#and i'm choosing degree programs rn...

[escapizm]

"그 누구도 항해한 적이 없었대

깊고 어두운 바다 위"

"No one has ever sailed

Above the deep, dark sea" 

- Stray Kids, "Mixtape #4/ Broken Compass"

[celestie0]

what do you think about grad school and maybe getting a masters or phd? like for you😭 i’m curious what more do you feel about academia

hiii bb!! ouu yeah i think with the way things are in job market rn, at least for a science degree, having a masters is a MUST and phd too if you want to teach or go into research...just an undergraduate degree for any STEM job i have noticed doesn't suffice unless you're like a comp sci major or have hella connections or something lmfaooo (or if you're a trust fund baby)

i'm actually going to med school so my four years of undergrad were spent working towards that goal, and not really with thoughts of phd or masters, but i did think about doing a masters during my gap year (which would've been this past year) since my school offered a few one years masters programs that i was interested in. it was gonna be a sort of back up plan for me in case i didn't get in anywhere, but ultimately i just had faith in my application n didn't want to spend money on a year of masters tuition haha

but it's hard for me to say for other fields, such as humanities, on what i think of the necessities of masters/phd programs...i'd imagine it's the same though, you'd probably need to pursue a lot of higher education to be qualified to teach or publish etc. in premed, you've got options of going to nursing school, PA school, med school, so i guess there are ways to pivot that don't involve masters programs if you still wanted to be a healthcare provider

i did watch an interesting video recently about the whole trap of the phd/masters pipeline, where students get a degree and think they'll be able to land a decent job post grad from wishful thinking, spend lots of time unsuccessful in the job market, then scramble to apply to grad school, and then even if they feel as though the phd program they're in isn't really giving them what they want from it, they don't want to quit because at that point it'll feel like sunken cost, and it damages their mental health and motivation and is basically this recurring loop where the system forces students to continuously stay in school and do excessive amount of research/work for criminally low compensation, just to become overqualified candidates for barely minimally paying jobs. ofc all in the name to benefit the insanely rich and wealthy. honestly most grad students i meet are stressed and so incredibly jaded, i can't imagine that it's easy on them at all. a lot of universities hardly pay them any sort of livable wage for the work that they do

as for academia in general, i think it's worth it to become educated, as it can open doors. obviously there are different paths for all people, some people choose not to go to school, some people go to trade school, others go to school much later in life. i remember i worked w this one doctor who was a mechanic for thirty years and he went back to school to get his undergrad degree and then went to med school, all while he was in his 50s, and now he's a practicing physician! i thought that was really incredible and inspiring. school is something that's there for you whenever you want it, need it, or feel ready for it. i think it's worthy to invest in your education, but you have to go into it knowing that you're going to make the most of it. in that, pursue higher education if you have a plan of why you're there and what you're going to do when you're there, and not just for the sake of earning a degree or putting off working because you'd rather just stay a student. the reason why someone from harvard might work at the same job as someone who went to community college is ultimately because the person who went to CC might've made more of their experience n harnessed connections/skills n probably had a much more clear idea of what they wanted to do with the education they were earning compared to someone who might've been coasting through a reputable school because once they got in, that was all they cared about (lol i sound bitter saying this, no hate to big name schools, but it's such a common misconception that just because you get a degree from like an ivy league, you'll be set for life. and same applies vice versa. some of the smartest ppl i know are people who did CC for two years and then transferred to a four year university. they saved hella money and got the same degree in the end, with the same exact if not better job opportunities. similarly, i've worked at clinics/hospitals where some of the doctors went to UCLA and others went to caribbean med school, but they all ended up at the same place in the end)

GOD THIS BECAME SO LONG i swear whenever i answer asks on my computer it becomes an essay loool but yea these are just my general opinions about college, higher education, and academia in general? i hope this answers and that i didn't misinterpret the question hahah but thank u for the ask bb!!

[evolvingsidekick]

Finnish education part 3: universities

This one I actually know very well because I'm here rn lol

Applications for unis happen every march (and january for arts and degrees in English). You have to fill out an application form where you can choose 6 degrees you want to apply for and rank them from most to least favourite. So we don't send separate appications to each uni, they're all in the same system.

We have 13 universities in Finland, all of which are very consistent in quality. 10 of them appear in the CWUR top 2000 (which is a problematic ranking imo but anyway), university of Helsinki being number 126. 7 of our unis rank in the top 3% worlwide.

