The Czar has a surprising experience the other day. He had the luck to strike a casual conversation with a total stranger—a 20-year-old nursing student. This makes her absolutely a Millennial, and the Czar would like to share some pieces of that conversation with you.

You will recall ‘Puter’s annoyance with self-entitled Millennials, which received very good feedback from everyone. Actually, the Czar is unaware of anyone who disagreed with it. But let us be fair—in every barrel of bad apples, you can sometimes find a good one.

The young lady said she was excited and nervous to return to nursing school, which started Monday for her. Excited, because she loves nursing. She thinks about it all the time, and while she admits to procrastination here and there in her private life, she is obsessed with early completion of her work when it comes to nursing. She is understandably nervous with the 50% fail rate.

She continued to explain that she had a very good teacher in biology, and he made things very straightforward with numerous practical examples; her hardest class, though, was anatomy. One of her best pals failed out of nursing school because of this class. She, however, prevailed because she knew people do pass it, and therefore if they could do it, she could do it. She worked hard, and discovered that the harder she worked, the better she did.

During summer break, she worked. She loves to work: it grounds her and makes her days pass quickly. She works two jobs: as a nursing assistant at a medical clinic and a sandwich shop. She likes the money—she works hard enough to pay her own tuition (because why should her mom do it), and had enough left over to buy a very nice, reliable car for herself.

Personally, things were not all that great for her; she’s decided to dump her boyfriend. Evidently, his day consists of watching television, playing video games, and texting his buddies all day. He has no time left over to text her about her day. She has “no time for boys like that,” and added that she deserves to be more than his accessory—someone to be seen with on weekends who stops by with food at his place once or twice a week. Moreover, she doesn’t need a guy at all: she’s interested in learning whatever it takes to survive on her own, without relying on anyone—anyone—to help her. Yeah, she will take help if someone genuine offers, but she is never going to expect it. And one thing she doesn’t need is a 22-year-old boyfriend who thinks he’s still in middle school where girls are neat and stuff to have around.

The Czar was delighted and suggested she speak someday at a high school graduation. She said the first thing she would do is light into them about responsibility, and said that reality is a slap in the face—and if you are smart and lucky and plan ahead, that’s the worst reality should do for you.

Hooray for at least one Millennial. There’s no doubt she’ll ace nursing school with her attitude.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.