Being Honest with Nursing School: Being Single

Personally, I have always found having a relationship in nursing school to be difficult to balance. (And yet, I kept doing it haha). Whether it be the immaturity on both parties due to age, the stresses of always being busy, or distance: things never seemed to work out between me and the guy I found at the time.

After not passing last semester and having to repeat I have "vowed" to be single until graduation and the passing of my NCLEX. However, that can lead to a lot of boring, lonely periods of time for the six months of the semester, and the natural desire for a boyfriend can easily creep up.

Although I do feel lonely at times, I am overall grateful for my decision to not pursue anything with anyone. (I've talked with a few boys throughout my recent single life, but nothing has come of it) Currently not having a boyfriend means that I can essentially do what I want and not have to "answer to anyone". I have always felt pressure to keep up communication and constantly see my significant other or crush, but sometimes I just didn't have the time or desire to do so due to my giant workload and large cloud of stress hanging over my head. It's nice to have a period of time where I can do what I want to do and not have to update anyone on my day. And for that matter, not have to be updated on anyone's day.

I know that can sound harsh, but it's just nice to have to only deal with myself. Also, the elimination of any potential drama (you know how boys can get), is really nice. I don't have to worry about having my feelings hurt because of a comment that wasn't fully thought out, or feel down in the dumps because I have to sit in and study on a Saturday when I really want to be out with my boyfriend.

If you are currently struggling to maintain a relationship while in nursing school, the advice that I learned after failing my Spring 2017 Semester (from personally being too enamored with a boy to really pay the level of attention I needed to in school) is: put school first. Trust me, another boy will come into your life, but you do not want to put your own life on hold for another six months and have the extra expense of paying for another semester. I definitely bit the bullet when I paid for my extra semester of school, and it was a very solid lesson learned. 

Throughout the past four or five months of being single and really engrossing myself into school work and this blog/Instagram/Youtube social media journey, I have found myself again and have encountered a lot of personal growth. I am thankful for being single at this time because it has allowed me to explore a whole new avenue of myself that I had always wanted, but forgot to explore due to crushing on boys or temporarily falling in love. (A boy with a cute face and a nice set of arms can certainly take your mind away from writing a blog post about nursing haha).

After I pass NCLEX, land a job, and get my adult life rolling I am exciting to see what life will bring me in the dating world. I am certainly a hopeless romantic at heart, so I can't wait to see where life takes me in the land of love (insert laughing face emoji here because that was just too cheesy).

However, in the mean time I will be studying, writing blog posts, sharing my nursing school/nurse story and letting life take me where I need to be at that time.

If you are currently in a successful relationship in nursing school: Congratulations! I wish I could have accomplished that (seemingly impossible in today's current age) feat. Also, props to you to kicking booty in nursing school alongside maintaining a relationship! It's something I've never mastered.

If you are currently single in nursing school: That is perfectly fine, you will find the right person at the right time, and when you do everything will fall into place. Focus on yourself and your degree first - that is most important at this time! The boys will certainly follow suit once you're wearing your adorable scrubs and spitting out information like it's no big deal. Remember, smart is sexy!

I hope that this post is able to shed some light on my personal life, my own journey, and inspire those who might be down in the dumps over being single right now. I know it can get annoying being in your early 20's, wanting to have everything, but not getting it right now. Relationships come and go and you will find the perfect person for you at the just the right time. Focus on school, get that degree, make money and make a difference in the world. Those are what is important right now in the grand scheme of your life!

Love,
Michelle
#BSNbabe

Being Honest with Nursing School: Non-nursing Friends

Now, of course everyone has lives outside of nursing school, they're just a little more difficult to lead during the semester. 

You have exams every week, a job, studying to do, and discussion posts to complete. Your schedule piles up quickly and even though you hate to admit it, you don't have time to go out as much as you would like. 

This situation can be extremely foreign to your non-nursing school friends, and it's honestly a lifestyle that they will have to grow accustomed to as you go through your program.

I mean, there's a reason why memes like these were created, right?

I have certainly had to remind my friends of my jam-packed schedule during the semester. Going out all the time with friends is fun, but when it gets in the way of getting good grades and reaching your goals, that is when a line needs to be drawn. 

But, when they're your true friends they will completely understand that you are not free every weekend, and will be cheering you on when you tell them about your passing scores!

Also, always remember that you are due some regular free time and you shouldn't push your friends out of your life due to stress. I know that it can seem easier to shut yourself off from the world when you have piling due dates to deal with, but your friends are there to support you and you should do the same for them. 

I hope that this post was helpful if you are feeling overwhelmed with the start of your semester. Thank you for reading!

- Michelle
#BSNbabe

Single and Owning It

Hello!

Maintaining a healthy, working relationship can be difficult while in nursing school. I for one, have not been able to have a successful relationship while in nursing school, but I'm here to announce that that is okay in my book.

The Nursing School Schedule

I will be the first to admit that I put a lot of dedication into school. On one hand, I put that amount of dedication into learning nursing because I absolutely love it. On the other, I do it because it is necessary. From the odd grading scale, the weird rules about only test scores counting towards your grade, and the large amount of reading to do - things can get tricky really fast. In my experience, one lapse of concentration and I'm in the hole fighting an uphill battle the entire way until the end of the semester. To combat this possible slump, I work my behind off in order to maintain grades and be active in my nursing school community.

This leaves little time for an active dating life.


The one time I found someone who was a genuinely decent boy, I wanted to spend so much time with him that I barely focused on school at all! Which led me to the position I am at this point in life. I am 100% responsible for that hiccup in life, and am now taking a 100% change in my life in order to focus.

Finding the Right Boy

Finding a decent boy from the ages of 18 - 22 who won't drive you crazy in nursing school is hard to do. In my experience, while I am in bed on a Saturday night cramming for an extensive exam all the boys in the whole world are out partying. That is something that I would personally rather avoid, than having to worry about what someone is doing while I'm trying to learn how to save someone's life.

That may sound over-dramatic, but I've been in that situation one too many times to be blasé about it.

Feeling Defeated 

  Sometimes, it certainly gets lonely. Looking at social media pages of friends who are in loving, committed relationships can start to sting when you've only encountered f*** boy after f*** boy [ we all know it's true ]. But, that's when I turn to my friends for advice and reassurance that school is almost over, and I'll find myself a cute medical professional in no time {say your prayers}.

Seeking Attention 

I think everyone - ESPECIALLY MYSELF - can admit that we all love getting attention from those that we desire. I think personally, right now in this very moment, I'd rather have attention than affection. I don't need feelings - I need A's in class.

So, text me I'm cute and funny, and hit me back up in December. -- If I'm being blunt about it.

Yes, I want true love one day and family with the American Dream home and white picket fence. But, that can wait until I'm 23 and looking for someone to fall in love with. Not at 22 when I'm trying to make my way in life and survive.

Owning It  

When it comes down to it, the only thing I can do is own it. Own that I'm waiting for someone of substance, someone who is an adult and not a man-child, and owning that before I made a mistake and that right now I need to be single to get what I most desire in life - a nursing degree and a nursing career.

There's always fish in the sea and they'll be swimming to me once I have that stethoscope around my neck and a pay check in the mail
                  --- Just kidding, they'll totally love me because I'm cute and adorable. 
                          --- the pay check is just a nice bonus ;) 

Thank you for reading!

- Miss Michelle
#BSNbabe