Nursing School, the most rewarding challenge I never want to repeat. In second semester there is a Medical Surgical: Acute Care Across the lifespan (Med Surg) course that everyone is required to take and pass if they want to become a nurse.
Picture this: All disease processes throughout life; pediatrics, adults and geriatrics. Most Nursing Schools split it up into pediatrics and adults.
It is arguably the hardest class in most programs, if not then definitely a close second behind Obstetrics (OB). My cohort was taking Med Surg over the summer so was accelerated. We learned the material in 2 and a half months, instead of the usual 4 months in a semester, now add 40+ clinical hours and another course into the mix.
Good luck keeping your head above water.
My roommates came home on more than one occasion to find me crying at the kitchen table, eating an entire pack of break and bake cookies or throwing my books at the wall. I failed the course by less than a point, I was devastated, scared, unsure about if this is what I was even suppose to be doing. If you fail 2 classes you are out of the program.
The school was going through some curriculum changes and those of us who were unsuccessful had to wait an entire year to repeat the course, not ideal. But also not the worst situation, I had 4 months to take it the second time around, creating a better foundation of knowledge going forward.
A professor I will forever be thankful for pulled me aside and asked me if I would be willing to be seen by a psychologist, weird question, but not really as I had been tested for ADD more than once and clinically nothing was found. She suspected I had test anxiety and informed me that it presented similarly to ADD. So I go to a few appointments and I loved going. There is zero shame for wanting to or needing to talk to a professional, that is what they are there for and I think the stigma around it needs to go. It was a safe space to talk about whatever you needed to talk about and I needed to talk about a lot at this time: to give you a glimpse I was almost failing OB, a friend had just died and I was concerned about another friend who was going through an unbelievably hard time.
I took a test, answered about 800 questions ranging from somewhat accurate and never, and clinically nothing was found. But there was obviously something going on so the school per my psychologists direction, moved me to a separate room by myself without the other 90 students and rustling backpacks. My test scores started improving. I passed, it wasn’t that I didn’t know the material; I could talk about it all day. It was that when I read a question, my mind went blank, my heart rate sped up and it was hard to catch my breath, then I would look at the timer and just see the number going down, then my mind would go to how much time I’ve wasted staring at the timer. Then when people finished early I would get distracted by their movements and backpacks and be thinking, “How did they finish this 50 question test and I’m still on question 20, and we’re only 20 minutes in”. It’s a downward spiral.
Because I had a year until I could take Med Surg again in order to move forward in the program and graduate, I needed to find something to do in that time off. On an afternoon when I was looking up volunteering abroad trips through IVHQ. I heard about and applied to the Disney College Program in the span of an hour. I got through the initial screening and answered the personality type questions and the next step was to schedule a phone interview. I contacted a friend who had done the program previously and asked for advice before the phone call. I did the phone interview a week later and found out a week after that, that I was accepted.
Only then did I call my parents. I said, “Hey, hypothetically I applied to the Disney College Program and got in, what do you think?” My dad replied, “What’s the Disney College Program?” I explained it to them, basically said I would work and live on Disney property, I wouldn’t get paid much at all but I thought it would be a cool experience. Oh and I have 2 days to get back to them with a yes or no and a $300 housing deposit. Like most things thus far in life they said, “If you want to do it, we’ll support your decision, it’s up to you.”
The Disney College Program (DCP) for me was 4 months. I had the sweetest random roommates who dealt with my crazy ass and picked me up when I ran out of gas! I met some friends who I will cherish forever. You get to choose your arrival date and if you want to extend your time there. I arrived in early September, a week late due to Hurricane Dorian. My first day there I got a warning, for parking the wrong direction in a parking deck?? Throughout my 4 months there my sweatshirt got stolen out of a break room, I learned that Disney didn’t actually pay us, that we were paying entirely too much rent for buildings that were donated, and that we were disposable. So many people I know self terminated their employment with the company, and that was sad because my time got cut short with them.
