The decisive exams

Entrance Exams have been written and the students that passed are happy and rejoicing to be among the selected few to study nursing.

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Posting of students to diverse schools of nursing was done, followed by the submission of documents afterwards. A file was open for each student to register them as students of the institution and they were sent back home and was told to resume on a particular date, as that is when orientation will be given and block study will resume.

Everyone was happy and joyfully went back home, eagerly waiting for the given date.

The day finally arrived and the hall was filled with students.

The principal and her lecturers gave the orientation and everyone was very happy but the happiness turned into tension and fear when it was announced that if the students that the first year first semester of nursing school is survival of the fittest in which the best 50 students will be taken out of 83 students admitted.

Daniel being a fresher to all these was really scared and dumbfounded to hear all these. After all the struggle and thinking that I have entered the profession, now this? What if I don't make it? I could have gone for mechanical engineering in Nekede owerri. He said to himself

He tensely waited for the orientation to be over and the time to choose a course representative came. Danie hod his face because he don't want any responsibility during these times, and he wants to focus exclusively on his studies but fate has other plans for him.

He you, the vice principal said

Me? Daniel replied

Yes you, come and stand in the front she said

Daniel respectfully went and stood at the front.

The vice principal pointed out two other ladies and asked them to stand in the front which they did.

She later asked Daniel and the ladies to face the wall, then said to the class: Go and stand at the back of anyone who you want to be your course representative.

Daniel was angry, tensed, happy, sad and was shaky at the same time because this was not what he planned for. He reassured himself, saying that he would not win because he's a male in-between dozens of females, however the percentage of him winning is slim.

After everyone stood at the back of their favourite, Daniel and the other students were asked to turn back and Daniel was disappointed at the result.

He was made the course representative and was given guidelines of how to go about everything which he sadly accepted.

As anticipated, the work load was more than hectic and Daniel had little or no time to read. At some point, he started regretting ever accepting being the course representative because he did not even have any time for himself, not talk of time for reading his books.

The principal was always calling Daniel to do this, do that, go to this place and get this, call out the students for labour, type this document for me with my laptop, photocopy this for me, print this out, edit this, scan that, the commissioner of health is coming today, ensure that "this" is well kept and "that" is in order. Daniel was frustrated and at some point, he broke down and started crying because everyone was reading but he couldn't read very well and Daniel could not say no to the principal because he fully respected her with all his heart.

When it was a month to the exams which will determine he students that will leave and those who will stay, Daniel retired to the hostel and locked himself. He switched off his phone and told the principal that his phone spoilt.

God being kind, Daniel was a fast reader and assimilator, however he read 9 courses in less than 3 weeks.

When the exams day reached, the students were all present and took the exams. The exams lasted for five week. Four days for written exams and 1 day for practicals and oral exams.

After the exams, the students were sent home and was told that the results will be sent to them as SMS.

Now this was were Daniel almost ran mad because the tension was too much. He knew what he wrote but the qualifying students were selected by bringing out the best among the rest. The first 50 that scored highest will be selected while the remaining are asked to withdraw from the program.

After one week of waiting, Daniel could not sleep and eat well because he was tensed.

What if I failed? He asked himself

After a week and few days of waiting, Daniel received his results and guess what?

He passed without having any course to resit or any carryover.

He was filled with joy and sadness at the same time because some of his friends did no make it. He consoled those that didn't make it and continue with school.

Resumption date came and the capping (matriculation) date for the choosen 50 students was fixed.

Daniel was capped as a student nurse and was given an award of being the best course representative.