Most uni programs in here are Bachelor (180 ECTS) + Master (120 ECTS) and are designed to be 3+2 years. At the end of each you have to make a thesis and attend a seminar for it. Years are divided to 4 periods (there's a 5th one over summer), one course is either 1 or 2 periods.

The programs are built in a way that there's your major's courses+ mandatory communication (= second domestic language + scholarly communication)+ a mandatory minor in some degrees (in many you can choose the minor yourself). Some degrees, like mine, have a lot of room for optionals courses, some (e.g. law) are quite limited.

Courses can either be lectures, book exams, independent written work, online work, or a combination of these.

University education is free for Finns and EU citizens, you do have to pay for your lunch but it's literally 2,95€/meal, and the food is great. You don't usually have to pay for materials because they're either on the class Moodle or available in the library. You also have to pay student union fee (~70€/year) and healthcare fee (~35€/semester but you don't have to pay anything for individual appointments). Students are supported by the government.

Culture and events:

Most of us belong in subject organizations, which arrange fun events and activities for their major's students, and also take care of their students' rights and play a part in improving curriculums. Each organization has their own overalls, which we buy patches for and wear in events.

Vappu (May 1st, or for students like mid-April to May 1st) is the biggest celebration of the year. There are events nearly every day. In my city we have a huge picnic.

We also wear our grad caps from hs on Vappu, however that is a tradition for the entire population, not just students.

We don't have clubs or sports teams, but at least in my uni they have pretty good deals for gym memberships and other sport options.

There are also universities of applied sciences or polytechnics, which are like university but less theoretical and more practical. I don't know much about them, but some jobs like nurses or policemen can only be achieved there.

[femmefatalevibe]

Hi! I’d like some advice (it maybe very unusual to say this) but how can I detach my worth from my school grades? I’m going through a medical situation and I have professors that are super supportive and willing to help me. Meanwhile I’ve been dealing with a TA that’s been very rude, off putting and aggressive towards me the whole semester and even opt to have been get paper work to prove I was going through medical complications which disrupted my school work. I usually get good grades but it’s been tough due to what’s going on and she’s been grading my work. Recently she gave me a 70% on a paper I worked so so hard on. I was so devastated because my grade wasn’t that good and this dropped it lower. And it was so odd, I was confused and decided to email her why (I haven’t sent the email yet). I’m super emotional rn because I’ve been forcing myself to keep studying, (through my pain, recovery etc) and she’s been so so unsympathetic and cruel. She has a bad energy about her and she’s a grad student. I am so upset. And I don’t want to be so hard on myself because I did do my best.

Hi love! I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through these medical issues right now. It can't be an easy experience, especially while you're a university student. From what you've written, there seems to be something wrong with this TA's approach and behavior toward you. My suggestion would be to CC your professor on every email to this TA to ensure she takes accountability for her unfair harshness regarding your grades and performance. Having a separate chat with your professor on this matter might also be useful – if this situation isn't resolved without your professor's direct involvement in your conversations with the TA.

On an emotional level, I think one skill everyone needs to learn and internalize as they get older is to not take other people's actions personally unless there's a simple, logical reason as to why your behavior might be met with a harsh or intense reaction (e.g. you made fun of someone's appearance or dreams and they ghosted you, looked angry, or walked away). Most people's actions are a reflection of their inner worlds, how they see themselves, and the circumstances they're currently navigating. While understanding this doesn't resolve many conflicts, it helps you take your emotions out of the situation to assess logically how to best approach the situation. In return, you tend to think more clearly and display a calmer demeanor during a contentious interaction.

Regarding decoupling your academic performance from your self-worth, the best approach I've found (as someone whose clear top priority was my grades as a student, too) is to see your academic performance as a means to an end in pursuit of achieving your longer-term goals. Consider how earning a certain grade affects your future career or lifestyle goals for the first 2-3 years post-grad. If you're applying to a rigorous graduate program, making your grades a top priority makes sense as they will help you to get into the program responsible for helping you get placed in your ideal career (lawyer, doctor, etc.). If you're not planning on earning another degree, think about how well you truly need to do to get the job or experience desired in your chosen field. For the majority of people in the latter camp, having decent marks will not decrease the available opportunities in a given field.

