#could this possibly be why my grades are failing🤔

[yolexxx]

Just dug a freaking collection of tsams doodles out of my school folder💀💀

[shesthenurseondutyy]

The Importance of Having Your "Whys" in Nursing School🤔💭✨

Hi, the Nurse is IN!💕🫧👩‍⚕️

As an OA nursing student 🤭, I want to share my sentiments about this thing, especially now that I quite feel lost again and using every brain cell that I have to navigate through this second semester. So, let’s go! This is #Gabreflects✨💭

Sorry to say this again and again and again, but Nursing is not for the weak. It is exhausting, frustrating, and will push you to your limits in ways you never thought possible. And yes, I am saying this as a tired second-year nursing student 😖who has cried more times than I can count😅

From the very start, and even now in the first few weeks of every semester, we always get asked the same question. "Why did you choose Nursing?" I swear, I have heard this question a billion times 🤷‍♀️😵‍💫. And every time, I would give my usual answers. "I have always been fascinated with science." "I think Nursing is a practical course for medical school." "I want to serve others, especially the sick." These were the answers I had been holding onto since I was a kid who dreamed of becoming a doctor. But as I went through Nursing, those answers started to feel different. I questioned them. I doubted them. There were times when they felt empty, like I was just repeating words without really believing in them anymore. I remember sitting in my Theoretical Foundation of Nursing prelim exam, staring at the paper, completely overwhelmed. In that moment, I seriously thought about giving up. How did I even get here? Do I really belong in this profession?

Then there was one night in my first year, first semester. My cousins and I were hanging out, sharing drinks, just talking about life. And out of nowhere, I started crying. Not just tears in my eyes, but the full-on, body-shaking kind of crying. I cried so hard I even puked. I told them everything—how Nursing was too much, how I felt lost, how I could not see myself in this profession. I felt like I had made a mistake. And that was not the last time I broke down. The night before our first-ever case presentation, I was trying to hold everything together, trying so hard to be a good leader, even though deep down, I felt completely clueless. I was terrified of disappointing my group. I was overwhelmed, but I kept pushing until I could not anymore. I cried that night too. Then there was Pharmacology. I will never forget the feeling of seeing my partial grade. Sixty-nine. A failing grade. Not even a seventy-two, just a sixty-nine. I remember staring at it, feeling like all my hard work was not enough. That night, I cried again, wondering if I was ever going to make it.

But through all of it, I kept going. Somehow, I took small steps, one after another. I celebrated small wins. And despite all the struggles, all the breakdowns, and all the sleepless nights, I reached things I never thought I could. I became a consistent Dean’s Lister. I never imagined it, but I made it happen because I refused to let my struggles define me. One of the things that helped me push through was looking forward to my Capping and Pinning Ceremony. I remember my cousin telling me, "Just take small steps and embrace small wins. I cannot wait to see you in your capping and pinning." That stuck with me. It became one of my whys. I kept reminding myself that I just needed to get there. And when the day finally came, standing there in my uniform, receiving my cap and pin, it felt surreal. It was a moment that reminded me of how far I had come 💉✨.

Now, one of my biggest whys is something I never expected. It is not just about science. It is not just about med school. It is about every patient I meet in every shift. It is about trying to make a difference, no matter how small. Whether it is easing their pain, offering them comfort, or just being there for them, I have realized that this is what keeps me going. I have been doing it scared and sometimes clueless, but still find my reasons to keep going, to keep learning, and to keep on improving.

If you are a nursing student who feels tired, lost, or unsure, I want you to know that you are not alone. This journey is tough, but your why, whatever it may be, may it be small or great, may it be foolish or deep, it will get you through it, TRUST ME. And even if it changes along the way, that is okay. What matters is that you keep going. Keep taking small steps. Keep showing up. One day, you will look back at all the struggles, all the tears, and all the nights you thought you would not make it, and you will realize it was all worth it. You are going to be the nurse you once doubted you could be. And I promise, that will be one of the best feelings in the world 🫧✨