My Path to Nursing School

There is something exhilarating and nerve-wracking about receiving a phone call saying that you got into nursing school.

Being accepted is truly the best feeling after going through hours of studying to pass your prerequisites, plus an application process that included over 100 applicants.

My path to nursing school has been a bumpy one. I didn’t realize how much college can change your perspective on your goals in life or even how much life can change after high school. I was accepted to the Honors College at UNLV as a Biology major. I changed my major from Biology to Nursing after a year. I graduated from ECTA thinking I wanted to become a doctor, but I soon realized that the career didn’t fit my plans for the future. My passion is to care and support others. I want to be as close as I can to people in times of happiness and sadness. Nursing fit the goals for my future and honestly, I think it’s been one of the best decisions in my life. The reason why I had a mini crisis (I would say) during my first year of college is because I never sat myself down to think of what I actually wanted for myself. As an 18 year old, I thought I had my life together and it was only going to go smoothly from there. That wasn’t the case at all, but it’s okay. I’ve learned so much about myself and am still learning. Things change and things happen, so it’s best to accept and keep aspiring.

I’M ALMOST GRADUATING

I am about to begin my third semester of nursing school, leaving me with only one more semester after this one until I graduate with my degree. I’m more than excited! My last two semesters of school have been…TOUGH. I knew going into nursing was going to be difficult, but I underestimated how strenuous a program can be. Attending back to back lectures, having to study multiple hours a day for exams every week, and waking up before the sun comes up for clinicals has been my life since January 2016. I’ve never studied this much in life in all honesty. Nursing school is basically a job that one has to commit to in order to succeed.But nonetheless, I feel fulfilled with this career path since my presence can actually mean something to someone. Regardless of the bad days when school became too stressful or when patients treated me horribly, the words “Thank you” from the patient or their families has brought me motivation and joy. Nursing school has been an amazing experience, and I look forward to all the new experiences, good or bad. I’m grateful for all the opportunities that nursing has given me and I’m looking forward to my future as a nurse.