Graduations And Celebrations

My eldest son just graduated this weekend from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Information Technology.  It has been a journey for him, did a 4 year degree program in 5 years, yes there were some bumps along the way but Joe is the epitome of tenacity and determination and his Senior Year he killed school and got himself an awesome internship.  They must have liked/loved him as they just offered him an amazing full time job with benefits and a future.  Can you say now-you-can-pay-your-own-cellphone-and-car-insurance!!!!


I have also been teaching long enough to start seeing many of my students (who are juniors when I get them) graduate and get their first Nursing jobs.  Its a time of new beginnings and celebrations.  There are lots of cliches out there about life being a journey not the destination, its not the number of breaths you take but how you breathe etc etc, but seeing my son and my students graduate and move onto the next part of their lives got me a little reflective.  

Growing up as a young millennial pursuing a professional life is a huge challenge in 2013 and beyond.  I worry did I prepare my kids enough, do they know how to balance a check book, get in and out of a relationship!, have a good work ethic, be an advocate for themselves and others?

Nursing is a lot like life, you need good people skills, a thick skin and a strong stomach!  You need excellent communication skills especially with those who have none!!  You need to be flexible and change direction on a dime but investing in these young people is a joy that is becoming a large part of my professional life.  We need to be tolerant of each other, especially the generational differences, no style is wrong, it's just different, strengths and weaknesses in both.  It took us a great deal to get our kids through University, both emotionally, physically ( I hate hate moving kids in and out of a dorm!) and fiscally, but I would do it all again, with these kids (Joe, Elliot and Katie) and work three times as hard to make sure they had this experience at this point in their lives.  Only one more kid to go, we are down to counting semesters, only 3 more semesters for Elliot in Boston and then he too can pay for his own rent, cell phone and car insurance........then what will I do with myself, probably find another young adult project.   

Enormously proud, hugely happy!

With my sweet boy, Joe, we are so proud of him

Then it's time to party, we had an amazing evening with Joe and his friends