Keeping Yourself Motivated...

brittany_micah · Jun 21, 2009

What a great and inspiring thread!! I am in the same boat! I've been taking classes for 3 yrs and still have 3 classes left. I transferred schools and they have different pre-req's. I love the build a bear idea and the bulletin board with the pictures on it. :)

Kyla.ann · Jun 22, 2009

I am glad you started this post. I have been feeling really burnt out the last 2 weeks. This is my forth semester of classes with not breaks and they are getting harder as I tackle the science pre-reqs. A few times I thought to myself, that I maynot make it, I am not cut out for this, not sure if I can keep up. Between fulltime work, school and raising my daughter alone it seems impossible. I feel tired and stressed all the time I will be done with pre-reqs spring 2010, that's if I don't have to retake anything, and then hopefully get into NS in the fall. A total of 4 years for a 2 year program... Uggg! The journey feels so long, what's the point.
One of my class mates in Biology is applying to medical school and he was discussing his academic journey with the teacher, which is a MD. She said the biggest lession she learned going to school was patience. I really needed to hear that, because I am the Queen of "instant gratification". I review these boards several times a day and it gives me hope and inspiration to keep pressing on.

Girl, I am so with you. I can rule with you as the Queen of instant gratification. Patience is a really tough lesson that I am having to learn along the way. Like you, I have a fulltime job, school, and two little girls to take care of. While I am not single, with my husbands schedule, it seems as though I take on the load of work with the household duties ON TOP of everything else. It really does get frustrating at times.

PS-If you don't mind me asking when are you planning to apply for your program?

I *hope* to be able to apply for the Spring of 2011. I was pushing for the fall but with my schedule I don't think I can squeeze two science courses together in one semester in order to make the fall 2010 application deadline and still do well enough in them to make it in.

I guess that is what has me the most frustrated. I started out thinking I only had a few classes to take and could apply for the Spring of 2010. Then it became more classes and the date got pushed back to the Fall of 2010. And now it is pushed back to the Spring of 2011, and possibly even the Fall of 2011. I still plan on keeping it up though and just pushing right along so I can get in. I know all this will be worth it when I get my acceptance letter.

I like the build a bear idea. I think I might treat myself to one after the summer semesters are over and I see those "A"s on my transcript. :lol2:

mrsb04 · Jun 22, 2009

I am also glad that this has been posted. I am also working on pre-reqs. I am attempting to get into a certain program that requires AP I and II and microbiology to be completed prior to acceptance. Well, the classes I need are full. So I have nothing to take this fall semester. I had planned to apply to other schools but was going to wait. I feel like doing nothing now. I am almost taking this as a sign that maybe this is not meant to be. I have no motivation so start my applications or anything. I am trying to tell myself that this is just a phase and ride it out but it is getting hard.
The whole problem is that this is forcing me to change my plan. Now, I must go ahead and send in all of my other applications because it make no sense to wait to fufill pre-reqs for one school which I may not even get into. Then again I may not get into any program at all. I have got to find a way to get myself back on track and stay motivated.

better late than never...is what i always said. it may take you a little longer than you anticipated...but you are never too old for school and NS. trust me, i have over 130 college credits,10 of which i can apply to my nursing pre-req's b/c some classes i did not do well in. i am basically taking ALL the pre-req's over again and i will hopefully be on time to start fall 2010 if i am accepted. it's hard to not get discouraged and want it right now...i had a similar problem with classes filling up, sometimes you just have to wait, or check out another college. i registered late, b/c i was a new student at my current community college...and now i have a CRAZY schedule fall qtr (some day and night classes, all hours apart), but i don't care because i need those classes and want to get into nursing school. don't let a full class be your 'sign', it's not, it means that its just going to take a little longer, but thats ok. there arent any other classes you can take in the mean time? plus there's no way you would want to take ap and micro at the same time if you don't have to. those are difficult classes on their own, let alone together...so do rush it. it will all work out. i have been on and off in college since 2001 and i all i have to show for is an AA that has nothing to do with nursing, so i have to start all over too...by the time i am out of school if all goes well...i will be darn near 30! :nurse:

Sand_Dollar, BSN · Jun 23, 2009

I keep my eye on the goal and refresh the picture every now and then. I have my entire pre-req schedule all planned out by semester right next to my monitor. I have the classes I've finished in red boxes with the grades right next to them in bright yellow boxes...seeing those grades gives me a boost when I need it. I have changed the plan at least 4 times, changing schools or adding classes. Looking through the school site, reading threads here and vids on youtube all keep me going.

tryingtobeanurse - why not look into online classes? I'm doing mine through ccconline and love them. Don't let one little thing like a full class stop you, look at other schools, other ways, it can be done. Like I said, I have changed my chosen school at least twice, and each time having to add classes and this last one may add a year of wait time to my plan (because they won't take old credits either), but I evaluate everything that comes up and make the best choice, you can too. BTW, I turn 41 this week!

