Nursing School Journey Log 1

As I mentioned in my previous post... I quit my job! That was not the original plan. The original plan was for me to work through the summer for some extra money & then start nursing pre-requs. in the fall. Everything was going great at the job... The sales aspect was a bit stressful, but other than that it was great. I went away for a woman's conference May 7th & 8th and while I was away they had a mass layoff. I think it was a little over 1/2 of the people that got let go. I made the cut BUT I found out some things that had gone down that I really didn't want my name to be a part of SO I had no choice but to quit. It was really weird. I've never quit a job w/o notice before... I went in really early on Monday morning, got my personal belongings & then had a brief phone chat with my supervisor to let him know I wasn't coming back. It's been really nice being back home. I plan to do a little baby sitting over the summer... which will bring in some extra money & keep my kids from being too extremely bored with just mom in the house. 

I also altered my school plan a bit. I decided to go ahead & start my pre-requs! The original plan (don't you love how MY plans are ever so changing...) was to go part time with my pre-reqs while I worked close to full time hours as a CNA (insane, right?) WELL, there is a possibility that I will go to school full time & finish my pre-requs in 2 semesters... and just work very part time hours. Health Science 1 & 2 are part of those pre-requs. BUT I have to take Chemistry before I can take those 2 classes. (you still with me?) I say all of that to say I realized Memorial Day morning that I had to take Chemistry this summer or it would delay me 9 months!!!! Because the school was closed that Monday I registered Tuesday morning & started class that night. I tell ya, I'm getting better at this decision making thing, huh? 

Money is a bit tight. I'm having to be extremely clever with the grocery planning. I know I didn't have a choice when it came to quitting the job... so I'm confident that I did the right thing and I know everything is going to work out fine.  

This school thing is a little weird. I haven't been in school for about 10 years. My first test is this Thursday. I'm a little unprepared b/c I don't have my book yet (school was out of used books so I ordered online.. got an older version that the teacher approved for $5... sure beats the $135 new one at the school!) 

I have to finish all of my nursing pre-requs before I can actually apply to the nursing program.(Pre-requs= Chemistry, Health Science 1 & 2, College Success Skills, Computer, Math 120, Developmental Psychology, Principles of Sociology & a humanities elective... English comp too, but that was the 1 class out of my original 32 credits that I can use... 10 years later, ayayaa)  Out of 200 applicants per semester only 60 are accepted. It's based on the GPA of your pre-requs & a test called the NET. So I know I have to do really good. 

I called this post what I did b/c even though I'm not actually in the nursing program yet, that's my goal & as far as I'm concerned... I'm in nursing school. It's going to be a 3 year journey. I'm sure that there will be some sacrifices & a ton of hard work, but I'm so excited. 

If I have to be away from my family to do a job... I know part of that is bringing home the bacon but, I want to do something that brings value to others. I'm excited about nursing b/c I know I will be helping people. I'm not sure what area of nursing I'm interested in yet, but I believe God will show me as I go where He wants to use me. 

So anyway, post 1 of my 3 year journey... it's going to be an adventurous one, I'm sure! 

For now, Im off to look up my text book online & see if I can figure out these crazy metric conversions before Thursdays test.