Advice to Future Students

By: Lourdes Celius

A little over two years ago, Officer Mobley greeted me as I walked into the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing for my Accepted Students Day. I was full of pride at being accepted and eager to begin my nursing journey. That day, I was nervous meeting my potential classmates and professors, but they smiled and congratulated me. Later that night I chose Hopkins. I know I made the right decision; the MSN (Entry Into Nursing) Program is top-notch and inspired me to dream beyond the goals I set for myself. I will start the next chapter this fall: beginning the DNP Advanced Practice program to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Two years ago, I had just finished undergrad and was facing the future with a great deal of uncertainty. I decided to pursue nursing because of my mother, who is Haitian and emigrated to the U.S. almost 25 years ago. She learned English while simultaneously tackling the challenges of motherhood and nursing school. Today she enjoys working as a nurse in the infirmary of my hometown’s detention center. I think she always knew that my journey would lead me to nursing, too.

My path has led me to women’s and reproductive health, and as a student nurse, I have been able to immerse myself in opportunities I couldn’t find anywhere else. I have supported dozens of expectant mothers and families before, during, and after labor as a birth companion. I have worked with student leaders for the Midwifery and Women’s Health campus group. I have attended “A Woman’s Journey,” a conference in the heart of Baltimore City where I learned about gender-based health disparities. Most recently, I started working for Dr. Kamila Alexander as a research assistant. We are working to promote healthy relationships and mitigate disparities in sexual health outcomes.

Our passions may be different, but you can find your niche at Hopkins. There are so many opportunities to give back to the community, to learn from nursing experts, and to get to know Baltimore. Wherever your nursing journey takes you, remember these 3 tips:

#1. Make friends who tell stories about handling another person’s bodily fluids on their scrubs… over lunch.

I say this with a bit of wit but whole lot of heart; my nursing school friends are a big part of my support system. Who else can empathize when all you can hear is your heart beat nervously during a blood pressure check? Or when you walked into a patient’s room to check vital signs but forgot the vital signs machine?

Be kind to your classmates because you never know when you’ll need help with a bed bath during clinicals. Many yoga classes, chai lattes, and study groups later, I can confidently say that I’ve made some friends for life.

#2. Write a letter to your future self about your decision to become a nurse.

You’ll need it to read on those difficult, late nights studying pharmacology and pathophysiology.

#3. Challenge yourself.

Learn from the experts; our faculty have done some incredible work. Let your interests (and your goals!) grow as you learn new things. You may not have it all figured out today, but the options are endless at Johns Hopkins.

It is a great privilege to be accepted to the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. You have a big decision to make, but choosing Hopkins means joining a world-renowned community where you will flourish.

This is Lourdes’ speech from the January 26, 2019 Accepted Students Day.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lourdes Celius is currently an MSN (Entry into Nursing) student with an interest in women’s health, reproductive health, and community health and wellness. She is a Birth Companion, student leader of the Midwifery and Women’s Health Group and a research assistant on the Healthy Relationships Team led by Dr. Kamila Alexander. She intends to further her education by pursuing a DNP Family Primary Care NP.