Was it worth it?

Today, I received the email I was waiting for. The email saying I could go to this website to see if I passed or did not pass the national certification test for athletic training.

When I saw it sitting in my inbox, time sort of stopped. I just couldn't look at the email right away because I could not deal with the possibility of failure.

I started going over my plan for if this happened. It wouldn't be too bad. I would just sign up to take it again. I'd have to wait till June, but it would work out. And then I could just apply for temporary licensure for my Texas gig. It would work out. I would be out a couple hundred bucks but it would work out.

And then I opened it and saw the lovely little word behind status: passed.

I just couldn't contain myself I jumped and screamed and probably kicked a little bit (after placing my laptop gently on the table next to me of course). And thankfully my biggest lifesaver this year was in the room and jumped and screamed (louder) and hugged me.

And then I had the horrible thought of "what if I read it wrong?"

So I looked at the screen again. Read all the script on the page and proceeded to jump and scream and shout again.

It is still sinking in that I passed this test. It is the accumulation of my four years being at this university. In the past few months I have spent more time at the library studying the differences between heat stroke and heat exhaustion and memorizing muscle insertions and origins and general medical terms than I did at my actual apartment. I put so much effort into this in the hopes I would be able to move to Texas ready to be an athletic trainer. It is amazing what the addition of those three little letters to your last name does to your self-esteem.

And to think I almost waited to take it. When I was considering this I asked my dad for advice on the situation. I explained all the pros and cons; the biggest pro being I would have more time to study. And his advice? "The sooner the better. You don't know what's going to happen in June." Great advice, Dad.

That day, I proceeded to sign up for the April test.

And it was worth it. I'm glad to be where I'm at.

I was hanging out with a friend at his work and he asked me if I wanted to see pictures of his cruise he recently went on. We then proceeded to look at all the pictures he was tagged in. And he definitely had some adventures here at APU; a lot of them drunken adventures (he has since given up drinking and hopefully starting a community house in Oregon sometime in the future) and I realize I don't have those types of stories from APU. I have a lot of stories of staying late in the ATR or helping an injured off the field or staying countless hours in the library so that I didn't have to work on a paper the day before it was due (yes, I rarely procrastinated on my papers).

And I'm ok with that. Because as my classmates are finishing papers and taking tests for online classes they had to take to fill up unit requirements, I am done. I turned in my last paper today and found out I'm certified.

Now I'm off to make some funfetti cookies. Best day ever.

Love,

Jane Read, ATC