You guys, I finished nursing school!

We had our final exam yesterday, and that means I’m well and truly done!!!

Also…I did squeak by with an A. 😉 It’s my lowest A ever, but it is an A and I will happily take it.

I didn’t think I was very nervous for the exam, but when I was walking out of the school afterward, my teeth started chattering and I felt almost shivery even though I wasn’t cold. I think I just had some nervous energy to let out.

Last night, when our grades were released, I didn’t cry at all; I just felt happy, and also very very happy when, “I passed!” texts started coming through from my friends.

But then this morning, it all just hit me and I could not stop crying. Not sad tears; more just…overwhelm.

I thought back to when I quietly made my online college account back in 2020, and how I looked through the many prereqs, and then I thought about how I made it through all of those, plus all these semesters of nursing school.

And of course, in the midst of all this, I left my marriage, navigated a rather lengthy divorce, and started life over in a lot of ways.

I almost can’t believe I’m here now. I did it! I really did it!

I think it will take me a minute to adjust to a life of not thinking about school every minute.

I was folding some laundry this morning and my brain said, “Pull up a lecture video to listen to while you fold.” and then I was like, “Ohhhhh, wait a minute. I’m done! I don’t have to listen to lecture videos anymore!!!”

I do still have to pass the NCLEX, of course, so I will be doing review work in preparation for that. But I hear over and over again that the NCLEX is easier than my school is, so I’m not too stressed.

I can take my foot off the gas pedal and breathe a little more now. Amazing.

Thank you!!

Thank you all for cheering me on through all of this! I am lucky to have the biggest group of supporters in all of nursing school; your virtual support has meant the world to me. 🙂 

And now….I am going to gleefully make a big recycling pile of all my school papers. So satisfying!

P.S. I’ll do a Five Frugal Things post tomorrow instead of today. 🙂