I am terrified, excited, and so very happy. I cried when I passed my entrance exam. I cried when I got my acceptance letter. It all just feels too good to be true.
I am fifty-four-years-old. I don't know if I am ready for the constant studying, testing and full class load, but I will give it my best!
Every time I think I am too old to go back to school I remember my aunt who helped raise me. She died at eighty-five-years-old and her only regret was that she never had the opportunity to go to nursing school. I wish I could share my joy with her now.
I can feel your excitement and I share that with you. Congrats and all the best moving forward! I'm also 26 but I'll be 27 when I start in January. I was nervous but not anymore! (ok, maybe a little bit)
I'm 47 and got my license in March of this year. There were a handful of students my age and older in the program. I carpooled to campus the first semester with my son! And had clinicals with lots of younger students my kids ages. Once I realized I was not their mother and didn't need to follow behind anyone to me sure they got everything done, we all got along a lot better! And managed to have some laughs along the way. I enjoy young adults and once they find out I'm not a stuffy old lady, they enjoyed me too...and were shocked by my dark sense of humor! One serious drawback...I looked awful in the uniform that looked spectacular on them (so embarrassing to look like an umpa loompa in clinical. But, once we got rolling and very, very busy, I learned to love that indistructable, all -white, polyester, big-pocketed nightmare!!! I once had a wet red folder with black magic marker bleed all over it running for the car in the rain after clinical. I was touched that my husband took the effort to remove that stain for me...I found every cleaner known to man, short of bleach combined with ammonia, stacked on the counter, and the stain removed. If that uniform could take that kind of abuse, it deserved my respect!!
Being an older student, I found I had to review constantly. I understood more, but remembered less. I wondered if I was starting menopause or something! All of our older crowd made it through the program with flying colors. We just worked until we got it right. Best wishes! Nursing school was one of the most demanding things I have ever done!
I am terrified, excited, and so very happy. I cried when I passed my entrance exam. I cried when I got my acceptance letter. It all just feels too good to be true.
I am fifty-four-years-old. I don't know if I am ready for the constant studying, testing and full class load, but I will give it my best!
Every time I think I am too old to go back to school I remember my aunt who helped raise me. She died at eighty-five-years-old and her only regret was that she never had the opportunity to go to nursing school. I wish I could share my joy with her now.
That's is awesome! I am 33 and will be restarting in the Fall again. Life got in the way, but I am determined to get back to following my dream as well. Best wishes to you!
Congrats, there is nothing for you to be worried about in regards to age. Older students tend to be more mature, and driven and responsible. I personally am a witness to that younger students can at times be disruptive in class and make it harder for other serious students to concentrate. Just because you're older doesn't mean you don't have what it takes to "keep up" , hey the key is can they keep up with you. :)! I'm 27 and start NS This Aug. 2012, I try to convince my mom to go back, since she has 20 years of healthcare experience, she currently runs Medical Records, and nurses on her job come ask her questions instead of there charge nurse or DON. But she feels like she's too old or not smart enough. I pray she will go back she will do so well. But Any way I know you will do great too God bless!
I have to echo one of the posters who stated a concern with taking on student loan debt in the over 45 crowd. We don't have many working years to pay off these loans and its even more difficult for us when we have mortgages and little or no retirement savings.
I'm 50, I became an LPN at 47. I'd thought about going on to RN but since school is so expensive here I decided its best not to go. I earn enough money as an LPN and can save for retirement. Where I live there are many good opportunities for LPNs.
Go for it! I'm 58, and start my job on Monday as an RN. I just graduated in May, and passed NCLEX on the 6th of this month. It's never too late, if you don't let it be. You CAN do this, just study hard, and remember no matter how hard it may seem, it IS doable. :)
BahSun
11 Posts
I can feel your excitement and I share them with you. Congrats and all the best moving forward!