I have a summer class this year for Microbiology and none of my closets friends does as they all plan on going on many vacations together while I will be left out of it. My best friend even made fun of me that I won't be able to enjoy my summer fully and I'm now having second thoughts on whether I should just go ahead with this 4 credit hour class or not.
Without this class I won't be able to apply to the nursing program this fall because they require that the majority of sciences need to be done at the time of application. But it is really taking me everything not to drop this class's on a moment to enjoy my summer. I legit am forcing myself to buy these expenses books early so I have no other choice but to not back out of this.
I know I sound like a spoiled brat and I don't mean to but I really wish I had some friends who were also taking summer classes so I wouldn't feel so left out.
So I guess I'm posting this to see if anyone else have gone through the same situation I'm feeling and can offer me words of encouragement to stick it out?
TL;DR: Need to take 4 credit summer course but I'm feeling left out since all my friends are planning on going on a vacation this summer. How can I stick this summer course out without dropping it?
I would give anything to have this 'problem.' I would also give anything to have the time to take micro over again, simply because I absolutely loved that class.
Nursing is HARD and STRESSFUL. You will need to sacrifice a whole lot more than just a summer vacation in the future. Please think long and hard and prepare yourself.
Which option sounds better? If you take the class, you will not get behind. If you vacation instead, you will get behind.
Whatever you choose, enjoy it and don't look back. But choices always have a consequence, just need to figure out which one you can live with :)
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
If you want to go on vacations, go on vacations. If you want to go to school, go to school. If you consider this a "problem", you've had a very good life.
I totally concur. This issue is one that can be categorized as a 'first world problem.'
Succeeding in life entails deferring our gratification. You can defer a vacation until after you graduate, but deferring school until middle age can present more challenges. My advice is to get your schooling done while you are young and unattached. Take the vacay later.
I'm a second degree nurse. I quit a full time job to go back to school from nursing. My job was not a walk in the park and there was no way I could do school and work. I had less than a week to move and start summer courses. I took A&P I and II that summer in addition to a nutrition course. Doing so enabled me to apply to ABSN programs in the fall while taking more pre-reqs and working as a nanny. I got accepted, took a couple weeks off and did one last prereq in the spring. My program started that fall. Loading up and pushing through enabled me to have the summer off BEFORE my program, which was so beneficial. I even took a vacation just a couple weeks before I started my nursing program. Work hard now so you can be relaxed and refreshed when you start your nursing program.
Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Clinical Care Coordination, LTC.
Don't let those folks bring you down. I can understand your predicament, I just finished my pre-reqs and it took me a while; mostly because when I first entered college I tested poorly in math and had to start with pre-algebra-- the sciences (except micro) required at least intermediate algebra or higher. I have gone to school straight through 2 summers and worked full time, but to be honest it's totally worth it. Muscle through it and get the class done. Being that it's a summer class with a shorter time frame, it'll be a little more squashed together, but you can still find some time to relax and clear your head!
Specializes in med-surg, IMC, school nursing, NICU.
I took summer classes for 2 of the 4 summers I had in college. I also took a winter intensive class during my Christmas break junior year. I was a transfer student and this was what needed to be done in order for me to graduate on time. Did I want to do this? Absolutely not. But you can bet your boots I was happy I did when I was able to graduate in 4 years with all of my friends.
Nursing, both the schooling and the profession, will cause you to make a lot of sacrifices with your free time. Coming in on your day off for a ridiculous mandatory meeting, working weekends and nights, missing holidays with family due to your schedule. It happens. It comes with the territory. Consider this summer class a preview of the adjustments you will have to make once you are in the field of nursing.
I have been in school since summer of 2015 and only had the breaks between terms. I wanted to take this summer off..but, I know if I don't take a course this summer I will feel like I'm wasting time... so, this summer once again, I will be doing College algebra - a course that they never required in the past but, do now... its only 4 months of an online class ... I advice you to do your work early before the sun is out.. this way you can enjoy the summer and don't have to worry all day. you are not alone many of us are doing summer courses... hang in there!
My advice would be to go through with your summer class and get it over with. My motivation is telling myself, hey I'll be ahead of all my class mates who are taking the summer off to party and go on vacations. I don't have a choice not to go to school in the summer time because I get paid to go to school from the VA. If I had a choice, I would still take summer courses. I will have finished my associates degree in a little over one year because of summer courses and 3 week minis. I'm with you though, here taking summer classes when id rather be taking vacations to the beach.
Don't feel bad, you're definitely not alone! My advisor messed up my schedule last semester when telling me which classes were required to apply to the nursing program this fall, so I'm taking AP lecture & Lab the first part of the summer then an online Intro into health sciences the second part. I won't get an actual summer until next year. Lol
I can appreciate how tough it is when you're young (any age for that matter) and your friends are traveling and having fun without you. But rest assured, you are making the right decision. Most importantly, you've already made this decision as evidenced by buying your books and signing up for your class. Speaking as someone whom did a lot of traveling and having fun when I was younger, it sucks having to return to school as an older student. Not only is it harder to learn the material, you may need to repeat a class due to it expiring or you need to fulfill new prerequisite requirements and on top of that, you may already have a family or financial burdens such as a mortgage or car. It is a huge adjustment going from working full time to part time and next semester, to not working at all. But I digress. I sure wish I'd done the school thing sooner than later. I recommend exchanging contact information with classmates whom you have a good rapport with that are also going into the same field. Not only will you have new friends whom understand what you're going through that most likely also put school first but you will end up seeing these same people in future classes. And boy is it nice to have a familiar and friendly face come nursing school! You hang in there and keep plowing away. It'll be worth it. Good luck!
What do you want to do more? Take the class, make the grade, and qualify as a nursing applicant for this cycle? Or is a few weeks of short-lived fun more of a priority than your career?
Theres not much anyone can tell you if you don't have your mind made up that you're doing this because you need to, not necessarily because you want to. It all comes down to responsibility. I would love to be in A&P II right now but the class is too much for me to afford. Be grateful that you can even take a summer class--a lot of us don't have that kind of luxury without putting ourselves in debt.
I can empathize with the feeling a little I guess. I work my butt off in school and as soon as I have any break from school, I immediately start working full time. No time off in between, no rest, just money making time. Because I need the money and I enjoy having a savings account in case my car breaks down, or just to be able to have that money in the bank to float me through the semester when I'm not working as much. Sure I was invited to go to the beach but I'd rather spend that day making money so that when school starts back up I don't have to worry all the time about how I'll afford groceries. Responsibility.
Natasha, RN, BSN
77 Posts
I would give anything to have this 'problem.' I would also give anything to have the time to take micro over again, simply because I absolutely loved that class.
Nursing is HARD and STRESSFUL. You will need to sacrifice a whole lot more than just a summer vacation in the future. Please think long and hard and prepare yourself.
Which option sounds better? If you take the class, you will not get behind. If you vacation instead, you will get behind.
Whatever you choose, enjoy it and don't look back. But choices always have a consequence, just need to figure out which one you can live with :)