Graduation can truly give ya the blues...

[notyetnurse]

Well, I have been doing my research on this topic so I know I'm not the only one but just wanted to share that I will be graduating in less than 4 weeks now. Yes, it is supposed to be one of the happiest times of our lives and, yes, everyone I mention this to gets the same wide eyed happy expression as they congratulate me. And no, I don't understand fully why I don't feel so happy about this change. But I DO get the basics of it:

Graduation from nursing school = leaving behind a year (or years) of routine, comfort and - at least in my case - caring professors who take an active interest in you as a person. I like studying, I like the shared experiences of clinicals and going through "firsts" with some of the other students, and I like being able to walk into any of my professors doors at a moments notice and just talk to them. Sure, I can still do these things after graduation - Ill probably be working at the hospital I am graduating from after all, but it's a different dynamic. There goes the routine, the certainty, the friendship, the... I don't know.. the whatever that special thing is that has made the past year what it has been.

It may be me - I don't handle change very well. Goodbyes have never been my thing; that's one of the reasons I went into nursing, to get better at goodbyes. Ironic huh?

Just wondering if anyone has been there, done that, bought the t-shirt?

PS - I get that it's a great thing and I AM extremely proud and grateful. Just gonna miss some of this is all :)

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I experienced some "withdrawl" symptoms after finishing school. I was with those ladies 5 days per week for 8 hrs per day under very stressful conditions.

We were able to keep in touch via FB and text. We've also gotten together several times since graduation a year ago.

Fortunately for me, I've bonded with several nurses at my work place, as well as a few of the aides. I loved the camaraderie of nursing school.

[notyetnurse]

@ Vintagemother, exactly. It's the routine, the comfort of it all. I know it goes away eventually - LPN school took months to get over haha! but we were all very close. In this case, I will certainly miss the professors and the routine of having to study more than anything. It's so strange. Glad you are happy at your work place now :)