More than a university

As I continue my journey through nursing school, each day affirms that I made the right choice in picking Rush.  Not because it's one of the top graduate nursing colleges in the nation but because there is a genuineness in the community that beyond any other university I've attended.  Yes, my heart will always bleed orange and blue for the Illini, but I never was able to build a rapport with my professors in the four years that I've attended U of I like I've been able to build in the short 20 weeks I've been at Rush.  Everyone here wants you to succeed, they kick your ass, but they want you to be the best nurse you can be.

I recently took my first ATI exam.  ATI is a series of standardized tests we need to take throughout the program which are suppose to help us perform well on our boards come graduation.  Our first test was on nursing fundamentals and pretty much anything related to the topic was fair game for the test.  Our "study book" was over 700 pages.  The test is scored 1, 2, or 3.  To pass we need to get a 2 (above the national average) or we have to retake it in two weeks.  I passed by the skin of my teeth.  I'm pretty sure if I got one more question wrong I'd have to retake it.  My instructor came around, saw that I passed and said good job.  I gave her a look like really,  you think that score is a good job?  She replied therapeutically, "I know you're not happy with your score, especially since you had the highest synthesis midterm but a pass is a pass."  I later went up to her office to reflect on the quarter and we had an hour long chit-chat.  I've never had an instructor do that.

Rush Football Team, 1900.

Another reason Rush is great, is all the activities they plan.  While we no longer have a football team to cheer on together (picture is proof), there is always something going on on campus to bring the student body together.  They have the student-faculty tea every month, they had a student-faculty music recital, they do lectures and workshops all the time (most with lunch included) and have social events.  The most recent and exciting event was the 40th Anniversary Garage Bash!

Mary was on the planning committee (I think that was her way of trying to convince herself that shes "in it").  Honestly, I thought it was going to be a bust and super lame but since we're such good friends we went to support the event she helped plan.  It ended up being a lot of fun.  They had it on the roof of the parking garage and it was a beautiful day.  There was a buffet of typical party foods and round tables set up for people to sit and eat.  They had some bags sets and other lawn games for people to play.  There was a line up of bands playing great music.  All of which had at least one Rush student in it.  There was a photo booth.  There was a Good Humor ice cream truck and there was a trivia table.  Pretty awesome right?!

The photo booth was a first for me.  Believe it or not, I've never been in a photo booth before.  You can probably tell by some of the pictures that I had no idea what I was doing.  That first picture I was like whaaaat. It was good fun
though and I can't wait to do it again at Carla's wedding next summer.  Before the photo booth I wanted to try trivia.  I LOVE triva nights at bars in Chicago but nursing school has been cramping my social calendar.  I was excited to get some random Rush knowledge in my noggin.  Vivien jumped at the opportunity to go with me.  You might remember her from one of my first posts, the "Vivien peace!" girl.  Well, she's an interesting character, but growing tolerable.  We ended up getting our questions right so we got a prize.  I took a bookstore gift card she took one from dunkin donuts.  Then she had the nerve to ask for the bookstore one and never put back the first prize she picked up.  People never fail to amaze me.  Anyways, the point of this post was even though I have cried over classes and tests, am super stressed 95% of the time and am barely holding on to what I use to know of as a life, I love Rush.  It is a great school and a wonderful community to be a part of.  I know I will proudly wear my alumni gear come next year.