so, so excited and happy for alana for passing!!! now that's 2/3 of "the triple a's"... actually, it's so exciting when i see my friends & nursing colleagues pass their nclex. after we all struggled in the same boat for 4 years, seeing each other successfully get through another hurdle is so fulfilling!
i didn't get to write about my nclex process and my feelings about the nclex (which was like 1.5 months ago!! WOW!) it was such a journey, and it was actually pretty fun! it gave me a purpose, a goal, and was an educational time killer especially when i was working up at the booth. so many days i would come home smelling like coffee after studying at starbucks-- thank you sbux @ milner & 401!!!-- but it was a great few weeks because i could slowly see and feel myself developing my ability to think like a nurse.
i didn't wanna tell anyone about my test date because i didn't want the pressure, i didn't want the attention. i just wanted to do this on my own & stay focused. i obviously told my family and thomason, and eventually i ended up telling my nursing friends and abby, but that's about it! at first my studying was so wishy washy-- inconsistent at best, listening to mark K and taking notes, and studying uworld on the bus through the phone app without internet so sometimes my answers wouldn't save, and i'm pretty sure my results were fudged as a result LOL. when i was up at the tetsu's booth in the food court, it was more doable because business was hella slow so i could print out notes, bring my phone charger, and just study.
then i went to vancouver in the beginning of july-- i finished my mark K lectures on the plane and just kinda forgot about things when i was there. even though i was supposed to go to the library to study more, those plans flopped, and instead i stayed at the airbnb and watched gam grumps LOL. after that, back in toronto, i told myself to get to the grind seriously. i begged james to give me less hours during this time and studied hardcore (that means full time studying-- almost 9-5, or at least just 8 hours or at lest 2-3 tests of 75 questions) for almost every day a week, and closer towards my test date my mind just plateaued.. i couldn't learn anymore! i think that same day i was so hungry and the AC in the sbux was so high and i froze that i literally felt like i had raynaud's syndrome lOL my fingers were burningggg and white and red. so we dipped and went to eat at ikea & thomason got the fish and chips and they were shit but i digress. the week before my test, i met up with Natalie and we studied together again and talked about her trip to vancouver, and she wished me luck!!
so after my UWORLD acc expired on july 27th i just chilled and did my thing and it was great! i felt confident and ready to just do my best! i asked Roe and Andrew to keep me in their prayers, took the sunday off before the 31st to goto church and thank God for my blessings up so far and for the blessing of his grace to keep me focused and assured during the test. then the day off i kept a rosary in my bag, my cross necklace secured around my neck, and a crucifix in my back pocket. my mom also took the day off because she had a hearing to attend re: the increases in tenant rent so she wished me good luck and gave me a hug, and i was on my way!
on the bus i did a whole rosary to keep me calm and relaxed. everyone was really friendly at the test center, i was asked to take off my necklace tho but i kept my crucifix hidden in my back pocket LOL. i had a runny nose and the exam proctor let me take in a handful of tissues, he was so kind, and then i sat and did my exam. at 75 questions the thing shut off and i let out a huge breath because i had a feeling... just an inkling that i did okay. sat through the case study (didn't know you could skip it), walked out of the test center, and headed over to thomason's house. there i tried the PVT trick (as skeptical as i was) and it was 'positive', but i obviously was not assured........
then on august 2nd, i came home and found the letter. i ripped open the envelope and ripped the whole thing and i told my dad and he cried!! hahaha. then i messaged abby, thomason, roe, and andrew. i told dad not to tell mom until i could tell them myself. so once everyone was home, i told them the news!! then i was okay with telling everyone else. then the next day we went camping aaaaand YEAH LOL that was it! i wrote my jurisprudence that thursday and applied for my police check. then a month later i was finally registered with the college! which was awesome.. i was finally, officially, Angelica Abad RN BScN.
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that was it! Now i'm working hard to get myself a nice position. fixing my resume, cover letters, and CV and meeting up with a career specialist as recommended my mark's sister. hopefully i can start pumping out my top grade resumes, get through some interviews, i hope i get a job!!
