As a nursing student we are not strangers to stress and burnout. Between long hours of studying, clinical rotations, experiences and caring for patients. Running all this demands it's easy for one to get caught up in the program and forget to care for oneself. That's why I and my roommates decided to plan a beach trip together. And not just for ourselves but also for the sake of our mental health, we decided to take a break.
We quickly came together planned how we were going to journey. We got started by arranging our stuffs which included:our beach wear, sunglasses, a cooler of food and drinks for refreshment. Likkkkeeee… .I couldn't wait to arrive the beach because it was first time going there. All I did was imagine the environment and how the atmosphere of such region was going to be. As we set off the journey, we laughed, chatted , send the driver who drove us played lovely songs we could vibe to. You being a Nigerian we don't like boring journey. I was also grateful that the traffic was light and this gave us an assurance that we were gonna be arriving soon and indeed slowly the coast was becoming close. As nurses we were trained to prioritize patients care over ours but we kept forgetting that you can't give what you don't have have. Taking breaks , doing stuffs we enjoy, exercising and all dat are essential for our own well-being allowing us provide and take good care of our patients.
When we finally arrived the beach I was struck by the serenity and beauty, the sun was shining and the waves were slowly lapping the shore. I couldn't help buh take photographs. We couldn't wait, immediately we changed up into our swimsuits and headed towards the water’s edge. I couldn't wait so I jumped into the water and in process mistakenly drank it … . 🤭😂😂you can imagine. Since we were just group of friends we jisted, swimmed, cracked jokes and laughed away the stress of nursing school, at the same time enjoying nature's beauty.
As we arrived at the beach, strangers wanted to chit chat and a whole lots of stuffs. I must say we had fun.
As the day drew to a close, we packed up our belongings and headed back home, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. We were all smiles, and I could tell that we were all feeling more energized and focused. We knew that we still had a lot of work ahead of us, but we also knew that we had each other's backs, and that together, we could tackle anything that came our way.
As the day wore on, we decided to take a break and grab some lunch. We walked to a nearby food stand and ordered some delicious fish tacos and cold drinks. As we sat down to eat, Alex turned to me and said, "You know, I'm really glad we're roommates. You're one of my closest friends." I felt the same way about her. We had been through thick and thin together, and this trip was just another example of the adventures we had shared.
As we packed up our belongings and headed back to the car, I turned to my roomies and said, "Thanks for today. I really needed this." They turned,smiled and replied, "No problem, roomie. Anytime."
As we drove back to the hostel,I felt rejuvenated and refreshed. The journey to the beach with my roommate had been just what I needed - a chance to relax, recharge, and reconnect with a good friend. I knew that this was a day I would always remember, and I couldn't wait to plan our next adventure together. It was really a lovely time and it has absolutely became one of my most favorite memories. And I call it an extraordinary leave cos indeed it was😩.