Hello everyone. I have been lurking around here for a while. I think I have read almost every post! Before I begin I want to apologize for the length of this post. I have a lot on my mind.
I am currently 27 (28 in a few weeks). I work at a law firm in Miami as a paralegal. I guess I have been at my current job for a little over 3 years now. I am absolutely miserable. I could cry right now. I want to be a nurse so badly, it is all I think about. (I've thought about it for the past several years, and I always find some way to talk myself out of it, or someone else does.) First, I have made a lot of poor choices in my college "career". Due to the fact that I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, being just plain irresponsible, and several deaths in my family, I dropped many classes or just gave up and received failing grades. In 2001 I decided to buckle down and take things seriously. I became an EMT-b. I received straight "A"s in that program and passed the State test with flying colors. However, reality soon hit me that I would make more money working at Costco than I would as an EMT. So I went back to the drawing board and ended up where I am at now. A paralegal.
Although I am very good at what I do, I hate every second of it. I cannot stand working for these attorneys. I am treated as though I am mentally inferior because I am not one them. I can't stand the way they laugh about "ruining someone's weekend" by filing a motion, or writing nasty letters to someone. I know I could go out and find another paralegal job, but that is not what I want to do with my life. I want to help people. I want to make a difference. I've always been fascinated with life and how medicines work. I know that I would excel at being a nurse.
The problem is that I messed up a lot in school. Upon reviewing my grades I saw that my GPA currently is around 2.3. I am so embarrassed! I wish I could go back in time and kick myself (really really hard). Luckily, perhaps, I still need to take all the pre-reqs to get into the nursing program. If I could get straight "A"s in the pre-reqs maybe that would help (albeit not very much). Is this possible? Can I get back on track and make into the nursing program? I don't have any children (except my cat) so I have more free time than a lot of other people that have made it through. I do have to work though. Fortunately at my job I can sneak in study time. I just need some encouragement. I have (had) a friend that is a nurse and she basically told me there is no way I could do it and she is so much smarter than me and it was hard for her so it will never work-out for me. (Nice.. I know.) I have the drive. I have already registered for 2 pre-reqs (human growth and development and ethics) and I am taking them on-line (big plus). I know its going to take a lot of time, and a lot of work, but I want this so badly. I am just so worried that I will take all these pre-reqs and then still not get accepted in the RN program. Perhaps I could apply to the LPN program and then bridge over to RN? I wish I had done this 10 years ago.
What do you guys think? If I want this bad enough, and I work hard enough, will it pay off? Or are my past mistakes going to come back to haunt me? Should I just start looking for another paralegal job?
worse case senerio.....go for your LPN like you said, thats exactly what i am doing. It is a 10month intense program full time (MON-FRI 8 am-2:30pm) or you can do it part time which takes 2 years where I am going. I had a lot of problems in highschool and recieved some pretty horrid grades, due to anxiety and depression that went untreated. I know I can do it and since i graduated a few years ago, I am yearning for some learning! yoU ALREADY HAVE SOEM TYPE OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE AS AN EMT!!! Thats a plus and will help you in classes. I plan on getting my LPN through full time then going for my RN part time, as I work. It will take a little longer but atleast I will be able to work doing what i love and move on to an rn when I am ready and at my own pace.......what ever yoyu do follow your heart. I know it doesnt pay the bills but its what makes life worth living. Ask yourself one question....will you regret not doing it when its to late and you are in a positionthat you cant go back to school? Waking up miserable is no way to live and being surrounded by greddy selfish people is also no way live.....survive yes but live happily....HELL NO!!!! but whatever you choose to do will be the right path, it syour life, your choice, good luck at whatever it is you decide!
Wow you guys truly are amazing. So this week I am feeling better about everything. I enrolled in two pre-reqs, bought the books and have already read them cover to cover lol. (Ethics/Human Growth and Development.) I even took notes. By the way, classes don't start until August 27th. I guess you could say that I am "motivated"! I am still really nervous, but I am going to work really hard and hopefully if it is meant to be everything will work out. One thing is for sure, I'm not going to look back in another 10 years and say "coulda, woulda, shoulda". Thanks again for all of the encouragement!
Hi Kimba. It is not too late for you, not now nor not ever. Don't let anyone tell you differently. I am 54 years young. I am on the waiting list for the clinical portion of my studies for the RN program. I have held other jobs thoughout my life; Army, Lab Analyst, Real Estate, in between raising a husband and children. Never too late to return to school. Many of my fellow students are changing careers, now that the kids are grown and flown, they have the time for themselves to do something they want. I too blew off high school; my mother got smart and somehow got me placed in an accelerated high school, did three years in three months. Then headed to the beach with my board. Which is pretty much where I stayed till I joined the Army. I have an excellent GPA through all my college courses, but the school doesn't really seem to care, all that's required here anyway, is a C or better. It's different when it's something you are interested in. And you are never to old to learn. Online classes are a wonderful option for those that work, gives you time to make arrangements for the ones you can't take online. There are night classes, day classes and weekend classes. All to help everyone get an education. When people tell you "you can't" just smile and say "watch me" If this is what you want, then go for it and the very best of luck to you...