Ultimately, though, making your health your #1 priority will always serve your best interest. Remember: You can always go back to school, retake an exam, or learn a new skill. But, medical-related issues can create chronic or lifelong issues that hinder all future successes or opportunities in certain areas of your life. You can't perform well if you have no energy, mental clarity, or optimal mobility. Choose your well-being. Every time.

Hope this helps. Sending you well wishes and good health xx

[wired-for-weird]

@bucketsofmonsters

Twine is exactly the program I was thinking of using! I have some familiarity with it, though only really enough to connect passages to each other, so rn I can only achieve something like the user-made Choose Your Own Adventures on neopets (does. does neopets still have those? or did I just carbon-date myself)

I don't know much about coding, but my datemate absolutely does, and can help me with the logic and figuring out the uses/limits of various story formats. Ideally I want to make something with a degree of reactivity- Twine can be really powerful for IF when you know how to use it, and I'm determined to learn!

[huntedspy2]

gonna scream into the void for a second

trying to be more genuine with myself and others. Reaching out or complimenting people even if I'm scared to do so. opening up to people more, asking for help or setting boundaries. I also want to feel less scared of how I use tumblr. I want to be able to use my main blog without feeling like ill annoy others, or being more open about my kin identities. I often feel cringe for it which makes no sense because this is the "cringe website". like I can and should be myself this is my online experience

I was planning to redesign my blogs' structures before making the Big Switch but I think that's what's holding me back

For about a month now too I've been building a personal website on github purely for my gender hoard, kinlist, and pronoun/name info. It was originally for ponytown (lol) but it's been helping me improve my html and css skills andddd its been making me feel more inspired to make a general personal website

the ideas I have for a personal website would to just make it my place. I want to have info about my ocs on there, thoughts on certain media, random pages with useless shit that are there just because its fun. and I want to include stuff like the gender hoard and kinlist pages on there too because again, I want to be more genuine

I am the most stressed and anxious I've been in so long. my jaw clenching has started up again, I'm getting acne again, I constantly feel tense and my chest is always anxious feeling and tight, I've been losing the motivation to make meals and eat and losing energy. I cant keep up with college and at this point I don't know if I made the right choice in computer science. I have a passion for working with computers, but I realize now that passion leaned more towards the IT side of things and. im in CS. I have no motivation or ideas for doing projects outside of coursework unlike a lot of my peers. I'm closeted so I feel like I'm just fitting their stereotype of "girl cant do cs!!!!!". fuck!!!!!!!!

parents stressing me out and overall not taking into accountability I have disabilities

thats another thing, I haven't been able to get my ADHD properly treated since I got it diagnosed 4years ago. I also know im autistic but I dont want to get formally diagnosed bc of several issues, so speaking up for myself with that disability is impossible when my parents don't think im autistic and don't like self diagnosis

maybe its not too late to finish my degree and do a 180 and get into 3d modeling. I'm sure my passion with art could mesh with my programming skills there or something

I don't know who I am really. I always feel like other people have aesthetics or themes that fit them, and here I am with so many different interests in aesthetics and themes that I cant choose one. hoe do people choose a theme for a website? how do people decorate their profiles with a clear and solid theme? I feel like I always have 20 different themes that I want at the same time, its hard to choose one and have people only perceive that one with you

I have a headache rn

on the plus side i also had the tastiest clementine in possibly my whole life

I always remind myself I am only 21 I am so young in the grand scheme of things. but outside pressure wants me to know who I am at this exact moment. its so hard

fish and aquariums have quickly become a special interest within the last 2 months id say. im debating between a 10 or 20 gallon and what id stock it with. im thinking honey gourami and neon tetras and shrimp, but I love the idea of a betta fish or a crayfish. I've had to take care of a crayfish before they're lively little creatures

I want to be more social with people and make new friends or at least gaming friends, but im always apprehensive because I know ill be masking. need to try to open up more, might play more vrchat to socialize but its hard

