I would like to hear from those who got through nursing school without a vehicle.
So this is my problem. I have been working at this ALF for almost 2 years. Really bad place to work, poor management, rude employees, I am bullied a lot, it is mentally exhausted. On top of it all, I only make a few cents above the minimum wage so I really don't make a lot. During my time working here, I have been saving money (which was extremely difficult due to the small amount I make) in order to buy myself a car since I've never had one before even though I am 26 years old.
I have just been accepted into an LVN school at my CC which I have been working so hard to get it. I am excited and ready to start in June. I have decided NOT to continue working so that I can fully concentrate on school and also because it's a really bad environment for me. My family has told me multiple times to quit because they see how it affects me mentally.
Anyway, I will not be working while in nursing school AND I just found out I will not be receiving financial aid, but I'm trying to apply for scholarships though.
Sooo.... I've also decided to sacrifice buying a car and use the money I've saved up, for nursing school.
This means I will not be able to drive myself to school and clinicals and have to keep using public transportation:banghead:. So sad, but school is important to me.
How did you guys manage to get through nursing school without a car? Can you share your story, might give me some motivation. I am nervous about this but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get through nursing school. Any advice or tips are greatly appreciated.
Not having a vehicle throughout nursing school is doable but, tbh, is extremely challenging. I can get to and from school using public transportation but no matter the time of day, I will not make it to and from school in under an hour (the norm is around 1.5 to 2.5 hours even though it is only 20-25 min by car). All the time I spend at school and on public transit has made it difficult to do other things, like work. I had a problem getting to my clinical rotation last year because I was placed outside city limits... no public transportation was available at the time that I needed to be at the hospital and I could not get a ride from any of my group members. Thankfully that rotation was only once a week but it made me realize that I can't completely rely on public transit or classmates to help me out.
I will have clinical rotations 4 days a week in the fall and there is a chance I might be placed outside city limits again (not to mention, having to start at 6:45 a.m.) so I am looking to get my driver's licence this summer and save up for a car or, at least, a rental. I thought I could get through all of nursing school using just the bus but I am only in my second year of a degree and it has become very obvious that I need to drive at some point. Keep all your options open, OP. Good luck. :)
Here's my experience. I don't mean to scare/discourage anyone without a car who wants to go to nursing school, but I have to be honest. I started my 4 year university the semester before I started nursing school. I was finishing up my last pre reqs that semester. My parents just dropped me off with all my stuff,and I was stranded. That wasn't completely terrible because all my classes were right here on campus, and I could take the campus bus. However, I needed to leave at least 2 hours before I was supposed to be somewhere because the buses took absolutely forever to get around on. Then I wouldn't get back home until at least about 2 hours after class/whatever I was doing. If I needed to go to the grocery store, I could only buy a few items at a time because I couldn't carry that many items on the bus. I've had certain things that I absolutely could not avoid doing at night, so I had to walk around campus at night at times, and that is very very dangerous. Clinicals started last fall for me, and I had to rely on people from my class to take me. I got lucky and managed, but I was almost late one morning because they showed up to my apartment late. This semester just started, and I can't find any classmates willing to take me this time. It's not their job, so I don't blame them. I don't know what I'm going to do. My advice, please get the car no matter what loan you have to take out and don't find yourself in my situation.
Just A Wanderer
116 Posts
Not having a vehicle throughout nursing school is doable but, tbh, is extremely challenging. I can get to and from school using public transportation but no matter the time of day, I will not make it to and from school in under an hour (the norm is around 1.5 to 2.5 hours even though it is only 20-25 min by car). All the time I spend at school and on public transit has made it difficult to do other things, like work. I had a problem getting to my clinical rotation last year because I was placed outside city limits... no public transportation was available at the time that I needed to be at the hospital and I could not get a ride from any of my group members. Thankfully that rotation was only once a week but it made me realize that I can't completely rely on public transit or classmates to help me out.
I will have clinical rotations 4 days a week in the fall and there is a chance I might be placed outside city limits again (not to mention, having to start at 6:45 a.m.) so I am looking to get my driver's licence this summer and save up for a car or, at least, a rental. I thought I could get through all of nursing school using just the bus but I am only in my second year of a degree and it has become very obvious that I need to drive at some point. Keep all your options open, OP. Good luck. :)