As a first-generation college graduate, Manuela聽Conde聽says that it was up to her to learn how to navigate the ins-and-outs of higher聽education 鈥� and聽boy, did she!聽Conde聽has not only graduated from 国产主播’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, but she also obtained a full scholarship to pursue a master鈥檚 degree at the University of Miami, which she will be starting later this year.

The secret to her academic success? Conde says a lot of it is due to dedication and good time management. Between classes and her job at a dermatologist鈥檚 office, where she worked around 30 hours per week, Conde had to be smart about how she utilized her time. The determination and hard work were worth it, as they allowed Conde to pursue a career she loves, where she feels like she is able to make a difference.

Did your family have any influence on you going to 国产主播?

I just decided to go! As a first-generation student, you鈥檙e out there figuring things out on your own. My mom came from a poor upbringing and she couldn鈥檛 finish school. As a single mom with three kids, she couldn鈥檛 further her education because she had to work and raise us. When I finished the program, I told her, 鈥淭his degree is for me, but it鈥檚 also for you. You earned this as well.鈥� She鈥檚 been along with me every step of the way.

What did your path to nursing look like?

Since high school, I knew I wanted to do something to help people. I love to talk, I love to be with others, I love to help in any way I can.

Unfortunately, while completing my pre-nursing requirements I had to switch concentrations. I was going through some hardship and, with nursing being so competitive, I didn鈥檛 have time to see聽if聽I could get into a program. I ended up getting a bachelor鈥檚 in health administration thinking at least I was still in healthcare. That didn鈥檛 last long. It wasn鈥檛 for me.

When life calmed down two years later, I went back to school to study nursing. One of my girlfriends was going to WCU at the time, so I visited, signed up, and started two weeks after. Once I began my clinical rotations I said, 鈥淵es, this is it. This is what I was meant to do.鈥�

What were some of the most memorable things you got to experience as a student?

Definitely the Global Public Health program. I am eternally grateful for it. We did a lot of community service. We did health screenings and visited middle schoolers. We were able to teach things that might seem so basic to us 鈥� what can happen if you don鈥檛 wash your hands or if you don鈥檛 have good oral hygiene. In the end, that鈥檚 what public health is about 鈥� education and trying to prevent illness. If at the end of the day something stuck, even if it鈥檚 as simple as 鈥淚 need to wash my hands before I eat,鈥� then I feel like we had some impact.

How do you find that balance between school and your personal life?

I got married last year in March, when I was a little over halfway done with the program. I鈥檓 a huge believer that you聽肠补苍听have it all, you just need to know how to divide your time.

I was able to work nearly full time and still thrive in nursing school. I wasn鈥檛 out partying, but I was doing the things that mattered to me, like taking time to work out and spend time with my family. I would still hang out with my friends 鈥� don鈥檛 get me wrong. But I would say, 鈥淚 can hang out until this time鈥� and when that time came it was 鈥淥K, I have to go. I have to do homework.鈥� I was very rigorous with my schedule and that鈥檚 what helped me.

Your class was close to having graduation when you were impacted by the global pandemic. How did you deal with it?

It鈥檚 easy to fall into the complaints 鈥撀�we didn鈥檛 get a pinning, we didn鈥檛 get this, we didn鈥檛 get that.聽Of course, I would have loved to have a pinning ceremony, but for me the important part is that I was able to finish the program. It worked out. I still felt very prepared when I went to take my NCLEX.

I feel like I had really good professors who were always available. I remember emailing professors at 9 p.m. thinking I wouldn鈥檛 get a reply until the next day and getting that reply that same night. They didn鈥檛 have to reply, but they cared so much that they wanted to answer your questions. Especially when the whole issue with COVID was going on, you never felt like you were alone. You always felt like you had someone there.

Was there ever a moment you wanted to give up?

Never!

Never?

Never! I always say you have 24 hours to get over whatever is going on. I have my bad days, but I give myself 24 hours, go through the emotions and tomorrow is a new day.

Nursing school was hard, but it wasn鈥檛 impossible. You might not succeed every exam. I failed the proctor one time, believe it or not! It dropped me from an A to a B-. I had just gotten back from Argentina, I had a cold, I wasn鈥檛 feeling good. But you know what? I owned it. I didn鈥檛 let it stop me. I said would make it up in the final and I did so great I passed the class with an A.

It can be very easy to take that small failure and let it define you. You can have a day when you don鈥檛 test well, or maybe you have something personal going on, but always keep your end goal in sight and remind yourself that it鈥檚 just a bad day, not a bad life.

WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.