It feels great to be done for a little while. We went to Hawkeye's for lunch and drinks to celebrate the conclusion of the semester, supposedly the most difficult of the program. I think I have whatever it takes to be a nurse, and to succeed in a rigorously paced academic program.

It was a nice afternoon in the blazing sun, and everyone was in good spirits. It kind of had a last-day-of-high-school-have-a-great-summer-LYLAS feel to it, even though it's only a few days before we see each other again. Even the waiter (right), who we initially mistrusted and disliked, turned out to be an okay guy, and did a pretty good job taking care of a large group of unruly and demanding nurses.