#Nursingschool

Well, hello!! I'm sure no one reads this anymore since I have effectively dropped off the face of the earth, but since I'm trapped on a plane with wifi for another hour or so, I thought I'd actually write a quick post.

I just finished the toughest academic semester of my life. No joke, this is degree #4, and even when I did my Masters degree, when I was doing a 2 - 2 1/2 year program in a year and working three jobs, I've never worked so hard or been so busy in my life. I've said it before and I'll say it again--when they said this was an accelerated program, they weren't messing around!!! And it's Duke, which means it's super academically rigorous on top of being fast. But want to know a secret? I LOVE it.

To give you an idea of what my schedule has been like the last few months, here's an average week for you:

Mondays were my clinical days, so I left my house at 6 AM, worked 13 hours at the hospital, and made it home about 8. Tuesdays when I didn't have random class obligations, my study partner and I would meet at school around 8ish, study until our review session at 4, go to a review, go to our a Cappella choir rehearsal, and head home around 6:30. If we had a test that week (which was the case most weeks), we'd grab dinner, let our dogs out, and meet back for a few more hours of studying. Wednesday was another all day study day. Thursdays we had class from 8-4:30. If we had Friday exams, it was back to studying after dinner. Fridays we had class from 8-2:30. Depending on the week, Friday afternoons were more studying, random paperwork, errands, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, etc. Then Saturdays and Sundays were usually all day study days. Somewhere in there I also tutored a student behind me and took on a couple leadership positions in different organizations. Insane!!

Since I started the program, they've been warning us that second semester was the hardest, we just needed to survive it and pass, and don't worry about grades. Well, I guess my hard work paid off, because I got a 4.0!!!! I promise I've never worked so hard for anything in my life!! Totally worth it. My professors are incredible and I learned SO much this semester. It was stressful and exhausting and totally fantastic. We all are still totally blown away by how much we know that we didn't know eight months ago. Unbelievable.

Anyway, if you haven't heard from me or I've taken forever to respond to your emails or I've just been a crappy friend in general, that's why. I wish I could promise that it will get better, but I have an insane, 18-credit, 2 clinical summer ahead, followed up with a 16-day clinical rotation in Africa!! So, know that I'm always thinking of you all, and I'm so grateful for your support and love, even if I've been MIA. I'm halfway done!! Next week I start helping deliver babies... :) Can't wait!

Cheers to a wonderful summer, everyone, and if you're not afraid of the humidity and want to check out beautiful North Carolina, my spare room is always open!

Loves!

Jen