With all of that being said, I worked in Epcot at the Food and Wine Festival that took place in the World Showcase and I loved it. The majority of us didn’t get trained until 2 weeks in because of the amount of people they needed to train. I didn’t mind. I met so many kind people from all over the world: various states as well as Japan, China, Germany, Italy, Norway and Morocco.
I had to cut off more than a few drunken patrons and when they got angry, kindly remind them they were at a “family friendly theme park.” That was fun. There is an annual concert series called Eat to the Beat, that I frequently attended (who doesn’t like live music!) or if I was working I was able to hear it while working over at Hops are Barley in America. We made it fun, dancing and joking around with the guests. My favorite kiosks were Germany, America and Brazil. The showcase is divided into 3 zones, my zone covered the back side, yellow zone = best zone!
At Disney World we give out celebration buttons, happily ever after buttons, 1st Visit buttons to guests who are here for a special occasion. I enjoyed using the buttons as conversation starters so I asked every couple I saw with “Happily Ever After” or “Celebrating ___ (Y)ears” buttons, how long they had been married and if they could give me some advice as an unmarried 20 something. The answers were quickly scribbled down on piece’s of receipt paper and joined my keys and phone in my pockets.
The list is as follows…
1 year – “Communicate and if she’s mad, feed her”
1 year- “If you have patience you’ll be fine”
4 years – “My answer isn’t G rated, I don’t think I can say it”
10 years- “Always be honest, even if it’s hurts”
15 years- “Tell him to shut up and say yes, all the stereotypes are true”
20 years- “Forgive, put them first, live selflessly, be kind to each other and have fun”
20 years- “Lots of sex, no seriously, communicate”
20 years- “Don’t stay mad at each other, argue and move on”
23 years- “We started a fight 23 years ago and we’re still going. Don’t give up & don’t marry someone you’re willing to give up on”
24 years- “Be friends first, communicate. Keep God at the center”
24 years- “Don’t stop dating, we’re married & have kids but we still go on dates. Make time for each other”
25 years- “Know that you will always love them, but know there will be days where you don’t like them…same with the kids”
25 years- “Take it one day at a time and count to 5 before reacting”
29 years- “Be friends too”
30 years- “Say yes to everything, she’s always right”
32 years- “Communicate”
32 years- “Be honest”
34 years- “Be patient”
45 years- “Pay attention and do what she says”
46 years- “I bite my tongue a lot to stop from saying something I shouldn’t”
49 years- “pick well”
50 years- “lots of laughter, patience and prayer”
54 years- “Compromise, perseverance, and make sure you have your own space in the house”
54 years- “Make sure his answer is always ‘yes dear’ & just don’t give up”
58 years- “Make sure they travel & make sure the kids know who’s boss. You don’t want them playing you guys against each other”
60 years- “Be kind to each other, we’re human”
62 years- “My wife may not be right all the time, but I like to let her think she is”
The festival ended 3 months into my program and we were all moved to various locations. I had the privilege of working at Cosmic Rays in Magic Kingdom and there I was thrown in with one day of training. Giving directions, working the Very Merry Christmas Party, working at the cash registers. This location was more trying than my previous location, but hey you aren’t going to love every job! I told myself I could do anything for a month, plus my family was coming to visit me for the holidays. That was the motivation.
I had friends on the opening team of Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios. I took classes such as Leadership 101, Resume Building, Networking 101 and I had the opportunity to hear from leadership in the company. I met so many people, made connections with cast member’s (employees) in other areas of the company. We were admitted into the parks for free, except for high attendance times like holiday’s. All we had to do was flash our company ID for free parking, $25 a day, thank you Disney! There was a party bus that took us to and from downtown at nights. Jellyrolls is an interactive piano bar on the Boardwalk. The 4 months there was not “a let’s just gallivant through Disney spree,” we worked 6-12 hours a day, 5 days a week. I worked on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve.
I learned so much from my time with the Walt Disney Company. How to be a better team member, how to make connections with people within a larger company, how to create “magical moments” for others, the importance of a greeting another with a smile. It was a great experience and I am grateful for it.
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