I had the privilege of being part of the Florence Nightingale foundation students day and the lamp procession. Given that this was my first time attending the FNF students day I did not know what to expect. I certainly was not prepared for the poignancy of being part of the lamp procession and the symbolism of what it meant to the attendees as well as the responsibility I felt as the torch was symbolically passed forward – a light to the future.

The first part of the day involved pastries and tea. A great and promising start as many things can be ‘put to rights’ with tea. This was followed by a welcome and panel presentations in the main lecture theatre. I was struck by both the normalcy of the esteemed guests and also how they carved their careers in very different ways. It was so exciting and inspirational to see how versatile the nursing profession is and that I could be part it. The most humbling moments of the panel presentations in my opinion was the dedication to honesty. The willingness to share true and difficult sentiments without glossing over the challenging things that they have experienced. The path forward isn’t always obvious at times, but following the panel discussions I learned that it was actually okay. There are many ways to carve a career, and endless ways to learn and develop.

As nurses we have the honour of being advocates for those we care for and to influence change, and it was clear to see that everyone that attended had this same drive and energy. It was so heartening to see the buzz and willingness to engage and answer questions both honestly and with really helpful feedback. I definitely felt inspired and emboldened to forge ahead! Wherever being a nurse takes me, I am truly excited and honoured to be part of the nursing cohort.