The Student Room Group

Not sure of the future

I am currently in my second year of studying Nursing, and I've been grappling with whether this is the career path I want to pursue for the rest of my life.

A bit about me: I am 24 years old, with a Diploma in Culinary Arts and nine years of experience in the hospitality industry. When I first started in hospitality, it drove me and I loved it. I never fully explored my potential to be a chef, and I sometimes regret not giving it a real chance. My desire to help people emerged during my second year of the diploma program. That is when my mother, who along with my sister had chosen nursing as their career, suggested I consider nursing. Her suggestion made me feel more inclined to choose it.

As I progress through my second year of the Bachelor of Nursing, I recently faced an exam that would determine if I pass this phase of my studies that moment brought an overwhelming sense of uncertainty about my choices. The confusion I have been experiencing is leaving me feeling empty at times. During my first placement, which lasted five weeks and totaled 200 hours in a hospital, I thought I enjoyed the experience. However, I didn't wake up with a sense of enthusiasm or passion, thinking "YES, let's go help people." This realization has been weighing on me, and I'm not sure what to make of it.

Moreover, I often feel a strong desire to be anywhere but where I am now. I want to travel and escape, but this desire is accompanied by fear. I'm scared of making the wrong decision, of wasting time, and of not finding a path that truly fulfills me.

I have also considered studying Criminology or Psychology. However, the courses offered in New Zealand do not interest me as much as those offered in Australia. This disparity makes me even more inclined to move there rather than stay here.

As I navigate through these feelings, I am trying to understand what will truly make me happy and fulfilled in the long term.

Reply 1

Original post by Lottiepop00
I am currently in my second year of studying Nursing, and I've been grappling with whether this is the career path I want to pursue for the rest of my life.
A bit about me: I am 24 years old, with a Diploma in Culinary Arts and nine years of experience in the hospitality industry. When I first started in hospitality, it drove me and I loved it. I never fully explored my potential to be a chef, and I sometimes regret not giving it a real chance. My desire to help people emerged during my second year of the diploma program. That is when my mother, who along with my sister had chosen nursing as their career, suggested I consider nursing. Her suggestion made me feel more inclined to choose it.
As I progress through my second year of the Bachelor of Nursing, I recently faced an exam that would determine if I pass this phase of my studies that moment brought an overwhelming sense of uncertainty about my choices. The confusion I have been experiencing is leaving me feeling empty at times. During my first placement, which lasted five weeks and totaled 200 hours in a hospital, I thought I enjoyed the experience. However, I didn't wake up with a sense of enthusiasm or passion, thinking "YES, let's go help people." This realization has been weighing on me, and I'm not sure what to make of it.
Moreover, I often feel a strong desire to be anywhere but where I am now. I want to travel and escape, but this desire is accompanied by fear. I'm scared of making the wrong decision, of wasting time, and of not finding a path that truly fulfills me.
I have also considered studying Criminology or Psychology. However, the courses offered in New Zealand do not interest me as much as those offered in Australia. This disparity makes me even more inclined to move there rather than stay here.
As I navigate through these feelings, I am trying to understand what will truly make me happy and fulfilled in the long term.
Hi Lottie 😊 😊

I would suggest you perhaps go ahead with completing your nursing degree first and then you can always take a break away until you decide whether or not you want to continue nursing as a career 🙏.

Maybe find a nursing job here once you qualify and then perhaps go to somewhere like Australia to continue as a nurse as they seem to have a good setup and look after there staff.....

You should be able to resit your fails exam depending on how the university rules are for retakes okay.
Just remember that failing a exam isn't the end of the world 🌎 for you as I'm sure you will go on and become a wonderful nurse. Keep strong and positive and get yourself through it okay 👍 👍.


I felt like you at times but I never gave up on being a nurse as I think I found it comfortable to do just become I went straight back to university after completing four years of a veterinary nursing degree and I definitely think the experience from that has actually helped me through my nursing degree. I qualified last summer 2023 and I am actually liking the chosen area I picked to do ☺️.


If you have any issues with things with your nursing degree then you need to speak to your university course leaders and placement officer so they can help you through this okay as they are there for you. Don't give up 😭

Reply 2

Original post by Lottiepop00
I am currently in my second year of studying Nursing, and I've been grappling with whether this is the career path I want to pursue for the rest of my life.
A bit about me: I am 24 years old, with a Diploma in Culinary Arts and nine years of experience in the hospitality industry. When I first started in hospitality, it drove me and I loved it. I never fully explored my potential to be a chef, and I sometimes regret not giving it a real chance. My desire to help people emerged during my second year of the diploma program. That is when my mother, who along with my sister had chosen nursing as their career, suggested I consider nursing. Her suggestion made me feel more inclined to choose it.
As I progress through my second year of the Bachelor of Nursing, I recently faced an exam that would determine if I pass this phase of my studies that moment brought an overwhelming sense of uncertainty about my choices. The confusion I have been experiencing is leaving me feeling empty at times. During my first placement, which lasted five weeks and totaled 200 hours in a hospital, I thought I enjoyed the experience. However, I didn't wake up with a sense of enthusiasm or passion, thinking "YES, let's go help people." This realization has been weighing on me, and I'm not sure what to make of it.
Moreover, I often feel a strong desire to be anywhere but where I am now. I want to travel and escape, but this desire is accompanied by fear. I'm scared of making the wrong decision, of wasting time, and of not finding a path that truly fulfills me.
I have also considered studying Criminology or Psychology. However, the courses offered in New Zealand do not interest me as much as those offered in Australia. This disparity makes me even more inclined to move there rather than stay here.
As I navigate through these feelings, I am trying to understand what will truly make me happy and fulfilled in the long term.

HI Lottie

It is a difficult decision to be in but try not to spend too much time stressing about the future, you're still young, you have time.

My personal advice would be to trust your gut and follow your instincts.

My professional advice would be to continue with your nursing degree in order to complete it so that you have the degree incase you decide that is what you want to do. And it is difficult to leave a degree mid-way through. As a nurse you can become a travel nurse and experience the world, there are also many opportunities to be in nurse in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, you can even volunteer abroad in third world countries (look into work the world). There are so many things you could do with a nursing degree that would allow you to travel, adventure and explore the world, therefore pursuing a passion. And just because you have the degree, doesnt mean you need to pursue that career, it is all experience. You could always take some time away after finishing the degree to figure out what it is you want to do going forward.

It is okay to make mistakes and learn from them. It is okay to spend years in a career to end up deciding it is not for you and starting fresh. It is okay to start all over again from the beginning a few times over until you figure out what it is you have a passion for. We may only have one life but we don't only have one path, you are allowed to go on many different journeys, it is all experience. Trust your gut instincts and follow them, listen to what both your heart and your head are telling you. But it is okay to not have it all figure out yet. Some people decide what they want to do while in secondary school and some people don't decide until their 40's, we are all working on different time lines. Believe in yourself and do what feels right, whats best for you, not what anybody makes you feel like you should do.

Best of luck,
Jess

Digital Student Ambassador, ARU

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