Growing Up and Moving On

Thanks to this lovely cold that my brother gave me this Thanksgiving, I’ve been spending many late nights tossing and turning and hacking up a lung. I figured since I’m going to be up for another hour or so with my incessant coughing fits, I might as well get some things off my chest. I was recently offered my first nursing position in a New Grad RN Residency Program at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in Las Vegas. Words cannot express how RELIEVED I am to have finally found a job. Six straight months of “no thanks” is enough to wear anyone down, especially someone already lacking a certain degree of self-confidence. So to finally hear a “yes,” and to finally feel like I made the cut…it was a huge weight off my shoulders. Don’t get me wrong - I’ve enjoyed this little “break” knowing that soon my life will change and my “me” time will be few and far between. But after being a financial burden on my parents for 23 years, it’s time that I finally sever those fiscal ties and make it on my own. Leaving for college is one thing. Leaving to start YOUR new life - that’s another thing entirely. And to be honest…

I am SCARED out of my MIND.

I’m not scared because I’m not ready. My parents, teachers, friends, and all the other significant people in my life have prepared me well and set me up to be in the best position for this new journey of mine. My dad worked tirelessly and selflessly to provide a comfortable life for our family. But in spite of this, he was still at every soccer game, every piano recital, and every school play. My mom spent her life caring for my brother and me at home, instilling values and morals that molded me into the person I am today. She taught me how to love, how to care, and (most importantly), how to wrap gifts and fold laundry. She was a super-mom. She was a loving mother, a chauffeur, a chef, a boo-boo fixer, a maid (and we were messy kids), a homework-checker, a bedtime story reader, and as I grew older, a trusted confidant, an advice-giver, and my best friend. My brother managed to achieve the perfect balance of brotherly traits. He picked on me enough to teach me that it’s always worth it to fight back, but was always there when I was going through a rough time. He was a role model, a worthy video game opponent, and a protector. You will not find a more supportive, loving, and selfless family than mine. I will be forever grateful for their influence and presence in my life. I can’t talk about my family without also mentioning my “other” family - my wonderful and amazing friends. I had no idea when I started college that I would get to meet so many incredible people. I was equally unprepared for the profound impact these people would have on me. Each person I met, acquaintance or friend, played a huge part in who I have become. And without them, without their support, I can safely say that I would not have made it this far. My 17 year-old self in that Sonoma State dorm room seems like an entirely different person to me. The experiences I had in college - be they wonderful, shocking, devastating, unconventional, exciting, or downright stressful - have all had their place and purpose in my life, and I’m thankful.

So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I SHOULDN’T be scared, but I still am. Regardless of how much support, how much love, and how much preparation I have, I still lie awake at night wondering how the hell I’m supposed to be a “grown-up.” How am I supposed to pick up and move to another state? How do I just leave my family, friends, and everything I’ve known behind? I’m not ready to close the door to my college years and open this new one to the “real” world. People told me that college would pass in the blink of an eye, and I didn’t believe them. Five years seemed like an eternity…five years ago. But, guess what? I blinked. And here I am. Mere days away from beginning a new journey. Am I excited? Yes. Am I proud? You bet. Am I scared? More than you know. But this is hardly the first time I’ve been apprehensive about something “new,” and it certainly won’t be the last.

When I was younger, I went to a camp that featured something called the Leap of Faith. You had to climb up the trunk of a massive Redwood tree, then balance on a tiny platform at the top. A few feet out from the platform hung a trapeze handle attached to a cable - the idea being that you would have to take “a leap of faith” and jump from the platform, reaching for the handle. Despite the cliche factor, I can’t help seeing the similarities. Making it to where I am today was no cake walk, but a tough uphill battle. I focused ahead and didn’t look down. And now I find myself teetering on this platform, trying to build up the courage to jump. True, I have safety cables attached to me and a net down below. Even if I fall, I know my family and friends will be there to catch me. But it’s still a long way down, and I’m still scared. Even with a million things running through my head, the solution is pretty clear. I just need to take a deep breath, focus on that handle…

…and jump.

Their’s a good reason your gonna wanna read this

B.R. Meyers once said, “People who cannot distinguish between good and bad language, or who regard the distinction as unimportant, are unlikely to think carefully about anything else.” 

I’m with Mr. Meyers on this one. You can call me snobby all you want, but the truth is, I judge people who use poor grammar. Communication skills are an inescapable reflection of who you are as a person. Sloppy grammar may not seem relevant to you, but it’s making a personal statement to those around you. “Lose” and “loose” might only differ by one letter, but I can assure you these words have two completely different uses. I can also assure you that I’m not the only person on this planet that can tell the difference. Everyone makes mistakes every now and again, but consistent errors are as annoying to me as fingernails on a chalkboard. The ability to articulate your thoughts clearly is one of the simplest ways to present yourself as an educated, intelligent person. If you want others to respect you, knowing the difference between “your” and “you’re” is probably a great place to start.

Despite having the good fortune of being educated in a “First World” society, we Americans are somehow unable to correctly use our own language. Granted, English is a complex language, and one that is difficult to learn. However, if your first language is English, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to distinguish between “there,” “their,” and “they’re.”

When I entered college, I was blown away by my fellow students’ complete disregard for proper grammar. It was, and still is, a complete mystery to me. How anyone could be accepted into a university without a basic understanding of spelling, grammar, and punctuation?  I’m not sure if it’s simply my generation that has adopted this complacency towards grammar, or if it’s an issue that bridges generational gaps. It’s worth mentioning that I know many intelligent people who are lacking in the grammar department. These individuals, while intelligent, place little value on the importance of appearing literate. In these cases, improper use of grammar is a result of laziness, not stupidity.

Why am I bringing this topic to light? You may disagree with me, but the fact remains that we are all evaluated by our ability to express ourselves. Our society continues to evolve into one characterized by less face-to-face interactions and more online interactions. This change means more online job applications, resume submissions, and networking. With such a high rate of unemployment, our future employers have the arduous task of sifting through thousands of cover letters and applications. How do they decide who makes the cut? In surveys conducted annually by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, both verbal and written communication skills top the list of most desired employee traits.

You might think me pretentious, but I can guarantee that I’m not the only person who cringes when “except” and “accept” are used interchangeably. So if you wish to impress your teachers, employers, or any other educated person, you might want to dig out those old School House Rock videos and board the train headed for “Conjunction Junction.”

“For any true stickler, you see, the sight of the plural word “Book’s” with an apostrophe in it will trigger a ghastly private emotional process similar to the stages of bereavement, though greatly accelerated. First there is shock. Within seconds, shock gives way to disbelief, disbelief to pain, and pain to anger. Finally (and this is where the analogy breaks down), anger gives way to a righteous urge to perpetrate an act of criminal damage with the aid of a permanent marker.”

- Lynn Truss (Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation)