So, as I mentioned, I was fending off a cold at the end of week two, which caused about 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. I spent most of my weekend just trying to stay warm and comfortable and get well. Which was successful, actually. I feel much better today, which is just in time for school tomorrow morning.
This is the first long weekend I've had so far, and I must say that it is very lonely. It was pointed out to me that most of my posts have been about what has been going on in school, and nothing really about my feelings. So, I think there is more in the way of feelings in my past few posts, and I'm going to try to add more of it in. It makes sense to give a broad picture of everything about this experience, not just what's happening in class.
Outside of class, I can say that I've had some stress in terms of my family's wellness. And, for me, it's very hard to be so far from home, and so far from my best friend who is also my boyfriend. It's added insult to injury that most of my classmates have the luxury of having their husbands/wives and children either here in town or close enough to visit them on the weekends. I'm happy for my classmates, I really am. Family is so important, and it probably helps them keep their sanity.
I admit that I am very sad and lonely, and I still haven't really found a way to take the edge off. Being in class and being busy during the week is very helpful, but weekends, and especially this long weekend, are hard, because I don't really have anything to do to take my mind off missing home. This is the main stressor for me; it's not really that my classes are hard; they are demanding but not so difficult (knock on wood). So, for anyone who is reading this and may be thinking about an ABSN program, just know that if you are planning on leaving behind loved ones, it will be hard and emotionally taxing. I am grateful that I am able to speak to my boyfriend every day, and that we get to use Skype to see each other. It's not quite the same as being in the same room together, but it's good enough to lift our spirits.
On the up side, I can see some good in being away from my loved ones. For one thing, I can see potential for being distracted should my boyfriend or family be here with me; I would rather spend my time with them than do my homework. I'm grateful to not have an excuse to slack off. Also, it seems cliche to say, but absence makes the heart grow fonder. I am finding this to be true. The moments I get to spend talking to him on the phone are very precious to me, and the time we get to have together at Christmas and Spring Break, and especially the time after this year is over will be even more precious to me than they were before.
Now, let me leave this topic with one caveat; I'm not asking for sympathy or for anyone to feel sorry for me. I just simply wanted to express realistically what this journey entails.
In other news, I have discovered that I live with a family of crickets. Yes, they share my basement apartment. Yes, it kind of freaks me out a little bit, but I'm also a bit superstitious about killing them. That seems irrational to say, but what if they are lucky crickets? Is my luck increased by the fact that I have around 5 of them living here with me? Would said potential for luck be decreased by killing any of them? Am I a bit mental for thinking this way? Probably. In any case, I sort of enjoy them being here, except for the one in my bedroom. I have a love-hate relationship with that one. He likes to creep over to where I sit, and out of the corner of my eye, I am freaked out by the possibility that I am seeing a cockroach, but am soon thereafter pissed off at George for creeping up on me. Yes, I just named him George as I was typing this. George is also fond of living under my bed. And chirping. In the middle of the night. I don't know why I expected any less of a cricket, but there you have it. I am curious to test my mom's tidbit of knowledge to check the temperature in my room. Apparently, depending on the temperature, the cricket will chirp at different rates (i.e. warmer temperatures = more chirps per minute; colder temperatures = less chirps per minute).
I've discovered that there are also small (baby?) crickets--at least 3. So, I am under the impression that there are about 5 crickets that live here with me. And don't worry about my sanity--I won't name them all. Just George. And no, I have no idea how I will distinguish him from the others, beyond that he lives in my room.
So, there's a bit of a glimpse into my life at the moment. Thank you all for reading! For all the interesting things happening, I actually love being in school and love what I'm learning! And now, back to the books for the exam and quiz tomorrow!! Woohoo!!
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