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I was lucky that I knew exactly what I wanted to do right after high school.  In my family, I became one of the first college graduates in the United States.

Nursing school was hard.  I felt like I didn't have the typical college experience.  I didn't dorm, I lived at home, I worked a lot, I studied a lot, and I helped plan our graduation ceremony and create a yearbook.

Besides two days of clinicals a week,  3 to 5 lecture days, I also worked part time for two years for a cancer research pharmaceutical.  I learned so much from that job.   Afterwards I got a paid externship on a medical oncology floor at a great hospital.  I was offered a job on that unit before graduating!  I also made it onto the Dean's List, and in order to finish school on time I took several extra classes during the summer and weekend courses. 

To give you perspective of how difficult nursing school was, out of hundreds of applicants only 90 people made it into the program.  By the end of the program only 60 of us remained.  

It seemed like all work and hardly no play (I made up for it once I graduated). 

I got my Bachelors of Science in Nursing from San Diego State University on May 14th, 2004.  I had two ceremonies, one at the university, and another private one in a hotel for the 60 graduates of the nursing program.  A nursing ceremony is called a pinning ceremony.  Our pinning ceremony allowed one of our loved ones to go on stage to do our official pinning.  I chose my mom, and as I went on stage, three of my pictures played on the projector screen.  One with my family, one of me as a child, and one with my friends.

I honestly feel like my life began when I graduated college.  My life list really came to life when I did. 

I graduated college with no loans, and a job acceptance to one of the top hospitals in the nation!  I had nothing to complain about, and had several reasons to celebrate!

Date Accomplished:  May 14th, 2004