Let's take a step back: I just passed my NCLEX and received the official email declaring me a Registered Nurse. Overwhelmed with joy, I realized all my effort and hard work had finally paid off.

But soon after, the idea of sitting in front of a panel of interviewers, brought a wave of anxiety in my chest. I was excited and scared at the same time.

I was a first year nursing student and I was placed in one of the busiest hospital in the city for my first medical surgical rotation. My clinical instructor was strict. I remember she would roam the hallway with her pen and notebook in hand and if she spots you, you better be ready to answer some pathophysiology questions about your patient or else be ready for her to be breathing on your neck for the full 12 hour shift.

I didn’t know where to start and how to begin. I was overwhelmed with the amount of information I needed to study for. I was stuck deciding how much Anatomy and Pathophysiology I should memorize? Should I study Maternity and Mental Health? What medications I should be familiar with?

As a nurse, there are times when it is difficult to find a balance between being empathetic and objective. It can drain you physically and emotionally. On these challenging days, it is okay to cry and be upset. Being a nurse for almost 13 years, I had to create strategies to help me thrive in the healthcare industry. One of these strategies was making a "happy box."

Going back to school and bridging from LPN to RN is not easy. It is full of challenges and late-night studying, but here are five reasons why you might want to.

Have you been feeling tired, restless, or burnout as nurse? Allow yourself to rest and take time to dust yourself off and recuperate with these 7 self-care tips.