About to lose my mind! Help me!! Pre nursing student in the Charlotte, NC Metro area

BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2015

I can't really advise what classes to take but I can say that you may need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. I'm not sure who you're comparing yourself to or why you feel behind but you are young and have plenty of time to reach your goals. I went back to school at 29 and graduated at 33. I am now 35 and love what I do. There were people I graduated with in their 40's and 50's. Take time for yourself. Don't kill yourself with expectations of where you think you should be. Take a deep breath and give yourself the time to be successful in your studies and in nursing school. Good luck!

dnllprtt · Apr 15, 2015

Thank you BloomNurseRN! I am not comparing myself to others I just put myself with so much pressure and expectations like a rule book. That what stresses me out most of the time! Thank you for your reply!

OBigdog26, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 15, 2015

I took AP 1 and dev. Psych @ UNCC while working FT nightshift. The following semester I took AP 2 and micro. It was a challenge, but it can be done. Just how bad do you want it?

Bloom RN has some valid points. I graduated with my BSN when I was 30. Now, I'm going to graduate school this fall. Good luck in your studies.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses. Pardon for any misspelled words, I blame it on auto-correct.

FutureNurse305 · Apr 15, 2015

I'm taking A&P 1 with development I would take those 2 together instead of taking A&P with micro because I heard micro is hard you should take that alone to focus only on that.

TooManyCats, ASN, BSN · Apr 15, 2015

Can you take all four in the Fall or is that too much with your work? If you have to take a Summer course I would make it Psych, five weeks is FAST! It sounds like you're stressing more than you need to. You are so young and there is no rush at 22 to get everything done right now. Get your classes in at a pace that works for you, and allows you to get good grades, and go from there.

dnllprtt · Apr 15, 2015

Can you take all four in the Fall or is that too much with your work? If you have to take a Summer course I would make it Psych, five weeks is FAST! It sounds like you're stressing more than you need to. You are so young and there is no rush at 22 to get everything done right now. Get your classes in at a pace that works for you, and allows you to get good grades, and go from there.

Haha thank you I feel so old at my age. Everyone around me is graduating with a bachelor's and I'm here getting a associates in science then BSN... The community college I attend to will not let me do all 4 at once and I think I would die mentally if I did that lol, but I do need to slow down and look at everything in the big picture. I don't want anymore C's on my pre reqs. So far my GPA in my pre reqs is a 3.71 overall GPA is 2.89 :/ after this semester I hope all A's and that will boost me back up. Thank you so much! For you input

PhillyRNtoBe · Apr 15, 2015

Ok sorry in advance if this has been already talked about. I am four classes away from applying to the University of my choice for BSN.... I'm stressed out to the max at the moment. The classes I have left are A&P I, A&P II, developmental psych, and Microbiology. Microbiology is offered this summer 2015 as a 5 week session, my gut tells me no don't do it(also others told me that as well), so that leaves me to take developmental psych in the Summer, Micro with A&P I in the Fall 2015, then A&P II in Spring of 2016.
I am confused, lost, upset, and want to say forget this! But I want to become a nurse late choice in my life, I want to be a Nurse Practitioner in the long run. I am just freaking out about the classes, time getting into the university, and my age(I'm currently 22 year old). I don't want to be any more behind than I already am, but I'm just uneasy taking Micro and A&P I together. I also work part time 21+ hours a week at a hospital. Any pointers will be helpful, any self esteem boosters are welcomed as well. I'm just upset at myself and I feel like a failure because I'm always behind no matter what.

I'm in my mid 30's taking Microbiology now. It's the last class I need. Do not take micro until you had chemistry and Anatomy. Micro is just too much with those classes. Also the key is you must get A's and B's to be competitive enough to to even get into the schools of your choice. If you take all of those sciences together or even in the summer and you don't do well you will ruin your transcripts forever.

Take it from me, a 15 year old community college transcript kept me from getting into the nursing program I wanted because I made terrible decisions to stack difficult classes together and in a shortened summer semester. I was drowning and bombed more than one class and had to repeat two classes. Doesn't look good for when I apply to graduate school, even if it was 15 years ago. Be smart and take your time and set yourself up to get the highest grades possible. It's not worth the risk. Many people are interior late 20's and 30's entering nursing school now. It's good to want to get started right away but have a smart gameplan. Good luck!

studentih · Apr 15, 2015

This is funny, because those are the exact same classes that I have left before I can apply to my nursing program lol. I am currently taking microbiology (Spring 2015). The way that I am doing it is taking A&P I this summer 2015 and then A&P II and PSY this FALL 2015. I did it this way because I believe I can handle A&P I in an 8 week summer session. Honestly would not have even imagined doing Micro in the summer, it is like the hardest class lol. I actually was taking A&P I along with Micro this semester, but I dropped A&P I because I could not handle taking both of these courses at the same time. I would definitely suggest taking micro by itself.

But if you are pretty good at memorization, look into taking A&P I in the summer (if it is offered).

I am turning 24 this year, and I have had the same feelings that you are going through as I watched my peers from high school graduating with their 4 year college degrees. But more than half of them are still working as restaurant severs or store associates, not that it is a bad thing at all, but barely any of them are using their degrees. So I am glad that I have taken my schooling at a slower pace to figure out exactly what I want to do, so I can get a degree that I am actually going to put to use and have a career in.

Good luck!

IH

brandiep1982 · Apr 15, 2015

First, it is good that you are really thinking so deeply about all these things, which classes to take when and with what other classes.

Also, I feel you on the stress that comes with being so close to being doen with prereqs. I have been experiencing the same thing. Try not to get down on yourself. Do you have any cheerleaders that can help lift you up and encourage you? If not, there are plenty of fellow students on here that would be happy to cheer you on, I'm sure.

Having said that, I am taking micro this summer as a 5 week course. I considered all the same things you mentioned... micro is tough, should I wait and take it in a longer semester? I decided, for me, I would be better off taking micro this summer for two reasons: 1) I can fully focus on that one course. I will not have to divert my attention to any other things I am learning at the same time. I feel this offsets the fact that I will have to learn the curriculum in half the normal time, and 2) Anatomy and/or Physiology is tough enough as it is. I do not want to take them both at the same time.

Now, this is just me knowing how I work. The opposite decision may be best for you. The point is this: only you know what will work best for you. :)

I should probably add that I took A&P together already several years ago before Medic School, so that is why I am taking it before my separate A and P courses (now days, in my area, a lot of schools won't take A&P together, they require them separate.)

studentnurse47 · Apr 15, 2015

I am also in the Charlotte area and have been accepted to nursing school (i start fall 2015) To be competitive you really need a high GPA (My GPA is 3.7 and I was very worried about being accepted because it is so competitive) My school gave higher points for a higher GPA in biology. Micro is a very hard class that requires lots of study time if you want to do well. I would advise to take it by itself. Also, do not worry about being 22, I am 26. I am glad I waited a little while to do this, because I now understand the importance of doing well in school. Good luck!

Mami.RN, MSN, RN · Apr 16, 2015

First of all, you are still young so dont stress it. Im 30 years old going back to school full time with two kids. I took micro with a&p 1 along with college algebra and nutrition. Its a definitely a heavy course load but I have managed. I have 3 As and one B+ so far this semester. I hope for all As.

You can do this if you really put your mind into it and study. Psych was easy class so you could take it in summer. Good luck.