Starting my ADN program in April, but I can wait until September when I have my own place.....?

[Whatwouldjockosay]

TL;Dr: My gut is telling me to wait because my current life is complicated. Should I wait until my life is much more simple and less stressful in order to optimize my success?

It's March 8th and my first day of Quarter 1 is April 6th... unless I postpone to the fall where I will have to wait another whole 6 months. I've been on the wait list for just over a year, and I haven't done much with that time. I've done nothing to prepare myself mentally, haven't done any volunteer work, haven't built good habits or a general routine to life, and I have an awful sleep schedule. I am lucky in that when I start school I don't have to work.

However, here's the kicker: My parents are going through a divorce, and it's gotten to a point where it's affecting everyone around them. I have to move back and forth between my moms and dads each week and it's a major inconvenience. Not to mention, just being around either of them makes me feel depressed, unfocused and unmotivated. My dad self medicates to cope with his depression and stress from the divorce, and he tries to hide everything which makes me feel worse. My mom copes by binging on food and purging it (she is bulimic). They both also go on long rants about each other to me whenever I'm at either of their houses and although it's easy to ignore them and let it go I think in some weird way the culmination of hearing all of their rants makes me severely distrust both of them and resent them for everything up to this point. In a nutshell, they are self destructing and it's hindering my ability to focus on the simplest of tasks.

The point of all that ^: my parents are a huge distraction and a major source of stress in my life. I can either start my ADN in April while I still have to see them, still have to move back and forth between their houses, and still have to live in 2 depressing houses (for lack of a better explanation), OR.. I can wait until September when I will have my own place free of distractions. I can also use that extra 6 months or so to develop some good habits such as stress management, waking up early, and just general life improvements. What should I do? ?

[Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP]

Wait the 6 months! As long as you still get into the program and aren't out a lot or any money, 6 months to get yourself together is nothing.

Nursing school requires your entire attention. If you go in severely distracted, it will not be doing you any favors. Better to wait 6 months now to get your life straightened out a bit, rather than go in right away and perhaps not pass classes and get kicked out of school. If you get dismissed from school due to not passing, you'll have an even tougher time trying to find another school to start back up.

6 months will go by quick. Get your life situation handled first and then go full speed ahead!

Good luck!