that you are speaking to the one person who will be saving someone's life every day when they graduate. Notice how I didn't say " if they graduate."

We will be successful, we are studying for the day when we are the only one standing between the patient and the grave after all. We do not need your good luck. We are on a mission: a mission to save lives.