Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversary.”
Trinitee Riggins and Rachel Faulks are both senior nursing majors at Union University. In addition to sharing a major, they have also shared a sweet friendship for nearly four years. However, with a major as demanding as nursing, the two would have to work diligently to keep the competitive nature of the program out of their personal lives.
Trinitee and Rachel met at New Student Orientation as many soon-to-be-besties do. “I could just kind of be myself around her which is very odd because like, when you meet people in college, you want to put on your best face, but I just feel like we hit it off very fast,” Faulks said.
Union University’s nursing program is known for providing an exceptional academic environment and was voted one of the top 10 nursing colleges and universities in 2017 by Christian Universities Online.
With the program being as rigorous as it is, the two were very cautious about fostering their friendship in such a way that the pressures of school wouldn’t come between them.
“I think we talked before our junior year just kind of saying like… We’re not discussing specific grades with each other, we’re not making this a competition, we’re going to be here to uplift and encourage each other,” Faulks said. “Ultimately, you need people who are going to do it with you instead of trying to do it against you.”
Grades in nursing school serve two purposes: to ensure students are learning and to guarantee that they should be in the program in the first place. Students who struggle to complete assignments in a timely and complete manner will ultimately and arguably benefit from facing these challenges early on. It prevents them from realizing they actually hate nursing after spending four years at school for it.
Even though the demanding nature of this major has good intentions, there are definitely some negative repercussions to it.
“With how rigorous it is, if you do have some type of health problem or something happens in your family where you can’t be at school for a few weeks, it’s really hard to come back from that,” Riggins said. “I think we’ve lost some people from our class who have been so amazing and so smart, and it’s not that they’re not capable… But sometimes you just can’t catch up.”
“Yeah, but sometimes people come in thinking nursing and then they realize that… You know that wasn’t what they wanted to do, and that wasn’t where God was calling them,” Faulks said.
Studying nursing is hard. There’s no question about that. But there’s a way to go through the program while still having a fun college experience. Trinitee and Rachel have undoubtedly found that balance.
“We’re here to do school, but we’re also here because it’s a cool time in your life to have fun with your friends,” Riggins said.
“I’ve been to Rachel’s house for break before or for a weekend… Just different fun adventures. We’re going to a concert in a few weeks! Riggins said.
As I observed the way these two dedicated students interacted with each other, it became evident how deep the roots of their friendship go. Though their experience in college has in no way been an academic breeze, they managed to emerge from it with both a degree and a lasting relationship.
As an outsider looking into the program, this is my hope for nursing students. You can be dedicated to your goal of succeeding at a sport, major or career and still find time to build the kind of relationship Trinitee and Rachel have.
“You’re a team,” Faulks said. “You’re working together, you’re going to get through it together.”
