Resiliency
For senior Abby Schweers, resiliency has always been a tenet of her life. Through her upbringing and academics, Abby sees her resilience as an asset in whatever role she finds herself in and hopes she can positively influence those around her.
“No matter how hard it gets, you are going to get through it. You’ve never done anything you haven’t gotten through. Just keep going; everything is going to be okay. We are all going to make it.”
Growing up on her family’s farm near Ponca, Neb. Abby was raised with a hard-working mentality. Being in a small town meant involvement not just with her family’s farm but also in school activities. She credits her small-town upbringing as a significant factor in the type of worker she is today.
“I am the youngest of four children, so my older siblings and my parents made sure I was resilient and tough growing up. I think a lot of my hard work and determination comes from growing up on a farm and being the youngest.”
When deciding to pursue a career in nursing, family was a major influence for Abby. With her mom and older sisters working in healthcare as nurses, she naturally gravitated to the field. Hearing their stories and how hardworking they have to be, Abby felt nursing was the right fit.
“My mom has been supportive of me through nursing school. She reminds me that the end goal is huge, and there is a lot to look forward to.”
Being a part of Midland’s nursing program, Abby points to adaptability and going through the motions as key traits she has learned to develop as a nursing major. Abby describes herself as a very schedule-oriented person. However, she has learned from professors like Rob Steed and her experiences in clinical that things can be unpredictable, and sometimes she will need to be flexible.
“Midland has taught me to be flexible, and I am not a very flexible person. I like having schedules, and I like doing things my own way. But I have learned that things happen, and you just have to go with it.”
In the end, Abby hones in on this concept of resiliency. From growing up on a farm to becoming a nurse, it has been a key component of her life.
“I think being resilient is huge, and I think my classmates would say the same thing because you get hit with a lot every single day. Working towards your end goal and staying positive is huge, especially with everything that is going on, and it can be easy to get down and stressed. But staying resilient and being there for each other is huge.”
Abby Schweers is a senior nursing major from Ponca, Nebraska. To share your story or nominate a friend, email social@midlandu.edu or post using #FacesofMidland.
