We are the class

Below is an open letter I wrote to my class on November 26th 2020. We started the nursing program, a goal many of us had spent years of prerequisites working up to, mid-pandemic. This in-class program had to switch to a majority online program over night. As the class of 2022 we had no idea what we were getting into or how things were “supposed” to go. In fact, we did not even know if we would be allowed to have clinical rotations with all the Covid restrictions in place. I know online school affected many more than just my class and I hope this inspires others to keep pushing through these uncharted times.

We are the class,

It does not feel like it today, with the nation balancing on the edge of a razorblade. The day our future is hanging in the balance of a system we cannot control. Already we have faced more adversity than any of us expected to see in our lifetime. We are taking the step forward in our careers in a time where the world is holding its breath. Waiting. Worrying. Wondering. Wishing.

We are the class that is setting out in the midst of an unprecedented worldwide pandemic. The pandemic that has opened the eyes of the public to the demand for Nurses. For those who feel called to serve, to care, and to advocate for the health of our generation. We are all here because we have felt the call. We know the fire that drives. To become what the community needs, to care for total strangers on their darkest days. We carry the flame and one day we will carry the lamp to light the flame in others.

We are the class that is facing this challenge in a time of isolation. Never before has technology played the catalyst in teaching a curriculum that hinges on clinical skills. Even the instructors are finding the road rough and uphill trying to bridge these gaps. The value of the human touch has been lost to us. We are masked, gowned, gloved and socially distanced. And yet we are expected to embody the power of an empathetic touch. We are expected to convey the value of our hearts and the care we hold for our patients through a mask that can only reveal our eyes.

And oh! How tired are those eyes! Not just as in tears of frustration, and yes those have fallen. Tired as in the mothers and fathers who are teaching their children while trying to learn themselves. Tired as in 12hr zoom clinical and online simulations. The blue-light glasses mitigate, but don't prevent the migraines from the hours spent in front of the screen. Tired as in the self-taught, reading chapter after chapter and slide after slide to learn the concepts that may one day save a life.

We are the class they did not see coming. A class that will succeed despite the barriers this year has rained down. Despite the storm we have found a way to stand united. It may not always be in person, but we are together in the spirit of the cause. We are the class that will define courage in the face of adversity. When 2020 becomes the word that embodies a challenge never before seen, they will think of us.

We are the class, no matter what tomorrow brings. Take heart that you are not alone in these struggles. That fire that drove you here will burn a path through this storm. It will not be easy, but it would not be worth it if it was.

WE are the WWCC Nursing class of 2022. And we will rise from the ashes stronger for the challenges we face. Our flame will only burn brighter the heavier the storm.

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