Support

Recent events in my life have made me realize how many true friends I have, and I'm so very lucky. I'm not popular by any means, but I've realized just in one day that some people who I considered acquaintances or co-workers or old friends are actually genuinely concerned about my happiness and are willing to go out of their way to make my life a little bit better. I've been hugged and told that I'm loved by more people today than I can ever remember. I've been invited to monthly "girls nights" and weekly "family nights" and by people who I've only talked casually to. I've realized that my co-workers and management make up a family that helps to bring everyone up who needs a boost. I'm just so grateful to have such a caring support system.

Academic

I've always hated school. I used to fake sick to come home early as a kid, I would lie to my parents when they asked if I had any tests to study for, I would blame my less-than-stellar grades on anything and everything except for my own laziness. The frustrating thing is that I'm actually pretty smart. I was one of those kids who got to high school and skimmed by as a mostly B student without studying and turning in most assignments late (if at all). I wasn't surprised when I didn't get into my first choice college, but still bummed nonetheless. I chose Longwood University because, well, they kind of believed in me. I didn't know it until later, but Longwood is full of kids like me: underachievers who could have been at better schools if they had just tried a little bit.

So Longwood really turned me into a student. Those B's that I made in high school weren't going to come to a college freshman who didn't know how to study. I learned very quickly that if I wanted to stay in college, I was going to have to figure out how to study. I don't know the exact moment that I figured it out. Maybe it was after I found out I had to re-take a class because I failed too many tests. Maybe it was when a teacher sat down with me and forced me to do work. Maybe I just grew up and realized I wasn't going to accomplish any of my life goals without a college degree. All I know is that Longwood taught me how to be a student. My major was not easy, and even towards the end of my college career I had doubts on if I would graduate on time, but I know that my degree is even more special to me because 1) I got it in four years exactly, 2) I picked a hard major and stuck with it, 3) I never cheated, and 4) I never used any sort of drug like Adderall to make life easier.

So now, I'm in nursing school and really proud of myself. I started class and a full time job immediately after graduation, and while it's been stressful, it's been well worth it. Some of my classmates get frustrated because I don't seem to work as hard sometimes and still do exceptionally well. This isn't because I'm smarter than anyone, I just know how to take tests now and I know how to take good notes. While I've only been in nursing school for 5 months, I haven't run out of energy yet. And even though my classes are only going to get more difficult than they have already gotten, I thank Longwood for the skills I learned that will get me through the next 10 months, and and the rest of my life.

If I had learned nothing else from those 4 years, that would be just fine with me.