Help! I don't know what I want to be when I grow up...

S

sooner_girl20

O.G.
Jun 18, 2007
1,010
9
#1
Hey guys I need some serious help from ya'll. So I should really be a junior in college right now but since I've changed my major about 40 different times, I have enough hours to be considered a junior but a wide variety of classes that are not going to count for anything. I'm basically like a sophomore. I have two different majors that I'm interested in and sometimes I'm hot for one of them and sometimes I'm cold and want to do the other option.
My two options are Nursing and Elementary Education. Which ever one I go with it will take me about 2 more years to graduate, so the time frame is the same. I would love to be a nurse because I enjoy taking care of and helping people. I'm not grossed out by blood or anything like that. But I also would love being a kindergarten teacher because I love kids and it seems like it would be a more fun job, less stress (in terms of having someone's life depend on you). I just can't decide what I want to do! And I absolutely can't waste any more time or money taking classes when I'm not sure what I want to do because that is just a waste. I need to decide by the summer so I can start taking classes for one or the other so I can be done with school finally! I swear I'll be 35 and still in college trying to figure out what to do...
Has anyone been in the same boat as me? What did you do? Also would love to hear imput from nurses and teachers.
 
#2
sooner_girl20 said:
Hey guys I need some serious help from ya'll. So I should really be a junior in college right now but since I've changed my major about 40 different times, I have enough hours to be considered a junior but a wide variety of classes that are not going to count for anything. I'm basically like a sophomore. I have two different majors that I'm interested in and sometimes I'm hot for one of them and sometimes I'm cold and want to do the other option.
My two options are Nursing and Elementary Education. Which ever one I go with it will take me about 2 more years to graduate, so the time frame is the same. I would love to be a nurse because I enjoy taking care of and helping people. I'm not grossed out by blood or anything like that. But I also would love being a kindergarten teacher because I love kids and it seems like it would be a more fun job, less stress (in terms of having someone's life depend on you). I just can't decide what I want to do! And I absolutely can't waste any more time or money taking classes when I'm not sure what I want to do because that is just a waste. I need to decide by the summer so I can start taking classes for one or the other so I can be done with school finally! I swear I'll be 35 and still in college trying to figure out what to do...
Has anyone been in the same boat as me? What did you do? Also would love to hear imput from nurses and teachers.
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Just my two cents, but as a nurse you'd most likely have better pay and more flexible hours. Both jobs would be rewarding, but I would always prefer a job that allows me to live my life, take my vacations, etc. Nursing though will have a more stressful work environment, ie moody doctors and I've seen drs been really mean to the nurses. Teaching though, I've heard many schools have lots of drama in that environment, although any place will. If it were me, I'd go for an OR or ER nurse since you can work per diem with great pay.

Are you at a general 4 year college? You could probably just pick a broad major and then go either way, or does your school have actual programs for these two occupations? I know teaching you can usually major in anything, but then have a few classes/requirements to fulfill the certification-at least that's how it was at my school.
 
#3
Thanks for your input! I am at a junior college right now. Their nursing program is just a associates degree. There is a major 4 year college about a 30 min drive from my hometown. That is where I would go if I did teaching. They also have a online BSN program so that I could get my bachelors in nursing if I got my associates at the junior college. There is actual degree programs for both of them. I wish I could get away with taking general classes but I've already taken all of them! I'm at the point now where I have all my basics pretty much, and need to start taking education/nursing classes.
 
#4
I have the same problem! For the longest time I thought Nursing was soooo for me. But in the more recent months I've decided to change my major to Pharmaceuticals. I dont know why, but the more I took the classes the more I realized it just wasnt for me.
 
#5
Keep in mind the average person changes careers a few times along the way. I have a friend who swore up and down she wanted to be a dentist...she went through dental school, got into a practice...and a few years later hated it. So, she's now a lawyer!!

Do you have good career counseling at your college? Do you know a lot of nurses or teachers you could meet with and get more of your questions answered?

I understand your want to make a decision and it's good you have a deadline for that...either way you go that is a rewarding choice!! But don't be too hard on yourself for having changed majors or being undecided. IMO there is too much pressure on people to 'know' what their career is going to be and choosing a major is tough. I went through the same...and my major has nothing to do with my career.

Good luck and hugs!!
 
#6
:hugs:It's ok. I've been there too. Sophmore year I decided I wanted to major in anthropology. I wanted to be the next Jane Goodall. But then I realized that really she kind of has that market cornered and after completing a 7 year PhD program, I'd be lucky to get a post doc. So I decided I wanted to go to vet school spring semester of my senior year. After graduating, I busted my a$$ to get all of my pre-reqs completed so I could get into vet school. That took about 3 years and another 2 years of applying to get in. Once I finally got in, it wasn't what I wanted to do. I was miserable. So I came home and worked for a pharmaceutical company for two years while I tried to figure out what I wanted to do. Now, I am going back to grad school for a masters in public health.
So my advice to you would be to try to substitute teach to see if you like the whole teaching thing. In some states, you just need to have a certain amount of credits to do it. And maybe you want to try working at a doctor's office or maybe volunteer as a candystriper at a hospital. This might help you to figure out if either of these careers is right for you. Good luck and just keep plugging away. You'll get there.
 
