accomplishment assignment...

Rebecca Schartz

April 21, 2011

  This portfolio has WONDERFUL timing... such timing that I get to give great news of an academic accomplishment. Yesterday (Tuesday) was the best day of my Ohio State University career... I was one of the very few accepted into The Ohio State College of Nursing! An accomplishment through three quarters of fighting my own lack of self-confidence, terribly hard pre-requisite courses, and constantly competing with others who took high school seriously unlike their 31-year old colleague. I succeeded and I am proud!

  

  As I have mentioned in my previous portfolios and quizzes, in 2010 I left a very secure job as an Air Force musician to follow my dream of becoming a nurse. Transitioning from a military life to full-time college student was shocking! Naive is the word that describes my first day on The Ohio State University main campus. What I thought was difficult in the military was cake compared to the long hours of homework, lectures, laboratories, sleepless nights, midterms, and finals.

  In the military I worked 8 am to 4 pm, packed a lunch daily, cooked dinners nightly, and cleaned the house on a specific day -- never skipping a beat all while pulling a 40+ hour work week. I made a weekly grocery list, baked, exercised, and read books for enjoyment. On September 22, 2010... that all changed!

  The challenges that I faced with the start of my pre-nursing major were significant to me. I was accustomed to being in control of my life and my destinies. I knew what I wanted, when I wanted it, and how I wanted it. In my head, all of this was going to be easy... I would get straight A’s, still bake cookies and bread, clean and cook dinners for my family, and of course have my evenings free. Then BAM!... reality sets in and I am crying myself to sleep nightly while my husband consoles and is reassuring me that I am not a terrible wife and have not ruined our lives by leaving the “comfortable” military of which I was accustomed to. 

  Expectations are high in my life. I want to do everything wonderfully and have it come naturally as well. My first quarter at Ohio State was anything but natural and wonderful. I took 15 credit hours of pre-requisites; all science related, and one of those being a subject I could barely paraphrase the course description: chemistry. My absolute biggest nightmare was about to come true... I would not excel at something naturally. 10 weeks and 20 gallons of tears later: a C in chemistry, an A- in sociology, and an A- in biology.

  My second quarter had to be different. I hated that I never had time for even menial tasks like laundry and dishes. Every minute of my day were spent studying or sleeping, definitely less of the latter. I got smart and changed my attitude to “I am going to beat chemistry!”. I signed up for my second and last chemistry pre-requisite (organic chemistry), and hoped that it came more naturally than the math driven inorganic. It did comes easier, but another hurtle was thrown in my direction: my professor barely spoke understandable English, and cared to be there as much as I did. 10 weeks and 21 gallons of tears later: an A- in organic chemistry, an A in Allied Medicine, and an A in Human and Family Development! 

  Between Fall and Winter quarter was Christmas break. A break that I decided to use wisely and work on my nursing application. A piece of paper that was going to tell reviewers what kind of person I was and what I was capable of. A paper that had a big fat C on it showing an inability in chemistry. I fretted over my application a total of 3 months, finally turning it in on January 28, 2011.  

  On Tuesday April 19, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I received my acceptance into the College of Nursing and knew that all of my hard work, dedication, persistence, and ultimate patience had finally paid off. I will take the moment I read “you have been accepted” to my grave. I can honestly admit it being one of the proudest moments in my life to date. An accomplishment that I can say I did with my own brain and physical being. I am SO proud of my accomplishment, and cannot wait to finally wear the distinguished red scrubs to school!