Chico State Memories...
My days spent at CSU Chico are so long ago, and so far away from my everyday lived experience, and yet what I learned as a nursing student there shaped me in my nursing career, and in my personal life.
I first stepped onto the Chico campus in the fall of 1971, as a junior in high school. I had all day to explore the campus. I still remember the beauty that I saw on that day, from the expanse of lawns and variety of trees, to the elegance of the historic brick buildings and the bell tower. In addition, Chico Creek runs through the campus, so there are several bridges for bikes and pedestrians spread across the lovely campus. After seeing the campus and the town, I decided that Chico was the college for me. There was a small town personal feel to it, along with being surrounded by the beauty of nature. I never regretted my decision to go to Chico State.
On the Administration Building (pictured above), are the words: Today Decides Tomorrow. Those words always gave me pause as I glanced at them while coming or going to classes. These words made me consider my decisions on the big and small things in my life at the time. These words acted as a guide to me on my journey as a nursing student, causing me to slow down momentarily and reflect on where I was going.
One thing for sure that I took away from being at CSU Chico was the love of learning, and the love of challenging myself academically. I had many hours of difficult study, and nursing exams and labs and hours spent caring for patients in the local hospitals...and I loved every minute of it! Something about Chico, the college and the town, wrapped itself around my heart and soul, much like the ivy covering all the brick buildings on campus. These special memories and feelings that they evoke will always stay with me. The place that Chico holds in my heart is tied to so many treasured memories, such as; meeting my husband, meeting my adopted grandmother, and finding my career path in nursing. For these treasures in my life, I will always be grateful.
~Kathy~
Great Read Mom! Always great to reflect a bit about those wonderful college memories! Sad to see no mention of the Organic Chemistry Class! Care to comment?
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget the F in Organic Chem? The prof lost my final exam, and since I had a C going into the final, he changed my final grade to a C, and the rest is history...I mean nursing.Without that bit of luck, I may have changed my major, or hired a Chem tutor.
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ReplyDeleteHi Kathy! Come by the School of Nursing (Holt Hall 369) when you have a chance to see what has changed and what has not. You might even be able to find an old class picture in our display case to evoke even more memories of your time at CSU Chico! Also wanted to make sure you knew that we were planning multiple celebratory events May 3-5, 2013 as part of our 60th anniversary as a School of Nursing (1953-2013). I hope you can come and be a part of the celebration. Carol Huston, Director, CSU, Chico School of Nursing
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