A Busy Week

On Sunday night, my mom said, “You’ve got a pretty busy week this week.”  I felt that was a bit of an understatement…

Monday was my last day working at the Campus Store where I’d worked for the past 3 years, since I was a freshman.  It was a bizarre feeling leaving for the last time. I’d had my last day at my other job, Avalon Hills, on Friday, which was also a weird feeling.

Tuesday, I woke up bright and early to take my nursing boards.  This is the part where I confess my first NCLEX exam went horribly.  I got home from my test the first time crying.  I cried for the next 2 days until I got my letter, which officially told me I failed.  This led to another 2 days of crying.  As if failing the most important test of my life weren’t crappy enough, it also meant Spencer would be leaving for London without me.  So, on July 24^th, Spencer left for England, and I stayed in Utah to study and work.  The first time I took my boards I’d done a few practice tests and called it good. This time, I read 2 full study test books and took hundreds of practice questions, and studied just about everyday for 45 days. So, on Tuesday morning when I sat down to take my test, I felt at least a little more prepared.  The test went a million times better than the first.  It was so much easier! I’m not sure if it was overall an easier test, or if all that studying paid off, but 1 hour later, I walked out of the testing center feeling fairly confident. There’s a “cheat” you can use to see if you’ve passed or not before it’s officially posted. Spencer says it’s a fake, but it worked for me both times.  This time, it told me I passed.  Thursday morning, I saw the official posting online that I am FINALLY a real life Registered Nurse.

Wednedsay, I packed my bags, and my parents dropped me off at the SLC airport.  One 4 hour red-eye to New York, a mad dash through the JFK airport, a 6 hour flight across the Atlantic, an hour waiting in line for the border officials, and 2 missing pieces of luggage later, I finally walked out of Customs to see Spencer waiting.  Even though it was “only 2 weeks” apart, I was soooo happy to see him.  I didn’t even care that I was in London, England, I just wanted to see Spencer.  To make the picture perfect, he even had a beautiful bouquet of flowers. 

I took this picture myself, not from Google Images, but more to come on sightseeing later.

I already think London is fantastic. I feel like I’m living in a movie.  Mostly, I just pretend I’m living in Harry Potter.  Yesterday, I found my way to the grocery store and cleaned up our flat. It will take some adjusting though, yesterday I also had to ask a nice old lady to help me open my apartment (it’s more complicated then it sounds), I’m still not sure how to use the shower (also more complicated then it sounds), I think the people here drive like maniacs (it doesn’t help they drive on the wrong side of the road), and I don’t like to talk to people because I’ve watched too much Downton Abbey, and I’m convinced they all think Americans are dumb.  But, I guess that’s what happens you move halfway across the world.

So yes, Mom, you could say this week has in fact been “pretty busy.”