Were you excited when you got into nursing school?

[johndough]

I recently got an acceptance letter from my university stating that I got into the program. I already have my first BS degree so going to college is not something new for me.

I know that I should be happy and ecstatic about this news, but some part of me was very prepared for the bad news. I prepared ahead my essays, resume, and grade calculations. I even bought a new suit for my interview.

Nada. My heart did not skipped a beat. I read it like it was just like regular news.

I'm not nervous at all for the program nor the schooling because I know I can do it.

I've prepared a lot for the application process but now that I'm in, I feel so unsure.

Anybody had the same experience?

[RunBabyRN]

I was excited and nervous, but that's me. How do you normally respond to big news? This could be normal for you. Do you think that you were so prepared for bad news that it hasn't yet sunken in? A lot of times, it doesn't hit until just before school starts.

One thing to be prepared for- nursing school is NOTHING like other school. The exams are completely different, the workload is different, the expectations are different. Nothing can really prepare you for it, no matter how much other schooling you have under your belt. I'm not saying this to make you nervous, just a friendly heads up.

[BriManRN]

More like nauseous lol

[johndough]

Thanks. I guess for me, I'm just a little unsure of dedicating my life to the path of nursing. I was surprised with all the uncertainty when the news came. There's an ounce in me that tells me not to do it to be honest, but logically, I will have a good career that will get me out of my financial situation. Just thinking of happiness in the long run. I've been surrounded by nurses for a long time and I don't think I've ever heard them had a good time at work but that didn't stop them from telling me to go for it. Who knows. Only time will tell.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

I was also very excited and nervous too. I also had a prior bachelors degree and I was well versed in the ways of college life. This was something else entirely as the exams were different, the expectations were much higher, and in general, it was not knowing just how fast we'd go over material. I'm used to fast paced learning, so that wasn't too big of a problem. The difference was that we were expected to start doing patient care almost immediately. Most other programs I'd done introduced us to the didactic stuff first and then on to clinical near the end.

I am very amazed that I managed to graduate with honors... It just was not that easy. I had quite a bit of education in patient care going into this, so that did help me quite a bit. I just couldn't hide that I was so comfortable around patients, it was obvious that I'd had experience. I did not make it widely known that I was a paramedic, but I didn't hide that fact either.

I'm glad that I went through the experience, but I'd be lying if I said that I was comfortable from day one.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

I was relieved because that is the one part that is basically out of your control. Now you control how hard you work and the grades you get. I knew the second I was accepted I would be a nurse because I would never quit and would study non stop to graduate.