[pulledrounder]

hi! I wanted to ask a bit about your studies. I have a degree already but I'm thinking of going to university again. can you tell me a bit about whether or not it's worth it? I wish I could do classic philology but I'm afraid that another not really profitable degree is gonna be my nail in the coffin

hi!! sure! I got a BA in latin philology and english and american studies + a teaching degree for both for 5th to 13th grade, which is equal to an MA and i'm starting my phd in american studies (with some classical overlap (greek tragedy)) rn. i don't think that a classics / humanities degree is going to be the nail in your coffin at all, if that's your main concern. of course, it depends on what you have in mind. even if you want to work outside of education/humanities affiliated jobs at some point: i know of a woman who got her ancient greek phd at our university and is now working for a big consultancy firm. human resources also love to hire people with a literature or humanities background. there's also jobs in libraries and museums for which you might have to get some additional qualifications, so if that's something you're interested in, you should find out exactly what you'd have to do in addition to your classics degree. and of course, public cultural institutions often hire people with literature and humanities backgrounds.

now, whether or not it's worth it is a difficult question. i had to learn ancient greek within 9 months without any background knowledge and getting my latin skills to a point where i could somewhat proficiently translate texts without a dictionary was rough. but that also depends on your degree program and the skills you already have. i did latin from 6th to 12th grade in high school. at out university, we had regular language and grammar exams and state exams at the end of our studies, which is of course a lot of pressure and work. if your degree entails or focuses on classes with a focus on literature or even comparative literatures (which in hindsight would have probably been a good fit for me i think but my university didn't offer it), then it's probably going to be more fun than translating cicero texts from your first language to latin lol. i don't know if i'd choose it again, but i don't regret getting it at all. my knowledge and understanding of languages and literature has been shaped irreversibly for the better. i love the friends i got to make and the texts i got to read. i really couldn't imagine doing it any other way. and even my phd project is related to classics, which i didn't even plan on doing but i couldn't help it lol.

i would say if your heart's in it, do it, but try to find out what kind of classes exactly your degree is focused on and if that's something you would like to do for a couple of years. maybe you can also find some alumni to chat with and see what they've been doing with their degrees. anyway, i hope this was helpful to you in some way. if you have any more questions, just ask!! <3

[arukou-arukou]

Hi! So, I know you're doing your phd rn and I'm thinking about doing my master's and my home is a really unhealthy environment and I wanna move out, but I'm scared of not being financially stable. Could you please tell me how you manage to finance your education and how you manage it by yourself? Please and thank you

Hey Nonny,

First, let me congratulate you on looking for ways to get yourself out of an uhhealthy situation. I hope whatever decision you ultimately make, it helps you along in attaining that goal.

Now I will give you the single biggest piece of advice I ever received about attaining a higher degree: Don’t do it unless someone is paying you. I’m dead serious. (This does not apply to law school or med school. This is strictly STEM and the humanities.) Higher education degrees are prohibitively expensive, but almost all PhD programs and a few Master’s programs will essentially cut you a deal where you TA for them, they remit your tuition (which is to say they make your tuition free), and they pay you a stipend (usually a pittance, but enough to eke out.) The more prestigious the school, the better the stipend will be. So Harvard pays out a very handsome stipend, but a state university in the Midwest will usually pay you just enough that you’re above the poverty line. Stipends also usually vary by field, with STEM stipends usually being higher than humanities.

What this means is that you need to research the programs you’re applying to ahead of time, especially for Master’s degrees. Master’s in the humanities that cut this kind of deal are fairly rare, but in STEM they’re more common, or they may alternatively give you a research assistantship. Contact the heads of department before you apply and talk to them about options, being sure to ask questions about both the research aspects of the program and the financial resources. (This makes you look like a very attractive candidate, too, because it shows you’re doing your research.) Save up for application fees and check to see if they will waive those fees if you can demonstrate need. Apply to multiple places. There’s a very good chance you’ll get rejected by more competitive schools and you need to prepare backups for that.

My personal situation is lucky. I was in one of those humanities Master’s programs that waived my tuition and paid me, and my PhD is the same. My stipend is enough that I can afford to live a modest lifestyle without roommates and only rarely dip into my savings. I do work freelance translation jobs, but I could get away with not doing that if I wanted to. I will say my parents help me with my car, but I’m in a big city, and if that money dried up tomorrow, I would sell the car and manage via public transport.

I would probably struggle more if I was in a bigger city. My current city is incredibly affordable, but if were attending CUNY, for instance, I would probably be working two jobs on top of my graduate career and living in an apartment with three other equally stressed, equally poor grad students. So location is also important.

If this would be your first time living on your own, I will say it’s a huge adjustment period no matter what. Learning to juggle everything and not feel overwhelmed is something I’m still coming to grips with, and I’ve lived apart from my parents for ten years now. If you do end up choosing to do a Master’s, universities usually have a ton of resources for their grad students, including counseling and student life centers that can help you get a lid on things. Use those resources.

