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.