I graduated high school in 1988, top 10% with honors. Went straight to a big state university and completely flunked out my first semester. My gpa was .8. Yes. .8.
I came home and attended the local community college. I would attend one semester and then take a year off. Enroll in classes again another year just to drop out. Changed my major about a dozen times. Had no real interest in school because, like most of us here, I had no idea what I wanted to be as a career. I had married and had a child during these years and "career" that was just fine with me.
So, in 2006, at the age of 36, I enrolled in the local university with a transferred gpa of 2.37. I took 18 hours that first semester and pulled off my first 4.0! I wasn't accepted into the BSN program that year so I had to add a minor in Health Science to fill in the time.
I was a full time student working two jobs and raising a teenager while my husband was (and still is) in Iraq! Talk about stress!!! But, I'm so happy to say that on the 27th of this month, I will start nursing school. My gpa currently is 3.76 and I'm so proud of it!!!
It took lots of work and determination but I made it. Now I'm looking forward to even more work and determination during the nursing classes. But, it's been so worth it! I have never been so confident in my own abilities. I'm finding that I can do it all. (They call me SuperWoman.)
You can do it too! Make up your mind and never take your eyes off your goal. Don't listen to anyone (including that little voice in your head) who says you can't do it. Stay focused and continue to ask for help and support from the members of this forum. It's an incredible resource for school and career.
I had a very similar situation, and I was able to get what is called at my school an "academic renewal". Basically if there was a certain number of years I wasn't in school (maybe 5) and then I returned and received good grades (C or better, I think) for 12 credits, they would go back and remove the bad grades from my record. This worked for me, and my GPA is around 3.5 now. They did keep the Cs but dropped Fs and Ds.
I will graduate in May 09 and turn 40 the same month .
I really like what I have been reading! I, too, think I have waited too long to begin nursing and, to tell you the truth, I am scared to death! I have always had the fear of science in me. I am scared of dead people and I have been telling my sister-in-law (who is an RN and has been encouraging me to go to school for nursing for 10 years now!) that I don't know if I will be effective as a nurse! My family has been telling me I have the compassion and humility to do nursing and I have the smarts to complete the course...
The best part was this week, I have been on and off about applying for school (no money, unemployed, single mom. blah, blah, blah) and my 10 year old son comes to me and puts his hand on my shoulder and said, "Mommy, you will be a great nurse because you take care of everybody." That was the motivation I needed!
The question I still have though is, where can I find the money to go to school for this in demand career?
I have read the messages to the young lady who thinks she may have been too old to start school again. I have to tell you, I was wondering the same thing about myself. I have felt for many years that I should become an RN. My family keeps telling me to go all the way and get my MSN eventually. One step at a time!!! First, I have to get in and I was wondering where should I look for money for school? I can not get a school loan and I think I may be too late for the scholarships... What do you suggest?
It is never, NEVER too late! I'm a new grad at age 40, raising 2 kids and working 2 jobs, and I did it. I didn't do so hot in college the first go-round either, but I think that having your own internal motivation will drive you on and get you through. Don't ever give up on your dream! Best of luck to you!
.
VM85
263 Posts
worse case senerio.....go for your LPN like you said, thats exactly what i am doing. It is a 10month intense program full time (MON-FRI 8 am-2:30pm) or you can do it part time which takes 2 years where I am going. I had a lot of problems in highschool and recieved some pretty horrid grades, due to anxiety and depression that went untreated. I know I can do it and since i graduated a few years ago, I am yearning for some learning! yoU ALREADY HAVE SOEM TYPE OF MEDICAL EXPERIENCE AS AN EMT!!! Thats a plus and will help you in classes. I plan on getting my LPN through full time then going for my RN part time, as I work. It will take a little longer but atleast I will be able to work doing what i love and move on to an rn when I am ready and at my own pace.......what ever yoyu do follow your heart. I know it doesnt pay the bills but its what makes life worth living. Ask yourself one question....will you regret not doing it when its to late and you are in a positionthat you cant go back to school? Waking up miserable is no way to live and being surrounded by greddy selfish people is also no way live.....survive yes but live happily....HELL NO!!!! but whatever you choose to do will be the right path, it syour life, your choice, good luck at whatever it is you decide!