Yep that's right, you read the title correctly. I am a nursing school drop-out and I couldn't be happier.
My goal in life was to become a nurse and my last year of high school this dream became a reality. I got my acceptance letter and found out I was even directly admitted into a nursing program at one of the best schools in Indiana. I couldn't be happier. I moved out of my parents and began my journey as a nurse. I started NURS 101 and everything I had ever known changed in what seemed like an instant.
The class was the most stressful thing I have ever gone through. I didn't even enjoy any of it. I cried every night while trying to study material that just didn't make any sense. I was pretty much forcing myself to study things I just didn't like all because I kept telling myself I had to look at the final picture. I got my first test scores back and was stunned. I got an F. That was my first F on a test in my ENTIRE life. I felt like a complete failure. Of course, I cried, but I got back up, told myself, "Quitters never win, and winners never quit." I studied my *** off for that next test and actually felt very good about it when I turned it in. I couldn't have been more wrong. I got the test back and BAM... F... again. My grade was really suffering. I wasn't passing the class, and it wasn't looking up for me. I was failing out of nursing school.
I had to make a decision of what I was going to do. Do I drop out of Nursing and forget everything I have ever dreamed of, and if I do drop out, What will I do than? Or Do I fight for this, do I continue to stress myself to the max and get my grade up (which was almost impossible to do) and pass this class. I went back and forth with these choices for almost a whole week and then, one day, everything fell into place.
When I started the semester, a pre-req class made us all take careers aptitude tests. At the time I thought it was silly and pointless. I got my results, stuffed them in a drawer, and forgot about them. That is, until I started failing the only career I thought that I would ever be good at. I opened the envelope and began reading my results. Nursing wasn't even a career choice for me for my top 10. It was number 15. When I saw that, all I could do was stare at that paper and cry. Even a piece of paper is telling me I am not cut out to be a nurse. Period point blank. I got myself together and began reading the other careers that were in my top 10 to see if any sounded interesting to me.
One stuck out to me, Radiology Technician. What even was that? I know radiology is x-rays but what does a technician do? Do they read x-rays or take them? I began researching and actually began to get a little interested. I figured, screw it! I'm not even a year in and already switching my major, why not take a risk! So I went in and officially dropped everything nursing and was then officially a Rad Tech Student. When I walked out of the building that day I felt so relieved, yet at the same time, I was still very upset. I was not ever going to have my dream job of a nurse. I was going to start in a career I knew NOTHING about. It was scary. But it was the best choice I have ever made.
It has been almost a year later now and I am more than thrilled with my choice. I've come to realize my passion was NEVER nursing, I just liked the idea of it. However, Radiology, now THAT is something that I actually enjoy learning about.
I guess moral of this story is — failing is natural. Don't ever try to live by the quote:
"Winners never quit and quitters never win."
Because in my opinion, that isn't true. I've won. I'm finally excited to go to school, not stressed. Sometimes, quitting is all you need to do in order to open your sights onto so many more possibilities. Take risks. Live life how YOU want to live it. And do not EVER be afraid to quit, because sometimes in life, quitters do win. :)
