The Geek years...

Ok so not only was I a geek to be a volunteen...I became more of a geek in high school...I was determined to do well in school so I could go on to be a nurse...Let me back up a little and tell you about my scholar skills prior to going to high school...As I mentioned before, I was shy and clumsy and some would say not have much common sense...I didn't apply myself in school as much as I should..My school career didn't really get a good jump start...My parents sent me to parochial school...Let me first preface by saying ..parochial schools are very good and one could get a very good education..however, in the 1960's the class size was was over 50 kids in a class. Each class had the kids sit in alphabetical order. There were no teacher aides. Nuns taught the majority of classes and there wasn't any room for individualizing student needs....So my parents sent me from 1st grad to 3rd grade...Oh and did I mention there wasn't any kindergarten when I was little. So...it was up to Mom to teach you what would normally learn in kidergarten...Already that put me at a disadvantage...so needless to say.....my parents finally got the jist that I wasn't really learning well and they decided to put me in public school in 4th grade....I was really behind in math,reading and spelling and struggled to keep up with the rest of my class. I managed to improve in my learning through grade school....middle school got better but still was average...then I had a revelation...I need to be more organized in my studies...I need to study every night...and I need to read and comprehend every assignment..... I was very disciplined in highschool...wanting to keep up with my studies I would study my notes everynight...Read and re read my reading assignment....I would even study on the weekends....I did try to expand beyond my studies and get involved with Marching band in high school...but I pretty much limited my social scene to Marching band in the fall and concentrate on my studies pretty much the rest of them time....well by junior year it paid off...I got inducted into the National Honor Society and was ranked 6th in a class of 400 kids....I was able to take advanced science classes in my junior and senior year to preprare me for my nursing curriculum in college....I will never forget my chemistry teacher..he was the best and I did really well in chemistry.....I got an A ...and when it was time to take college chemistry I...believe it or not it was a review of my high school chemistry class....all the kids in my college chemistry class were struggling and I was brezzing through it....Needless to say my social lfe sucked in high school...I was a geek...everyone knew who I was but didn't want me to be in their "in" group....I didn't go to any proms or dances or wild parties....I couldn't wait to graduate from high school...I did make an impression on the school nurse... She helped my apply for a couple lf scholarships...I did manage to get one for 3 years of college....Oh did I say college...yes .....when I declared to my parents I wanted to go to college and not a 3 year nursing school they looked at me as if I had 3 heads...This was something new...going to college to be a nurse... I think it was as early as 1972 when the first college prepared program was developed. I graduated high school in 1976. My parents didn't know much about the college route...but I made sure they quickly learned... I was accepted to 2 different colleges ( not many were around) and was so excited when I got accepted to West Chester State College.... this was going to be my ticket to being a nurse...Alleluha...