#7
sooner_girl20 said:
Thanks for your input! I am at a junior college right now. Their nursing program is just a associates degree. There is a major 4 year college about a 30 min drive from my hometown. That is where I would go if I did teaching. They also have a online BSN program so that I could get my bachelors in nursing if I got my associates at the junior college. There is actual degree programs for both of them. I wish I could get away with taking general classes but I've already taken all of them! I'm at the point now where I have all my basics pretty much, and need to start taking education/nursing classes.
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You might want to consider volunteering at a hospital and talk to the nurses. That's when I realized I didn't want my MD and I'll stick to chemistry...which I love :yahoo:
 
#8
Couture Dreams said:
I have the same problem! For the longest time I thought Nursing was soooo for me. But in the more recent months I've decided to change my major to Pharmaceuticals. I dont know why, but the more I took the classes the more I realized it just wasnt for me.
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I know exactly what you mean! I always wanted to do nursing but sometimes I don't think it's right for me and other times I'm excited to do it. I just wish I could have a plan and stick with it!
 
#9
Pursegrrl said:
Keep in mind the average person changes careers a few times along the way. I have a friend who swore up and down she wanted to be a dentist...she went through dental school, got into a practice...and a few years later hated it. So, she's now a lawyer!!

Do you have good career counseling at your college? Do you know a lot of nurses or teachers you could meet with and get more of your questions answered?

I understand your want to make a decision and it's good you have a deadline for that...either way you go that is a rewarding choice!! But don't be too hard on yourself for having changed majors or being undecided. IMO there is too much pressure on people to 'know' what their career is going to be and choosing a major is tough. I went through the same...and my major has nothing to do with my career.

Good luck and hugs!!
Click to expand...

Wow, she went through dental school AND law school?? I admire her! I don't think I could make it through one of them, much less both! Well my sister is a nurse practitioner and she has filled me in on a lot of the nursing aspect of it but I don't know alot of teachers in my area so that side's kind of blank. I haven't checked into the career counseling yet, that is a good idea! I bet they could help me out a lot. Thanks so much for your advice! :flowers:
 
#10
aklein said:
:hugs:It's ok. I've been there too. Sophmore year I decided I wanted to major in anthropology. I wanted to be the next Jane Goodall. But then I realized that really she kind of has that market cornered and after completing a 7 year PhD program, I'd be lucky to get a post doc. So I decided I wanted to go to vet school spring semester of my senior year. After graduating, I busted my a$$ to get all of my pre-reqs completed so I could get into vet school. That took about 3 years and another 2 years of applying to get in. Once I finally got in, it wasn't what I wanted to do. I was miserable. So I came home and worked for a pharmaceutical company for two years while I tried to figure out what I wanted to do. Now, I am going back to grad school for a masters in public health.
So my advice to you would be to try to substitute teach to see if you like the whole teaching thing. In some states, you just need to have a certain amount of credits to do it. And maybe you want to try working at a doctor's office or maybe volunteer as a candystriper at a hospital. This might help you to figure out if either of these careers is right for you. Good luck and just keep plugging away. You'll get there.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much for sharing! It's nice to hear success stories about people that have been in my situation. Sounds like you've done very good for yourself!
 
#11
Schmodi said:
You might want to consider volunteering at a hospital and talk to the nurses. That's when I realized I didn't want my MD and I'll stick to chemistry...which I love :yahoo:
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Eeek chemistry! I swear chemistry had it out for me last semester....I'm just not a chem person! The very word scares me...:s:P I'm glad you got it figured out!
 
#12
YAY Fellow chem nerd in the topic! Anyway....:back2topic:

I would talk to your career counselor at your college and see if they know any teachers for you to talk to. The biggest thing to take into consideration is availability of kindergarten positions. Kinder is one of the HARDEST grades to get into in many parts of the country (my sister and several friends are teachers). If your heart is set on kinder and not the other grades, it's worth finding out how available those positions are to you in your area/where you want to teach. Yes, we have a shortage of teachers, but those are mostly for older kids. There are many areas where you will not get a kinder classroom for awhile after you start teaching. This will obviously vary by area, so it's likely worth it to talk to your local school districts (or wherever you'd want to teach when all is said and done). Another thing that will vary by state and possibly school district is the process to get licensed. My sister's degree is in geology, and she had to go to through a one or two year (can't remember) program to finish up her credentials. It might be worth checking out something like that so you know how easy it would be to change to teaching should you decide that's what you really want to do.

As for nursing, if you go for your Associates, then your bachelors, you should be able to move to teaching quickly if you choose not to. It would likely be much harder to move from teaching to nursing than the other way around. You'll also have a bachelors in something with some serious substance to it which can help pave the way if/when you do decide to change careers. My degree is in chemistry, I work as a project manager for a tech company. Having a degree in a hard science helped get my foot in the door as well as let me skip the GRE when I went for my masters in IT.

Good luck! :flowers:
 
#13
have you ever considered being a nurse for a pediatrician? you get to work with kids but have better pay better heath care and still get the medical aspect.

I just recently went through the same thing your going through. I couldn't decide for the life of me what I wanted to do. I love medical but I also love art I considered being a graphic designer a photographer, a physical therapist, a psychologist...ect.... I finally decided to get my Esthetics licences becuase it combined my love for the medical with my love for art with makeup.
 
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