Dear 1st Semester Student,

First, I want to say congratulations on getting into nursing school at The University of
Arizona. This is an amazing program to be in that not many people are as fortunate to
experience. Your hard work and dedication proves that this is where you belong and that you
have the ability to make it out of this program to become a successful nurse one day.
In this program, you will experience so many different types of nursing from geriatrics,
to obstetrics, medical-surgical, pediatrics, intensive care, and public health. Something that you
may have thought you always wanted to do could change… but also not. You could come to
realize that you love the type of nursing that you always wanted to do even more because of a
clinical rotation that you experienced. I know for me, at least, that the type of nursing I thought
I wanted to do changed but, instead, I fell in love with a different type of nursing. I would have
never known if it wasn’t for the opportunities that this program provided me with and I’m so
excited for you to experience these as well!
Over the next two years you are going to learn and see a lot. Every semester you are
going to experience a different challenge and learn how to grow past them. Each semester you
will come out smarter, stronger, and ready to take on the next as you’ve learned how to
overcome every challenge that was presented to you. Some advice that I have is first, make
friends with your cohort. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with these people over the
next two years. When your friends with the people in your cohort it makes the program a lot
more fun and you realize that you’re not the only one going through some of the same
struggles. Second, don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. There are resources that the
College of Nursing offers for students such as the academic success coach, which saved my life
throughout this program. I realized that everyone at the College of Nursing truly wants to see
you succeed and has the resources for you too if you take advantage of them. This is an
amazing program and I hope that you enjoy and take in every second of it because it goes by so
fast and before you even know it, it will be over.
If you ever have any questions or need advice throughout nursing school I would be
more than happy to answer for you! Feel free to contact my email at ellananci@gmail.com.
I wish you the best and welcome you to one of the best professions there is!

Sincerely,

Ella Nanci