The nurse’s guide to back to school

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I grew up in a family of academics, so New Year’s Eve means nothing to me. It’s the day before the first day of school (or class, when I was in college) that felt like an entirely new beginning.

What do you do, though, if your school days are long past? You can still get in on the fun with these tips on how to prep for nursing school:

School supplies
This is the best part of the fall. Even when it’s over 100 degrees outside, you can smell the breath of fall in a brand-new box of crayons. Treat yourself to a new pack of good pens for work and a couple of permanent markers.

And if you really want, you’re old enough to buy yourself some crayons.

(Note: many retailers, such as grocery and big-box stores, accept donations for the purpose of supplying needy kids with backpacks and school supplies. Check around your area–it’s a great way to feed your construction-paper-and-Elmer’s-glue jones while doing good!)

Books
I’ll admit to feeling a certain tingle when I crack open a new textbook. It’s been a while since I had to mortgage my future for an anatomy book, though, and it’s kind of a relief not to have to contemplate that again. I can make up for it, though, by hitting a good used bookstore.

If you decide to do the same, pick a gray day or one when it’s actively raining. The Good Book Fairies are much more active in bookstores when the weather’s nasty.

New Clothes
Be honest: how long has it been since you last bought new nursing shoes? Wouldn’t it be nice to have some comfy sneakers to wear at work? How about socks? Do all of yours have holes in them? And new scrubs: are yours too tight, too loose, or just ratty? It might be time to get yourself some updated duds. And yeah, it does feel like you’re buying uniform pants and a half-dozen scrubs tops, but think how good you’ll feel the next time you work. Look sharp, feel sharp. (And yes, just this once, honey, you can wear the shoes out of the store.)

Enjoy the back-to-school frenzy! Be thankful, as I am, that you no longer have to sit next to that weird kid at lunch. You remember him–the guy who always threw bread balls and blamed you for it? There are advantages to being a grown-up.