Hello Everybody! I have been using this site as a tool for years now, but didn't make my own account until today. I'm 21 years old and living in NYC. I recently applied to SUNY Stony Brook and I'm trying to decide on my future career path. I have a different story than most. I'm just looking for a little insight from people more experienced than myself.
Let me start by telling you a brief story of how I ended up where I am.
I come from a somewhat crazy family. My father was an "evangelist "on Sundays and beat my brothers during the weekdays. My mother was also a religious fanatic with crazy views on the world. After my older brother grew up and left, I was left with my parents. My mother, being the religious person she was decided school was "evil" and pulled me out and moved to Vermont around the age of 10, the only problem was--she didn't teach me. She would tell everyone I was home-schooled but neglect my homework. By the time I was in high school, I was too embarrassed to go to school because I knew I was so far behind. I use to be threatened by the fact that "if people found out I was behind, the state would take me away from my family". I remember telling myself I wouldn't turn out like people predicted. I became straight edge, (No drinking and no drugs) and made a promise I would end up in college to be a nurse no matter what it took. Around the time I should have been a junior in high school, I met a girl who I shared all my problems and secretes with. She started teaching me math and science after school and was thankfully very patient and kind. Without exaggeration, I would start practicing math from 10am to 7pm every day hoping to catch up to my friends in high school. After about 6 months of this my girlfriend started bringing home her math homework to see if I could figure it out, and to my surprise I could with some help. I went to an adult education place in my local town, and started taking classes while taking college level courses at my local community college. Long story short, I ended up with my high school diploma, and I also have about 38 credits from a community college. I moved out of my house as quickly as possible, and I now live in NYC with that same girl from high school. My problem is I never took chemistry or physics in highschool. I am terrified of taking it at college. I have taken statistics and college algebra, and have gotten an A in both classes but feel as though my girlfriend has to spend extra time everyday helping me with my homework in order to understand it. I feel as though I have to work twice as hard to understand math than other people in my classes.
I applied to Stony Brook University recently, I have a 3.9 gpa and I applied undecided because I still have to take a lot of the prereqs for the nursing program. My question is, will I be in over my head? I feel like everyone there has taken 4 years of science and math already, and I was just some kid who was taught by my girlfriend. She says she will teach me chemistry, but I want to be able to fully understand it and be confident in school. I am good with conceptual things. I have taken medical terminology and was at the top of my class. I just feel so nervous and I can't shake it. Should I pick a different major? I see all these kids with years of preparation failing nursing school. I can't help but feel as though I will have an even harder time than them. I want to be a ER nurse, it's something I am very passionate about. I just want to hear from people if I should go to a school known to be very difficult in sciences. Will Stony Brook be that much harder than the classes I took at community college?
I'm sorry for rambling; any kind of response will help...I just feel as though I will be in over my head. I will be living on campus so I will have lots of time to study. I'm proud of how far I've gotten despite my situation--I am just unsure on how to approach all of this.
Again, I am sorry for the unorganized ramble and rabbit trails! Any kind of response will be helpful! I am just looking for honest opinions.