How Did I Get Here?

I am currently a nursing student who is set to graduate in a few months. But if you have read some of my other posts, you would know that being a nursing student isn’t the first life I have lived.

I started off as a neuroscience and psychology double major who was set on a career in medicine, either as a nurse or as a doctor. But as a brand new college student living through COVID, how was I really supposed to know? All of my classes were online and I couldn’t see how it was possible to do a second year online, especially when entering into lab classes that were still being conducted online. How was I supposed to go into healthcare without any lab experience? The answers came to me during the summer between freshman and sophomore year. I spend my summer taking summer classes, working a retail job, and starting my own home baking business for friends and family. I created my own recipes and made money while doing it.

At some point during the summer, I knew that COVID was offering me an opportunity pursue a passion of mine so I started my research. I looked at different pastry programs across the world and whether my university would accept me back if I discovered the culinary world wasn’t for me. And once I had all of my information, I told my parents, who were rightfully hesitant. But they are incredibly supportive people who helped me formalize my plan to attend culinary school.

I graduated with a Bachelors in Baking and Pastry from The Culinary Institute of America in 2 years and after working in the industry through culinary school, I realized that baking should stay a hobby. I was losing my love for baking and it started to feel like a chore but I also had no clue where to go. Did I go back to my old university for another 2 years to finish my degree? Did I pursue a career in nutrition to bridge culinary and medicine? I decided to move back to the town where I went to college so that I could take classes while working in a mass production bakery so that I could figure out where I wanted to be.

But as life had it, I discovered what I wanted to do through family instead of my courses. I spoke with many doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and other members of a healthcare team who all urged me to enter into their careers. But it was the nurses who resonated with me the most. They told me the good, the bad, and the ugly of their career but the reason they always went back was because of the patients. Nurses are the first and last point of contact with patients and their families. They provide education and they advocate for their patients. Nurses make an impact on the lives of their patients without the need for acknowledgement. And I knew I wanted to be apart of it.

Thus I spent a few long months gaining the prerequisite courses I needed to join one of the local nursing programs. The joy I felt when I received my acceptance into the program was indescribable. And I have loved every moment of my program since.

Thank you for tuning in to the first installment of my career shift and all the support!