I'm old, no money, depressed..

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Specializes in Paramedic 15 years, RN now.

I'm 36, starting second semester. My friend visited my from New York this weeks, he is a Nurse Anethetist, god, and does he have money. And he is 3 years younger than me. I just feel like I have done nothing with my life. Most men my age have houses, nice cars, trips, nice things. I'm barely paying my bills. I just waited too long waiting on fire dept to happen, and maybe spent too much time dancing on the disco box shoving anything white and powder like up my nose, and not, I'm here with nothing to show for it. Its mainly the age thing that bothers me.

Any advice on cheering me up?????

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Medsurg.

You are changing things for the better. Don't look at what couldve been, look at where you are now. I began my journey back to college at 38 and will be almost 41 when I graduate. Yes, there are always regrets but you need to concentrate on how you are making such wonderful progress. I always say "It took me this long to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up". Yes, its hard not being able to pay bills and its depressing, but its not forever. It's temporary now that you are on the track to change your life. You CAN do it, You ARE doing it!!! Don't look back....look ahead at all the wonderful opportunities that will open their doors to you. Age is only a number.

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Life is what you make it. It sounds like you've had a lot of fun along the way, now you have a great opportunity to "grow and grow up" and you have chosen a career to take you there. As you may be starting to realize, you have a great advantage being a mature student. Plus, you have a lot of experience and life experience under your belt. Your are at the beginning of a great journey- enjoy it. I am a 41 year old student. Per Social Security, our age group can not collect fully until age 70. Nursing is a career we could realistically work in at some capacity until then. You'll be fine! Like Pharmgirl said, age is only a number. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

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Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

you have got 2 arms 2 legs, and a brain, that alone is enought to get you wherever you want to go...

just remember to do your best, and do good, and you shall enjoy the virtue of your work!!!

and buddy, the quickest you can take $$$ out of your brain $$$ will be in your pocket before you even know it...

now until it gets there, pet your self in the back, and kick your self in the S to achieve your goals...

- you don't really know what you got untill it is gone.

- you'll get there before you even know it..

... some may say those are lies... but if so... that is what kept me sane, and made me want to strive for more, and understand that this is temporary "brokeness"

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I'm 39 and just got my RN license 4 months ago...

Look at it this way: you will still be 41 whether or not you graduate from nursing school.

Best to you-

Diane

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Go ahead and take some time and be a little angry, be a little disgusted w/ yourself and indulge in a bit of self pity too. Then turn around and take all of those feelings and use them to get yourself through school.

I'll be 27 at the end of the year so not quite your age but I def have some of the same feelings. I graduated 5th in my highschool class, had already finished most of an Associates Degree by the time I graduated highschool, was told by counselor that I should persue a professional program such as medicine. So with all that promise and ability do you know what I did? I decided to finish that AA degree, found a job and got married at the ripe age of 18. Yup. So here I sit at 27 with a semi useless AA degree and a husband who has no marketable skills and therefore a very low paying job, and 4 y/o son and starting over.

When I started taking prereqs I about died when I realized I was the oldest person in my A&PI lab (how the hell did I pick the class w/ all the 18 year olds!?).

I spent a great deal of time being ticked off w/ myself for missing out on a lot of opportunites and thinking about where I COULD be right now instead of where I was. Obviously that wasn't doing me much good so I decided that it was going to be motivation for me to get through school. I'll be darned if i'm STILL sitting her 5, 10, 15 years from now saying "I should have, I wish I would have, why didn't I..." etc etc.

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

I'm 41, male, and just passed my last didactic class. If I pass the exit HESI or NLN, I'll finish my practicum throughout the month of September and be pinned and ready for NCLEX by mid-October.

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Specializes in medsurg.

Hey I found the list I made when I graduated from nursing school twelve years ago. 1. pay off my credit cards did that three times and they still have balances bigger then when I graduate, 2. save up 5,000 have gotten close but had baby and went back to school ,moved three times etc. The last thing was to have a BSN in five years still working on it. So as long as we try we can acheive the goal. hang in their time will pass and the dream will be realized.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.
I'm 36, starting second semester. My friend visited my from New York this weeks, he is a Nurse Anethetist, god, and does he have money. And he is 3 years younger than me. I just feel like I have done nothing with my life. Most men my age have houses, nice cars, trips, nice things. I'm barely paying my bills. I just waited too long waiting on fire dept to happen, and maybe spent too much time dancing on the disco box shoving anything white and powder like up my nose, and not, I'm here with nothing to show for it. Its mainly the age thing that bothers me.

Any advice on cheering me up?????

i understand your discourged , but you are doing something with your life , your in your second semester of nursing school. medicjohn , you are young at 36 in nursing school, if you read some of these past threads some people are in their late 40's just starting nursing school... age is just a number .. it's how young you feel in your heart.. yes it's true your nurse anetheist friend makes a truck load of money so what?? , your time will come... this situation is not forever that you are in ... you will be making some money soon and will reap the benefits of your labor .... maybe you did spend alot of time at the disco, but now you have a goal and you stick to it... think positive keep your eye on the prize... do not compare yourself with others... take care and keep us posted !!

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I agree w/ Peytonsmom- do you really want to be sitting there 10 years from now saying the same thing? Have you noticed that a lot of the posters on here are not fresh out of high school?

I like to think there is a reason behind me being a late bloomer. I like to think, that I am doing something for myself, instead of what someone else has told me to do or wanted me to do, or what they thought I would be good at. I like to think having my children first turned this onetime selfish being the compasion it sometimes takes to be a nurse. I like to think having been married before I started my career is what is going to get me thro a program like this b/c he is my biggest supporter. I like to think that my age has brought me maturity and wisdom and that I won't be wasteful like I would have been 5 or 10 years ago.

Hang in there

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First of all, 36 is not old - you have a long life yet to live & you absolutely can turn things around. I am not a nurse yet myself - I'm taking the long road to get there as well - but I think that is a great way to continue the rest of your career. I bet you will find many rewards along the way - keep your eyes on the prize & don't look back!

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Specializes in mental health.

Quit drinking and smoking.

Work out.

Go fishing.

If that doesn't make you better, enlist.

I'd rather be 36 than 56...forget about money.

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