Hope this was helpful to you, Nonny, and good luck.

[harcourthq]

Hey there!! Sorry for bothering and if this questions has already been asked but I was wondering if you could detail the whole 'grad/undergrad & years' for a non-American person? I've looked it up and it's a bit scary with all the infos so maybe you could put it in your own words or in a way that fits Harcourt? I'm sorry again if it's already been asked i'm just a bit lost rn and like? How does it all work? Im so confused even though I'm sure it's not very different from my country's grad system

you’re not bothering us at all love, please don’t worry! the u.s education system is super confusing so i really don’t blame you. i’ll break this up a bit so it doesn’t seem that intimidating to read.

so when you’re an undergraduate student that means you’re attending a four-year college working towards your bachelor's degree. most students would attend this right after high school ( secondary school ) but absolutely don’t have to. a lot of people take gap years or go back to it later in their life. for the sake of not having large age gaps between our characters though, we do limit the ages at 28. an undergraduate student would be focusing on a general major (ex: biology, chemistry, english, etc.) but there are more specific majors too should you choose to have your character study them. undergraduate programs require 120 credits to complete which is around 40 courses and takes about four years but it can take longer for many people (it took four and a half years for me). 

graduate school is a bit more complicated but what it is really is just a higher education institution that offers postgraduate degrees and usually requires someone to already have earned an undergraduate degree before applying. most common graduate degrees are from masters and doctorate (phd) programs. these degrees would be more advanced and usually focus on a less broad topic than an undergraduate degree would. some people attend grad school straight after finishing their bachelor’s degree but again they absolutely don’t have to. most graduate programs take anywhere from two to six years (sometimes even eight). 

in terms of how it works at harcourt i would say all the rules are exactly the same. however, how you have your character navigate through it is entirely up to you. some characters could have gone straight into an undergraduate program after high school, some might have taken years to do so. someone could have been a prodigy and finished high school and college earlier and by the time they’re 20 they’re already in a graduate program or someone could have decided to earn their bachelor's degree at 28. this is all up to you and whatever you feel best fits your character. 

i hope i explained this well and helped you understand the system a bit better. if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to ask on or off-anon.  

[mrmrsvegan]

PART ONE: Hi parents, I really need school advice. I'm 26 in Canada and am just finishing an English degree. (I know, not very valuable - it's a long story, but some things went down in my life and here we are) The good thing is I don't have to be overly concerned with debt; for reasons too long to disclose, my education as of this year and in future will be covered with government grants instead of loans. So, I would really appreciate advice on how to move forward. I have the option of doing

PART TWO: an additional degree in science (general life science, environmental science or nursing) that would take 2 years to complete. At this stage in my life, is that a good idea? It would be mostly funded for me so there is that pro. But would my time be better spent doing something else? I have never really known exactly what I want to do with my life. Goals are to be financially stable, and like my job. Passions are writing, veganism, health, preventative med, animals, learning, biology,

PART THREE: and things like that. I am open and wanting to get more comfortable with computers and coding, as well. College is also an option. Basically, my main concern is that at my age (I'm female), all the setbacks I've had have me pressed for time. I know that is somewhat an illusion, but if I choose to have a family/kids, and I do more school, I'll be in my late twenties/early thirties by the time I'm done. I'm not panicking, just trying to be realistic, and would love any wise words you

PART FOUR: have to offer. You guys are fantastic and are making a dent in the world, you've changed my life for the better, DRAMATICALLY! One of the things I'm SO happy I have accomplished at this point in my life is being vegan, but moreso than that, understanding HOW to eat and care - you guys literally were a huge part of me turning my life and health around. We may never meet but I LOVE YOU FOR THAT! Cheers from here to there, and thank you from a really grateful soul for all you do.

You can get your teaching certificate and immediately start teaching English.  You’d be able to go just about anywhere in the world as an English teacher, but those programs can be hit or miss & international travel might not help you get closer to the family life you feel the clock is ticking on.  

Nursing would provide you with a lifetime of employment & is definitely a worthy avenue.  I’d like to know more about WHAT YOU DO, than what you’d like to do.  Job experience?  What tasks you excel at?  What opportunities are available in your area & what skills do they require?  Is your current location a good area to find family oriented life partners?  

