Dear first-semester student,

I want to start off saying congratulations on your incredible achievement in being accepted into
the University of Arizona’s prestigious nursing program. I still remember my first day of nursing
school in how nervous and excited I was to start this new chapter of my life. It was this day that I
happened to sit next to two classmates who became my best friends and biggest support system
throughout nursing school. The friends you make during this time and your nursing cohort will
end up being more like family. These are the people who will be there and support you through
your first successful IV start, comfort you when you have had a difficult day or patient and
celebrate with you through each semester passed.

As you begin nursing school, there will be a lot of things in your life that may not have as high a
priority, whether that is your friends, family, or hobbies. It is incredible at the amount of time
and dedication nursing school takes, however, make sure you do try to cherish the moments,
breath, and do what you love. From experience, I wish I would have not said “no” to hanging out
with friends because I was too tired or too afraid to leave my room and take a break from
studying because there was a test coming up. Time goes by way too fast and before you know it
two years have gone by and you are preparing for graduation.

Regarding the difficulty of nursing school, I do not think the concepts and material were too
challenging. The challenging part is how time-consuming projects, homework, and studying can
be. If I can leave you with any advice, it would be to stay organized, be productive, and do not
procrastinate too often. Try to be prepared for class and practice practice practice for skills
testing! Every instructor is there to help you succeed and they provide the tools for you to do so!

I encourage you to be as open-minded as possible through each clinical setting and to not be
afraid of failure. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you enjoy nursing school as much as I
did. This is such an incredible and rewarding profession where you have an opportunity to
impact and save lives. Again, congratulations on this achievement and if you ever need any
advice or help please feel free to email me. My email is micah.johnson13@gmail.com. I wish
you the best of luck and remember, study hard, be organized, and most importantly have fun!

Best,

Micah Johnson