Should I just give up?

RunBabyRN · Aug 14, 2014

Stop beating yourself up. Plenty of us have had to work to improve our GPAs in order to get into school.

Do you feel like you can go and improve your GPA now? If not, it might be good to take some time off to gain some life experience and go back when you're really ready.

Next, research different schools in your area. The wider the net you cast, the better your odds of getting in somewhere.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2014

First off it is TOTALLY up to you whether or not you quit or don't. YOU have to decide what you want to do. If challenge and hard work are not your cup of tea then find something easy and simple to do. If you give up after one bad grade then find something where they do not challenge you. There are jobs out there that require very little effort and no degree. If you want to be a nurse you have to stand up when you get knocked down. You are going to have more occasional not perfect grades. There were times during my ABSN I was very frustrated, but I used a bad test score as motivation. You got a D in chem II. Ok. So obviously what you did did not work well. You can talk to them about re taking it and then study MUCH harder or try other methods.

pmabraham, BSN, RN · Aug 14, 2014

Good day, lynnj00:

As a parent, I can share the main disappointment in lack of communication especially telling the truth -- for the most part, it didn't matter what was the truth as long as it was true and communicated. So get a load off, and go meet face to face with your parents to give them an update. As for direction, as Windsurfer shared above, this is your life that you have to live with the choices you make. Whatever you decide, this is for you (not your parents or anyone else). If you want to go into nursing, then go for it. Retake classes if you have to do so; before retaking any, think about what went wrong last time, and what you will do differently this time. Ask for help as well.

Thank you.

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Aug 14, 2014

We can't decide for you, you need to do that. Why have you changed your mind so many times in a short period of time? Are you sure you want to be a nurse or is this another "phase"? I think what you need to do is come up with a plan to achieve your life goals. A "D" is not the end of the world, but you seem very wishy washy to me about what you want to do. Meet with your advisor and map out what you need to do to achieve your goals and stick to them.

ThatBigGuy · Aug 14, 2014

You're only in your second year of college and you've already changed your mind 4 times. It's obvious you don't have a clue what you want to do yet. That's ok, you're not alone.

Take a semester or two off. Move to a different town, enjoy the night life, make new friends. Work a few jobs to see if anything sticks.

Take some online classes via a community college to bump up your GPA in the mean time.

There is no shame in taking time to figure out what you're going to do for the next 50 years of your life.

mbtsab · Aug 14, 2014

I have changed my major probably half a dozen times in the on and off again that I have been going to my community college for 6 years---yes that does seem bad even as I am writitng it, but I originally wanted to be a nurse and didn't think I could do it because I am overly sensitive. well then as I got older and realized that, I would make a great nurse- nurses is what makes a stay at the hospital better, when someone is there and you know that they are doing everything possible for you to help you get better.

Livetoride · Aug 14, 2014

I think it's time to take a semester off and regroup while meeting with your advisor. If you want to be a nurse, good for you. If you don't, it's okay. A bunch of us have changed our majors or careers and there is no shame in it. I think you should meet with your parents face-to-face and tell them the truth. Don't worry about disappointing them as long as you tell them the truth!

dorkypanda · Aug 15, 2014

Hi Lynn,Don't feel so bad! I know what it's like to feel that way when things went not so great(I once had a similar dream to yours-pharmacy) . Chemistry is not an easy major to be in. Its quite tough at the university level. The school I attended, most survived in the sciences as a biology major. I agree with what others said so far, have a talk with your folks about your major/goals. I didn't feel proud about my experience either. You seem confused about your future goals. Which do you see yourself being committed to and would like to do for many years? Perhaps you should volunteer at a hospital to see if you like that environment. You could retake pre req classes for a higher GPA. But if you passed the class the first time around with a C or higher could you take it a second time? Think about what you really want and go for it! Please don't let your not so great experience make you pessimistic. It's okay to change your dream, put in your hard work to make it come true.

Leonardsmom,LPN · Aug 15, 2014

hi Lynn, I agree with what others have posted this is something that you can only decide for yourself. Some advice though... You mentioned that you had been depressed, did you or are you seeking help for your depression? If not I would definitely advise to do so even if it is talking to someone like a counselor. Take some time to think about if you really know what you want to do or not as a future career, if you are unsure at this time it is okay. If you are unsure but are thinking that you want to go into nursing or another section of the health field you might want to consider getting a job as a CNA. The class is much less time wise and less financially than you would pay for nursing school and it would give you an opportunity to observe what being a nurse entails and if it something you want to do.

Along with that being a CNA would allow you to learn some of the basic skills that you would need as a nurse, such as taking vitals, performing basic adls (activities of daily living), performing basic catheter care, properly transfering and repositioning a patient, along with the opportunity to observe other nursing duties such as wound care, starting an IV, tube feeding, performing a straight cath or inserting a foley. Your experience as a CNA may also allow you to decide that you might not want to do nursing but some other area of the health field may appeal to you.

Once you have decided what you want to do, if it is nursing or something else definitely look into the different programs of the different schools around you before deciding on one. Also talking to the advisor at your school will help in figuring out what you need to do. Another thing you might want to consider is that many schools offer a career assessment test, which can help provide you with some guidance of career choices you may consider.

We are all going to have failures in our lives, it is what we do with those failures that makes a difference. Do you let them get you down, or do you pick yourself back up, learn, grow and move on.

Miewn · Aug 15, 2014

Idk if you've been on these forums long enough because there are plenty of people that are in worse shape than you. I.e. me. And I won't stop until I tried everything I can.