Family planning questions are difficult to help with because we don’t know if you already have a partner who is ready, as well?  Life happens & what you want most for your family is the ability to support and nurture them.  I don’t see more school as a problem, but a solution if you get in demand skills out of it, but would want to know why an English degree took so long for you?  

Use the web to figure out what the job will bring in before investing time & money into it & see what the job market looks like in your area & see if anyone in the HR at places you’d want to work will give you a tour before setting your life investment in something you haven’t been around.  

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Registered_Nurse_(RN)/Hourly_Rate

https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/canada-nurse-salary-SRCH_IL.0,6_IN3_KO7,12.htm

& talk to people in your community about cost of living & look at the local job market for nurses and see what benefits they have for new moms.  Perhaps the hospital has a staff daycare?  All these things add up to an easier life where you can enjoy your family more & have the funds to take vacations & get them the things they need & education to make sure they will have a good life, too.  

I wish high schools taught this vs ‘follow your dreams’.   You can still dream, but anyone successful doesn’t play the lottery, they plan, make decisions based on economic reality & by doing what is financially viable when weighing all the amenities & free time & stability it affords you in your future, life will seem like a dream more often than not.  

Thank you for the kind words, we hope to meet you, too!  Keep investing in yourself!  It sounds like the health investments paid off & now its time to make life decisions based on good financial planning & we guarantee as your future starts to strengthen others who are plotting the same path and building their own rock solid foundation will come into focus and 1 + 1 = 3 before you know.  Use the stress to make smart moves!

[pathopharmacology]

Hi! Hope you don't me asking this. I've been working at a hospital for a few months now (in a clerical role) and tbh it's made me seriously consider looking at going into nursing. Thing is I'm 27 soon and while that's not old I also know some nurses my age who have made it to ward manager level already, and I'd feel so behind. Do you have any thoughts or experience with people who came to nursing "late", or advice for someone considering a complete career change to choose nursing?

Hi there! Sorry it took me so damn long to answer this. I actually love getting questions along these lines, but – as I’m sure a lot of you are painfully aware by now – I have kind of a terrible track record when it comes to answering things in a timely fashion. I hope you can forgive the lateness.

As to the actual substance of your question…this is something I can speak to personally! I didn’t decide to be a nurse until I’d been working as a paralegal for about three years. Once I’d decided to go into nursing, it still took me another few years to get through all of my prerequisites. By that point I’d realized being a paralegal wasn’t something I wanted even as placeholder job, so I ended up working as an administrative assistant in the trauma division of a nearby hospital while I finished up my prereqs. Technically, nursing is my third career.

Here’s the thing – while I feel like there’s a general media trend towards expecting people in their 20s to know exactly what they’re doing career-wise and to be solidly settled into something by the time they’re 30, the way this plays out in real life is…definitely not that. Shit, when I graduated from college I started working as a paralegal not because I was particularly interested in law, but because I desperately needed health insurance and being a paralegal turned out to be something I was good at. It wasn’t until I hit my mid-20s that I realized, “wait, I don’t actually like this! THIS ISN’T WHAT I WANT TO BE DOING AT ALL!!!” I flailed around in a massive quarter-life crisis for a while, and eventually got my shit together enough to figure out what I actually wanted to be doing.

What’s cool about nursing is that my story isn’t an unusual one. Sure, I work with some younger nurses who came into the field right after college and have WAY more experience than I do despite being younger, but…that’s not always the case. A lot of the nurses my age – by which I mean people in their mid-30s – did something else first, even if that “something” was floating around aimlessly from shitty temp job to shitty temp job until they figured things out. Education-wise, I’m much farther along than some of the older nurses I work with; experience-wise, they can run circles around me. I work with some nurses who are younger than me but have been RNs for longer, but because they’re brand-new to emergency nursing I’ve got a bit more experience because I’ve been an ED nurse for literally my entire career. Shit, I work with CNAs who’ve worked in an emergency setting for longer than I’ve been alive, and boy howdy, you better believe we all recognize what valuable resources they are in spite of not having the initials RN after their names. You can spend 10, 20, 30 years in one specialty and then decide, “You know what? I’m sick of hospital nursing, I think I want to try working out in the community instead” and…BOOM, now you’re a newbie again, albeit an incredibly skilled one who will probably kick ass in no time.