You can do it!!!

tinediddy · Jun 23, 2009

I am soooooo on board with you guys on this thread! I also have 2 kids (a 7 yr old and a 6 month old) and a husband but I have no job right now. But that wont last cause we have bills to pay and luckily we've been ok up until now. I have a bachelor's degree (not in nursing) so I also feel like I'm back at square one doing the science pre-req's starting in the fall. I hope to be able to apply in the fall of 2010.

I worry about the fact that I will miss deadlines for applications since I won't be finished the pre-req's til May (hopefully). Will they not even look at my appl til I'm done completely? And then won't it be too late for the fall?

I just pray every night that it will all work out! Good luck to you all, us all:-)

guiltysins · Jun 23, 2009

It's a lot of work but the work reminds me of the fact that I am doing something important. I know a lot of people say that nursing isn't a big deal but nursing school is about the most important thing I've ever done in my short 19 year old life lol. To me it's considered a huge accomplishment. It was hard at first when it was so far away but I'll be starting nursing in Fall 2010 and you start to realize just how quick the semesters are going and it gets a little scary. I'm just glad this will be my third and final year in pre-reqs because I feel like I have been doing them forever. But I do use the time to get my GPA even higher that way it's okay for it to dip when I start nursing courses.

I am soooooo on board with you guys on this thread! I also have 2 kids (a 7 yr old and a 6 month old) and a husband but I have no job right now. But that wont last cause we have bills to pay and luckily we've been ok up until now. I have a bachelor's degree (not in nursing) so I also feel like I'm back at square one doing the science pre-req's starting in the fall. I hope to be able to apply in the fall of 2010.
I worry about the fact that I will miss deadlines for applications since I won't be finished the pre-req's til May (hopefully). Will they not even look at my appl til I'm done completely? And then won't it be too late for the fall?
I just pray every night that it will all work out! Good luck to you all, us all:-)

You will be able to apply with no problem. Most applications have a space for "courses in progress" for the spring year so you would just put what courses you were finishing up since most nursing programs do not send out letters until after the grades are in for the spring semester to make sure that everyone has passed their courses. So let's say that the app is due in Feb, you'd let them know you are taking your final pre-reqs and then you'll get a letter sometime in June or July after the grades are in. This way students don't miss the deadlines.

D.R.A. · Jun 23, 2009

This is my fourth semester of classes. Some were pre-reqs, others have been co-reqs that I want to get OUT OF THE WAY before I actually start Nursing classes so that I can focus solely on that.

It does feel as if it has been a REALLY long time, lol. And to think I still have 2 years (4 semesters) of actual Nursing courses......not to mention I will be taking classes again during the Fall to be totally prepared to start Nursing in the Spring '10.

My motivations have changed over the years. Initially I was just getting an education that I felt I lost out on during highschool b/c I quit during 11th grade and tested to receive my GED.

Then I was motivated by the A's I was recieving in all my classes. They were pretty nice fullfilment for all the hard work I was putting in.

Now that I am drawing to a pre-req/co-req close on my studies, I am motivated by the sheer exhiliration that "I AM GOING TO BE A NURSE!" Its gonna happen, and now, sooner vs later, my actual Nursing studies are going to begin. Like a pp said, I look at my schools Nursing board online to see if anything has changed/been added. I talk to other people here who are also waiting or already in. I make mental lists of things I will need. I'm about to start reviewing stethescope info to see if I want a cheapie for school or if I want to go all out.

It comes faster than you think. I think for me slow stepping my course work this far has been a blessing. It has allowed me to lead a pretty normal life without school work interfering too much, but has also allowed me to focus on the few courses I had each semester to get the best possible grade. Those grades have helped me secure the position that I hope I will recieve for Spring Nursing '10.....just a couple more weeks and I should be finding out!!