Terrified about starting school late in life...

[pnut8377]

I am 34 years old and after having marriage and children first instead of school I am now finally going back to school. I have wanted to go back for nursing for almost 10 years, I worked for years in a home for the developmentally disabled doing CNA work and as a Med Tech but never went for the certification but always knew nursing was my calling. I have been told by many nurses and people I've worked with that I should be a nurse. Am in currently taking the CNA as it is the prerequisite to nursing where I live and I am so excited to start school (hoping to start in the fall) but I am also I am terrified!! I have been out of school for 17 years and am wondering if I can do it. I work with a young girl who is in the nursing program now right out of highschool who keeps telling me how hard it is and how she it having a hard time passing. Now I'm wondering, Can I do it? After 17 years can I handle nursing school? Did anyone who started this late in life have the same reservations and can you offer any advice???

[richmay]

It encourages me to see all the "older" nurses on this student forum. I am 53 and about to graduate nursing school. Yes, it was scary to start out, and it is one of the hardest things I have ever done. But it will be worth it. I applaud all of the students who work, manage kids, spouses and homes all while going to nursing school, not sure I would have been able to complete this program if in the same situation.

Best of luck to you all!

[Exhaustipated, ADN, BSN]

I started my pre-requisites this past fall at age 43. Honestly, the most intimidating thing was finding the courage to enroll and coming to school that first week. Now at the ripe old age of 44 I'm well entrenched, I've found my rhythm, and I'm doing a lot better in my classes than many of the students half my age.

Like some of the others, I think I'm a better student now than I would have been if I'd gone straight out of high school. I feel like now I want it more than I would have at 18, and to be honest, I'm more concerned about failing and wasting the family money I'm putting toward my education. To make sure I don't fail, I study my butt off and work hard. My standards are unbelievably high for myself, and of course, I'm harder on myself than anybody else would ever be, but that's also my driving force.

I also find it amusing that many of my core classes skew younger student-age-wise (especially English), but my A&P I class this semester is more balanced with nearly as many older students as young.

Age isn't as big a stumbling block many of us perceive it to be. What counts even more is drive, heart, and persistence. With those three things in your corner and a willingness to do whatever it takes, you'll do just fine.

[Tinkx RN]

I believe you all and do it because you have a great amount of passion to return to school later in life to achieve your dreams which in my eyes is inspirational. You also may even have a little advantage because you've all experienced life a little longer and have families so most likely you have dealt with takin care of kids when they are sick and in general goin through life span development so you may can relate more to things we're learning in our programs. But anyway good luck to us all

[ApplegateC]

I also started my pre-reqs at 34. I am now 37 and I am in my first semester of the RN program. Follow your dreams and keep plugging at it. I am not going to say it has been easy, because its not. I have a wonderful husband and support system to help me along. My house is not clean, (but not super dirty either) and we eat a lot of fast food because of schedules (my husband and youngest son are also in the same college) but I keep my eyes on the prize. I know that in 1.5 years I will achieve a life long dream. I also still have plans to go on for my BSN and eventually my MSN. You have to put your mind to it, not sweat the small stuff and Go for IT!!! You can do IT!!!

[lbdickson]

I started in Jan 2012 taking prereqs, and I am 44 years old. I have wanted to go back for the past several years, but things never lined up. When a supervisor told me "you're just a woman. You don't have any rights" I decided right then that it didn't matter what was going on that it was more important for me to take that leap of faith and do it. I know what my future holds if I stay where I am. You have to do what will make you happy. It is better to try and fail rather than always wonder what might have been. Good luck!

[momtojosh]

uumm...lets see...i am currently 49..will be 50 in october.....i became an LPN in 07....so a full year of LPN school in 06....after being a stay at home mom for 19 yrs and homeschooled most of them i was ready to do something for me.....i passed LPN school and the stateboards and have been working for the same company since.....3 yrs ago i took the only 2 pre-reqs i needed to apply to RN program....within that time i found out it is best to take the science co-reqs as well...the A * P 1 and 2 and microbio....passed the A &p with A's....and now finishing micro up....hard as heck!!.....i applied to the RN program in november and was accepted in feb for the fall of 12.....i am so excited and nervous!!!.......you my friend are young.....do it and dont look back....oh there are times i wonder what the heck i am doing...cause i became a grandmother thru all this and is expecting another (son)......i think at times...do i want to continue or be available as a grandma.....decided to do both....i am available on my days i need the least amount of studying and when i am not working...i only work 20 ours a week as an LPN.....with FULL benes........i am tired,stressed,and so very edgy at times.....but we get thru....and so will you