I am not a morning person. 

You’d think I might have considered that before pursuing a profession that would undoubtedly call for early morning shifts. I told myself I’d be excited to get up and do something I love. 

For those who know me, that’s pretty ironic because, to be honest, I am struggling to envision myself in this profession and to find an area of expertise that will make me want to get up at 5 in the morning. 

For now, I tell myself I still have plenty of room for exploration. For all you underclassmen worrying about where to go with your nursing degree, all I can say is keep hope. I’m a junior and I still haven’t figured it out just yet. Maybe you’ve always been sure of your calling. That’s amazing, but I would still keep an open mind. 

One nursing major told me, she doubts there isn’t a single nursing major who doesn’t question their choice in nursing just a little bit, every day. This is hard work, and we know that up front, but then people tell you the wonderful stories of just how rewarding this line of work can be. You’ve got to weigh those values for yourself. 

But back to my point, most college students could probably care less about an hour more of sunshine in the morning when they’re hitting their snooze alarm and rolling back over. Us nursing majors, however, are living for it. 

The things that make getting up early so painful are not just the hour itself, but how dark and lonely it is – no one is coming to and from their room, no one is in the communal bathroom, and Bartol doesn’t open until 7. If you have a roommate, you have to creep around, silently, and blindly because in most cases it’s pitch black. You walk to clinical and the only source of light is powered by electricity. 

It’s tough, but there is one thing that consoles me besides caffeine–my music. When I finally drag myself out the door and put on my headphones, I can power-walk to clinical, fully emoted by the music blasting in my ears. As an aside, please send any cheerful tunes my way. 

Now, with daylight savings, I’ll walk to clinical and get to see the sunrise. Immediately, I’m hopeful, warmed, and energized. While most people would just do without daylight savings, I’m clinging to the early morning rays of sunshine that are now gracing my 5 am wake-up routine.