So far, a nursing major has consisted of seemingly endless hours of studying, multiple tests a week, and the terrifying realization that Hannah Montana's song "The Bone Dance" is always stuck in my head. An almost scarier realization is that, as several upperclassman have told me, I am just getting started. It is no secret that working toward a nursing major is hard and stressful, but then why do so many stick with it?
The answer is because it's worth it.
While a select few may answer the question, "Why do you want to be a nurse?" with "It pays well," the majority of answers will sound something like "I want to help people." Nursing school is worth it because it transforms people from being students who want to help, to nurses who get to help.
Nursing school is worth it when you care about people. When you are working to help save lives, you will not be thinking about all the tests you had to take to get there. You will be thinking about the person in front of you while you do everything in your power, using everything nursing school ingrained in you, to help that person.
Nursing school is worth it because there is something for everyone. You get to be not only a nurse, but a teacher, a mentor, and a caretaker all in one. Every day brings with it new patients, new challenges, and new lessons. Some days will be filled with good news, laughs, and celebrations, while other days may be filled with stress, loss, and tears.
Everyone has different reasons for wanting to become a nurse. Some may have had personal experiences with terminal illnesses, while others may have never experienced illness but want to aid those that do. No matter what the reason, nursing students are passionate about what they're working toward.
When my grandma passed away a few years ago, it was her nurse who made the biggest difference. She smiled when the rest of us couldn't, but cried with us when we needed her to. I cannot wait to be that person for a family some day, and that is why nursing school will always be worth it to me.
Future nurses, when you find yourself in the library at 2 a.m., know that the other nursing, PT, OT, and pre-med majors are there for the same reasons you are. So share that pot of coffee, share those notecards, and get ready for a long night. It may not be easy, but it'll be worth it.