The question on everyone’s minds; how do you spot a nurse when you see one?

We are usually the ones clunking through the library in our pearly white shoes, casually talking about bodily parts and fluids in the cafeteria, or most notably recognized as the people who stuck you with needles two weeks ago at the flu shot clinic (Side note: to all the screaming babies out there, I am still truly sorry for that one.)

Yes, those are some definitive signs, but there are MORE. And by more, I mean official white lab coats and pins! On Tuesday, the University of Maryland School of Nursing held it’s first bi-annual white coat ceremony for first-semester Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. If my break-the-camera size smile isn’t evidence enough, the ceremony was a wonderful marking of the beginning of our professional journeys.

Highlights of the ceremony included: (spoiler alert) processing into the auditorium to “pomp and circumstance”, hearing from our dean and distinguished guest speaker, and finally, the cloaking of our white coats and the granting of our Humanism pin.

Official pin!

There have been many moments in the last nine weeks where I have felt overwhelmed, at times flustered, and a tad over-caffeinated, but events like this remind me that nursing school is a journey suited with ups, downs, and everything in-between- and that’s what keeps me coming back for more. We are all in this together (cue High School Musical) and this ceremony and pin are yet another reaffirmation of the commitment to providing the greatest and most compassionate care to our future patients.

All that being said, please take a moment to revel in the awesome cake that we shamelessly devoured in celebration of this milestone!

Even future nurses need a cake break.

*Almost* too good to eat.

Happiness!

Here’s to many more!