"What's a perineum?"

The last four and a half months have been insane. With the amount of stress nursing school gives me, it's a wonder I've made it though. But today marked a very big day: one semester down, two to go!

I finished my last final today around noon. It was the most glorious feeling ever, especially knowing that I am four months closer to my degree and career. This semester has been a crazy ride of ups and downs, but looking back on it I can see how much I've really learned.

I know that anything a teacher says during lecture is fair game for tests - even if it isn't in any textbook or note set. I've learned that it is important to retain every bit of information ever mentioned, because you will be expected to know it in clinical. I've learned the times to keep my mouth shut when I should...but usually go ahead and say it anyway. I've learned that a B on a test won't kill you, and "C's get degrees." I've learned that I don't accept B's, much less C's. I've learned that some people are barely scraping D's, and to not brag about grades too much. But most of all, I've learned that I wouldn't have made it through this semester without the awesome friends I've made along the way.

Us second-degree-ers spend a lot of time together, and today a group of us went out to dinner. As I sat there laughing, drinking, and carrying on, I realized that this is probably a group of people that I would never be friends with under different circumstances, because I am normally firmly entrenched in my little box of comfort. But throughout this semester, I have branched out and opened myself up to people, and I think that I have gained an incredible group of friends that I will maintain for the rest of my life. I'm so glad we still have two semesters left.

I know the next two semesters will be crazy, and I know that we won't be able to spend as much time with each other due to different schedules. Even so, I can't wait to see what the next year brings. I can't wait to see where these friendships go. I can't wait to build on what has happened this semester, and I am so excited for it!