I've been agonizing over this decision for 3 months now.. Should I continue my attempt to get into nursing school?
I'm 29 and have been working as an architect/interior designer for 4 years now. I've realized that architecture isn't a fabulous fit with me. Sometimes I love it, but mostly I'm unmotivated by it. I don't mind interior design though. My first career choice was in the medical field, either a physical therapist or doctor, nursing hadn't even come into my mind. Long story short, I have a weak stomach (but getting better) so I decided to go into architecture instead. Almost immediately upon graduating from arch school, I started looking into med school. I even started studying for the MCATs. It was only last year that I heard of a Nurse Practitioner and thought that was the fit for me. (I've never been too keen on the lifestyle of a doctor, too much on call time) I've also been on a ride along with a friend who's a paramedic and loved it, but I know I couldn't be a medic.
So I decided to apply to a 2 year accelerated BN program, but this required that I take one year of upgrading/prerequisite classes. I finished my first semester great, with 2 A+'s and one A-. But I was feeling burnout by the time Christmas came. This semester I'm taking 4 classes as well as working my day job 32 hours per week. I haven't been able to get into this semester at all. I have no tolerance for it, nor any interest in it. It doesn't help that only one of them is related to nursing, but even that class I can't seem to find any excitement in. To add to this, I've been stressed out beyond belief, although mostly about my decision to go to nursing school. If I can't get into school full time now, how on earth would I cope with quitting my job and going to nursing school full on for two straight years with no summer break? If this were my first go around at university I would have no doubts, but right now all I have are doubts. I already have $40k of student loan debt, do I really want $10k more? Add to that that even after nursing school I'll have another 2 years (minimum) of school to become an NP. The road just seems very long and I feel like I don't have the steam.
I'm sorry for being so long winded, but basically I guess I'm just looking for some advice. Should I finish up this semester when I'm not even 100% sure I'd go to nursing school if accepted? Or should I quit now and just say that this is what I had to do to realize its not for me? What would you honestly do in my situation?
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