I have been to nursing school twice already. Failed one time and starting again. I'm now in my second semester and I'm doing much better. My grades are at the top of my class. My problem is that I don't want to be a nurse. It's never been my dream to, nor do I plan on staying in nursing. It's all to make my parents happy, and I hate that they say how proud they are of me for doing it, but it makes me feel ugly inside because I'm not proud of myself. I want to become a graphic artist because it's what I've been doing all my life. I LOVE it! It's my passion! I've been working as a freelancer and I don't make a lot of money doing it, but I really don't care.
Unfortunately, my parents won't pay for me to get a degree in that because they say that it's not a practical career. I see what they're talking about because they want what's best for me, but I am miserable doing something I don't love. I've become depressed because of how I've been feeling my life is headed: the wrong direction. I live at home, my parents control everything that I do, and I have a 10 PM curfew only because they are paying for school. I'm 23 years old. I don't want to live at home anymore, and I definitely don't want to be in nursing school. My other problem is that i'm afraid that if I quit, my parents will throw me out and I will be living in a world that's new to me. They've paid for everything all my life and I don't know what it's like to fend for myself. I also hate myself for not finishing school yet and that's also another reason why I stay in school. I also stay because I feel bad that they've paid for all that schooling. Not only am I depressed, but it's made me lose confidence in myself and made me insecure.
What should I do? I feel like my life is going no where. Any advice? Anyone ever quit nursing school? What are you doing now?
I'm Filipino too -- except I learned to talk back to my parents, and I enjoy nursing. What the very first person said -- as much as you dislike nursing, it's a way for you to pay for stuff until you can get your passion down.
My brother learned to say "no" to my parents too -- he was never really into school, and he joined the Army. I promise you, you will get to another level of your relationship with your parents. Mine are not happy I live with my boyfriend, but considering I have a job, I'm not starving, he doesn't fit what their stereotype of the usual Asian male so I'm not beaten half to death, and I'm happy, they can't say anything. They also don't pay for my insurance, and I saved them $500 per quarter off their car insurance since taking one of their cars (one of the parents is retired). Your parents will probably be upset, but they will get. over. it. I know that comfortable feeling, especially since they pay for everything (my parents pretty much paid for everything too), and the overall situation sucks, but get through it. You could start with saying, "Hey, we need to talk. I know I'm doing well in nursing school, but this isn't what I want. I never wanted this." Whether you decide to stay and finish or leave is up to you. I also think since you started it, just finish it.
If your parents are like mine, specifically mom, she pulled the, "BUT WHAT WILL YOUR TITAS/TITOS THINK?!" I told her they can think whatever they want. They didn't pay for my education, and I only cared about what she and my dad thought and reminded her that hey, I only really went into nursing initially because she and dad told me to. I developed the passion while IN nursing school. I also told her she had convenient memory lapses (big fight over college) about this topic.
Get out. You need to say no to your parents, and nursing school is too darned hard if you don't even want to be doing it. You need to tell them that you're not continuing, you're moving out, and you're pursuing x career path. They'll either freak or they'll leave it alone. You have to live for you, not them. I would find someone to help guide you as you leave. Yes, leaving home is scary, but you'll figure it out. It's really just a matter of paying your bills on time. You'll hit some rough patches; don't look at them as failures, look at them as lessons.
rumwynnieRN
272 Posts
I'm Filipino too -- except I learned to talk back to my parents, and I enjoy nursing. What the very first person said -- as much as you dislike nursing, it's a way for you to pay for stuff until you can get your passion down.
My brother learned to say "no" to my parents too -- he was never really into school, and he joined the Army. I promise you, you will get to another level of your relationship with your parents. Mine are not happy I live with my boyfriend, but considering I have a job, I'm not starving, he doesn't fit what their stereotype of the usual Asian male so I'm not beaten half to death, and I'm happy, they can't say anything. They also don't pay for my insurance, and I saved them $500 per quarter off their car insurance since taking one of their cars (one of the parents is retired). Your parents will probably be upset, but they will get. over. it. I know that comfortable feeling, especially since they pay for everything (my parents pretty much paid for everything too), and the overall situation sucks, but get through it. You could start with saying, "Hey, we need to talk. I know I'm doing well in nursing school, but this isn't what I want. I never wanted this." Whether you decide to stay and finish or leave is up to you. I also think since you started it, just finish it.
If your parents are like mine, specifically mom, she pulled the, "BUT WHAT WILL YOUR TITAS/TITOS THINK?!" I told her they can think whatever they want. They didn't pay for my education, and I only cared about what she and my dad thought and reminded her that hey, I only really went into nursing initially because she and dad told me to. I developed the passion while IN nursing school. I also told her she had convenient memory lapses (big fight over college) about this topic.