Basically, what I’m trying to say is that age is an extremely relative thing when it comes to certain careers, and nursing in particular seems to be quite kind in this regard. I’m not going to say you’ll never doubt yourself or feel tempted to compare yourself to younger peers, because – given that I’ve done exactly those things and then some – I’m pretty sure I’d be lying. But I can say that even if you’re harboring doubts, things will most likely work out okay anyway. If you’re someone who’s into pursuing leadership opportunities and is good in leadership roles? TRUST ME, friend, your supervisors and coworkers will figure this out super fucking fast and will start badgering you to apply for leadership roles whether you feel ready for them or not. Seriously. SERIOUSLY. Trust me on this.

I think you’ve got a leg up in that you already work for a hospital. That’s huge. While there are a bazillion specialties that aren’t hospital-based, most people tend to start their careers doing direct patient care in a hospital setting, which is usually a good thing in terms of building experience and getting comfortable with patients and whatnot. But hospitals are also – not to put too fine a point on it – weird as FUCK in a lot of ways, and people who don’t really know what to expect can be in for something of a rude awakening when the time comes. In your case, one of the most valuable things I can recommend you do is talk to your hospital’s HR and/or volunteer departments about setting up a job shadowing session with a nurse. Ideally, you’d set up a few, focusing on specialties you think are interesting or that call to you in some way. I’d also recommend finding out if your hospital has any employee reimbursement programs for continuing education: if you do end up pursuing a nursing career, there are a LOT of hospitals who like retaining their current staff in some capacity, and are willing to provide some measure of financial reimbursement on a per credit basis when it comes to going for a health care degree. And if your clerical duties bring you into contact with nurses, chat with them too – most of us love talking about our jobs, positive and negative aspects both, and their input might clarify things for you a little as well. 

Changing careers isn’t easy. It’s especially not easy when you (potentially) have to pursue an entirely new educational degree to do it. But if it’s something you’re excited about and passionate about, I definitely think it’s worth it. I wasn’t ready to go into nursing when I was in my early 20s for…a lot of reasons, really, but I was ready for it by the time my late 20s rolled around, and maybe that’s how it is for you too. Maybe it’s not even the nursing thing so much as the “pursuing something new and interesting and challenging” thing, and if that is the case, then great! You’re probably at a point in your life where it’s pretty dang feasible to tackle it! Or maybe it IS that nursing is what calls you, and if that’s where you’re at, then I think you should definitely allow yourself to consider it. There are plenty of valid reasons to not pursue nursing as a career, but please trust me when I say your age isn’t one of them.

Whatever you ultimately end up doing, Anon, I wish you all the luck in the world. Starting something new can be scary no matter what age you tackle it, but I think it’s awesome you’re even considering it in the first place. Feel free to hit me up with questions anytime

[serbrianoftarth]

Yes, I chose an interdisciplinary degree that allows me to study all of the arts & English, which makes me really happy. What's it like in Poland? (Omg, I feel ya--I'm still waiting for that coffee, too!) Ooh who are your favorite bands/artists? I love that CS is a fairytale with a realistic relationship, & that they are two people who found home in each other :') the s3 finale is amazing, & s5 reunion is SO PURE & CUTE I CAN'T. Thanks, lovely! Good luck with class work

ooh that’s great! :) in poland going to hs you usually choose from three types of programs: maths+phys+it, biol+chem(+maths) or lit+hist+soc, which means these are your ap classes and all of them you attend with the same people, and that is the main difference from the us i think? after three years people usually choose to go to uni, since we don’t have colleges here. and with uni there’s a huge variety of what you can do, same as with other countries pretty much ;)

i looooove the nbhd! their lyrics are amazing :’) i’m actually trying to cut back a little cause i’ve been listening to their music non stop for a really long time and neglecting all the other artists so i got a bit worried i would get tired of all my fav songs hehe. rn i’m discovering some rather underappreciated indie (i guess?) music, since yt has been suggesting some awesome artists to me :)) mini dresses, boy scouts, bedroom, richard orofino and many others. it’s all super chill and makes me think of a lazy morning so it doesn’t really help with getting any work done haha.but from more popular artists i adore ed sheeran, florence&the machine, i’ve recently discovered lp and she’s awesome as well :’) i also really enjoy movie scores and a bit of classical music too. oooh also have you heard of postmodern jukebox?? 

sorry this got so long haha. what about you, what do you listen to? :)

hope you have a great week :)