Sophmore Year

    Fall 2014 classes have begun and my class load is quite large. I am retaking my Anatomy and Physiology 1 lab, continuing on to Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab and Lecture, as well as History of Popular Music and I was accepted into the Phlebotomy Program. I m only taking 13 credit hours this semester but they are all upper division classes that require a lot of out of class work and memorization. I have 17 more credit hours to complete before entering the nursing program in about a year from now. My hopes are that I can get around a 4.0
this semester and next so that I will be able to get into the Nursing Program first time out. I have several big supports: an Academic Adviser, two Nursing Advisers and a professor I had last semester, all saying that they would help me as much as they can so I can accomplish my dream of becoming a Nurse.

    In addition to an intense work load at school, my boyfriend of 2 1/2 years moved to Pueblo, Colorado a little over a week ago to pursue the Respiratory Therapy program at Pueblo Community College. He is going to be there for 2 1/2 years, only coming home once, maybe twice a month if that. As time goes on and classes and work get harder he may lessen is visits. Before he left we talked a lot about what we wanted to happen for us while he is away, and what we would want when he was done with school. We continue to talk more and more about our future together everyday. The saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" was a very scary quote to me going into a long-distance relationship because of the addition "of someone else" that many people would add after their long-distance relationship went awry. I don't really believe the addition because my boyfriend and I have grown very fond of each other in the almost month that he has been gone. As we begin to adjust more and more to our situation, our feelings may adjust but I don't think that the fondness that we are experiencing now will ever go away.

    To be honest, though, it is almost good timing for my boyfriend moving away. Our classes are getting harder and harder, I'm trying to get into my program and he is already in his, I have a job on top of everything else and I don't know if I'd have time to juggle all of it and succeed if my boyfriend lived here. That may sound like a cop-out, but its not; its the truth. Balancing a 20-25 hour work week, going to school full time (which includes at least 30 hours of out of class homework and studying) a boyfriend, family a social life and an adequate amount of sleep? There just isn't time for all of that. I wish there were and that I could make the time but it just isn't possible. As I told my mom the other day, my priorities are school first, family second, work and my social life come last. I put school first only because I am paying thousands of dollars for my education and to have a better and brighter future for myself and my future family. Family comes above work because money will come and go, and I will be able to get a better job after I finish school. Plus my bosses are very understanding when it comes to family issues and are not worried about giving people time off for familial issues.
    The only thing that I worry about now is that I will be able to keep up with my classes, work as much as I need to and that I will get a good clinical site for my Phlebotomy Clinicals that will start in October. The other night I had a bit of a meltdown because I got a C on my first Anatomy 2 Lecture Exam and I was sure I wasn't going to be able to correct my studying or get any better grade than a C in anything. I stopped crying and being upset and was more determined thane ever to get the grades that I need and do what it takes to get into the Nursing Program. I have also found that praying for a good outcome and the support from above is a good thing, too. I will take all of the help I can get!