CCC Orientation

*** June 4th, 2014

Ugh...isn't it amazing when you know something, and, you just know it beyond a shadow of a doubt? Well...that's the feeling that I got when I left the orientation at Clackamas Community College today. Seriously...I knew, 100%, I needed to be a part of the 2016 CCC Nursing Cohort. 

OK - so, maybe I should back up just a bit. At this point, I am still on the waitlist. So, there has been no change on that front. But, after having attended the orientation today, an even bigger fire in my heart at been lit for CCC's program. For whatever reason, I have been fighting the feeling I had about wanting to go to CCC after the interview I took part in (during the application process) because it was so great. Maybe it was because my allegiance has always been to PCC? I guess I have that feeling because I've taken all my pre-reqs at PCC, I know the campus, and it's close to my home. Not to mention my study buddy T is going to PCC (she got accepted already - congrats T!) and she really wants to go to school with me. 

But, truth be told...being in that room today confirmed what I've known for a while and that's that I want to go to CCC! I literally loved EVERYTHING about the orientation. I loved the first year students that came to talk to us. They were SO honest and refreshingly candid. I also loved that the program's focus is on teaching us how to take care of people and NOT to pass the NCLEX. Don't get me wrong - passing the NCLEX is paramount and necessary for me to eventually become a nurse. But, they were very clear in telling us that if you learn the fundamentals of care taking via the program, that will translate into a passing scoring on the NLCEX. No joke - everything one of the first year students that came to talk to us said about why she chose CCC over the other school she was interested in is dead on with why I have been feeling like I want to go there (smaller class size, dazzled by the faculty during the interview, etc). I just get amazing vibes in general from the faculty and the students and on the backside of the orientation, it is crystal clear to me that I ABSOLUTELY NEED to go there!!! 

They even gave us lanyards with flash drives on them containing all our paperwork. It included the schedule, the student handbook, stuff about textbooks, uniforms, the physical exam they want us to get done, as well as immunizations. Love that they're being green and not giving us a thousand pieces of papers! On top of all that, the first year students even wrote us letters and they gave them all to us on the flash drive! There were about 10 of the current first year students that came to talk to us. An alumni came to talk to us too...he went on to complete the BSN at OHSU (which is my eventual goal). This guy is sort of spearheading the new alumni association CCC has instituted and with his help, I can be aligned with an alumni mentor who can help me to network and point me in the right direction in terms of community outreach, volunteering and possible job placement, etc. All in all, I can actually have three mentors...an alumni, a second year student, and a faculty member. I am actually able to choose two of those three...the second year student is matched up for me (via the current student nurses association president).

The more and more I think about it, the more and more it just feels right to me. Unfortunately, I feel like my chances aren't super good in terms of getting in because most everyone I know that got accepted to CCC as well as other schools is going to accept their spot at CCC. However, there were 60 people that were supposed to come to the orientation today...40 accepted and 20 waitlisted. There was a clipboard with all our names on it, so naturally I counted them. Of the 60 people on the list, 11 folks didn't show up or didn't initial. If you don't initial, you're off the list (accepted or waitlisted). Crossing my fingers that those 11 people are really off-off the list and that I either get an email in the next week or that some of those people were waitlisted and I at least move up on that list!

Fingers crossed!