Because I Said Yes. The Start to Nursing School

Well all come to the moment in which we say "yes" to going to nursing school. Maybe you were just kid, or decided to change careers at 50 years old. In the end we had a beginning. The is the beginning of my race to nursing school. Nurses Announcements Archive

Published

The beginning, that moment when you say yes.

I am not talking about saying "yes to the dress" or saying "yes" when proposed to. I am talking about the "yes" we say when we ask ourselves "Am I going to try and get into nursing school?".

Yes. I am not going to try though, I AM going to get into nursing school.

A magical "yes" might not come to everyone though. As someone in her early 30's going to school with a majority of 18-25 year olds, my very "straight forward with a dash of humor" personality has had me ask multiple people (again, mostly younger) why they are going to school.

The average answer? "Well I was thinking about going into nursing."

You "think"? They normally reply with "oh, what about you?".

My reply "I AM going to nursing school, just have to finish these prerequisites first though *wink*"

I'm on a dead straight course. No stopping. No "I just have to pass this class". I am the crazy lady that MUST have A's and if I think I will get a "B" on a test, well I'll sit there looking like my puppy just died until the professor hands me back my test with an "A" on it.

Am I OCD? A perfectionist? Ha! No. But I know what I want, and have been working so hard to get it. I live in San Diego where getting into a nursing program is cut throat, and you essentially have to be "the best of the best of the best sir!" to get in (though at work, I have plenty of nursing students that I work with that leave me thinking "if they can get in... well I sure as hell better get in"). There has not been one thing in my life (other then maybe my husband and kids) that I have ever been so sure on.

Am I the only one? Lately I feel that way.

What I love about allnurses is that there are stories of people like me. Though I may not be surrounded with peers with the same mindset, I know I can come online and find others with the same mindset.

"Me" being a domestic engineer for the past 11 years, supporting my husbands military career, and raising 2 wonderful kids. We are finally in a duty station long enough, and the kids are old enough, that I can actually go back to school, and chase down my dreams.

When I started this post, I thought I would write about dealing with the "hard work", but instead as I type, I feel like I've just walked up to the starting line, the lights are bright, the crowd is loud, I settle into position and look up. I look straight ahead and fade out the noise, fade out those around me, and see only my destination. I breathe to release tension, and to help lower my heart rate. "I will not stop. I will go all the way. I have only one goal. I did not show up to not start. I did not show up to quit. I showed up to go ALL THE WAY"

So essentially, if you were sitting in the bleachers of a high school stadium, you would see me hauling *** down the track. With no one beside me because I am not really a sprinter, but I just showed up to the track for the the hell of it. You would probably be sitting next to a friend and lean over and say "That lady looks a little intense", and hopefully your friend would reply "Yeah, that lady is definitely on a mission"

I am on a mission. All because I said yes.

What is your "yes" moment? When did you decide to step up to the line?

2 Votes

Love your post! I am also in my early 30s going to nursing school. I am just finishing up prerequisites and start the program in January. Best of luck to you! P.s. Nice to see another knitter!! I am a Ravelry fanatic!

1 Votes

Welcome! :) That perseverance is what it takes to get through nursing school....and your first year as a nurse! I'm still pretty fresh (took NCLEX 01/2016) and there have been some tough times along the way. I absolutely love what I do now! Don't lose sight of your goal but don't be afraid to make changes along the way.

1 Votes
Specializes in Ambulatory Care.

This could have been written by me. There are others like you! My husband was in the military for 6 years, 2 deployments and 3 kids later, we finally moved back home to our support system. He finished his degree in two years and I've just been accepted into my program for the spring. It's finally our time and it's wonderful :)

1 Votes

Major fist bump to you!!! Where are you going? So exciting that you start the new year with a essentially the first steps to a new life. Ravelry has my heart, I dont know where I would be without that site :)

1 Votes

Thanks for the advice "Dont lose sight.... dont be afraid to make changes along the way..." thats so important :)

1 Votes

Ahh!! So happy for your acceptance, and I feel you and am so happy and proud of where you are in life now. Thank you husband for his service, and as one military spouse to another, thank you for YOUR service

1 Votes

Love it!

I'm in my late 30's (as late as you can be, as a matter of fact) and going to Nursing school. I've said the EXACT same things you have (Not a perfectionist, but I have to have A's to get in, and how the heck are these yahoo's getting in?).

My moment was when I realized that my prior career wasn't going to come back and I had no interest in going where it's going. Sitting behind a computer all day doesn't interest me after doing it for 15 years! And of course, being a SAHM is great, but only to a point! 3 yr olds have THEIR limits and love to test MOM's limits!

1 Votes

Thatgirl2478 "how the heck are those yahoo's getting in?", lol HILARIOUS, and the truth.

3 year olds are something else. Keep on pushing through mama!

1 Votes
Specializes in Geriatric/Med-Surg/Trauma.

This is totally me. I also have 2 kids. My youngest is 6 months. I became an LVN before having my first kid. After having my first kid I realized I needed to push myself further and get that RN asap. I was in my last semester of prerequisites last year when I found out I was pregnant again. So, I finished up the semester and gave birth in the spring. I just got admitted to an RN program for the Spring of 2018! So yes, I totally understand where you are coming from. Like you, I also am intense. I give everything my all plus some, trusting that even though I may get to the point of tears sometimes, all will work out and be so much better in the end.

1 Votes
+ Add a Comment