How I Found Nursing

As someone who has always be known to be indecisive, choosing my future career was no different. I still remember the day I accepted my offer at UBC, tears streaming down my face. I had been torn about my decision for weeks.

Before I ended up at Trent, I was actually in a Bachelor of Food, Nutrition and Health at UBC. Prior to that, I was in a Bachelor of Science at UBC. As you can probably tell, I just couldn’t make up my mind. Way back in the summer of 2020, I decided that I was going to move all the way across the country to attend university in arguably the most beautiful province in Canada. I was scared, confused and didn’t feel great about my decision to pursue a Bachelor of Science. But I told myself what anyone starting university would- it will get better with time. Fast forward two years later, I was still in a science program and feeling more confused than ever. I was taking classes in biology, chemistry and physics, all the while hating every second of it. I knew that I needed a change, but wasn’t sure what that would look like. It wasn’t until the start of my third year, that I decided to take a nutrition class. That was when I discovered my passion for nutrition. My nutrition classes seemed to be the only ones I truly enjoyed, so I finally took a leap of faith and changed my major. I was now entering my fourth year of university, in a Bachelor of Food, Nutrition and Health. While I was very excited for this new experience, it felt like I was starting all over. My friends were all graduating at the end of the year, and I would still have at least another three semesters at UBC. I was conflicted. While I truly enjoyed the major that I was in, I couldn’t see a future for myself in the field of dietetics.

I was in a pretty tough spot and saw only two options;

1. Continue my program at UBC and try to switch into a major in dietetics, potentially adding three more years to my degree.
2. OR, re-evaluate my potential career and future goals.

While I felt overwhelmed by the choice, nursing had always been at the back of my mind but I was always too scared to pursue it. You’ve probably heard all the nursing school horror stories or seen the videos of people crying, exhausted or too burnt out to continue. It was very scary committing to such a big change, but luckily I received ample support from friends and family. They truly believed that this was the right path for me. Health and wellbeing is always something that I have been passionate about, and nursing will provide me with the opportunity to turn that passion into a career.

So now here we are. I’m one semester into my nursing degree at Trent and enjoying every second of it. I won’t say that it hasn’t been overwhelming because it has, but I will be forever thankful for this opportunity.

How it’s going

Funny enough, this is the exact photo that I saved a couple of years ago when I had nursing in the back of my mind. While I was at UBC, I always regretted not applying to nursing straight out of high school. I told myself that while it may not be right now, that one day I would attend nursing school. This picture served as a reminder of my goal. I’m thankful for my unconventional journey as it has led me here.

Reflecting on the past few months in nursing school, I’d say that the transition has gone fairly well. I feel like I am doing a great job managing my time, which has allowed me to prioritize both my school work and time with my family. Seeing as I attended UBC prior to attending Trent, this transition has required me to adjust not only to a new program, but also to a new school. It has been difficult being in a new place, as all of my friends are either in British Columbia or other areas of Ontario. In a way, it feels like I am starting my university experience all over. According to Briggs et al. (2012), mature students such as myself are more likely to experience feelings of social displacement. They also state that a students expectations of their post-secondary experience may not match reality, leading to difficulties adjusting (Briggs et al., 2012). While I didn’t have specific expectations prior to attending Trent, I did initially struggle to adjust and settle into my new life here in Peterborough. I find myself constantly comparing UBC to Trent, which is not fair to myself or my wellbeing. When focusing on the content of nursing school, I have not found the transition to be immensely difficult. The faculty and staff at Trent are very kind and do their best to support students through their education. According to Taylor (2017), “a supportive environment is a prerequisite to learning (p.11). Therefore, I believe that the environment here at Trent will help me succeed both in and out of the classroom. Taylor (2017) also mentions that student nurses are often recipients of disrespectful or demeaning gestures or comments from other health care professionals. She stresses the importance of peer support throughout nursing school, as well as receiving respect from senior nurses or clinical preceptors (Taylor, 2017). While I have yet to experience a clinical placement with TFSON, I will strive to demonstrate empathy and respect to those around me. I hope to be able to seek out support from peers or clinical preceptors when necessary, and be a listening ear to those in need. I am learning new things every day and look forward to experiencing clinical placements.

References:

Briggs, A. R. J., Clark, J., & Hall, I. (2012). Building bridges: understanding student transition to university. Quality in Higher Education, 18(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/13538322.2011.614468

Taylor, Rosemary & PhD, RN. (2017). Stop the Eye Rolling: Supporting Nursing Students in Learning. AJN, American Journal of Nursing, 117, 11. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000511547.46512.05