How I Realized I Didn’t Want to be a Nursing Major…Ever.
It’s the age old question every senior in high school hates: “So, have you started thinking of a major yet?” What? No. No, I haven’t. And I don’t want you or anybody else to ask me that question ever again. The problem is that question never stopped being asked.
Teachers, my friends’ parents, aunts I only see twice a year…everyone was so interested in what I wanted to do with my life. So I took that as a wake-up call as maybe I should be too. This world has become too feminist for me to have said that my life goal was to be a stay at home mom, and never have to work a day in my life. (Even though I still think that is a 100% valid life goal.)
So I started researching (watching Grey’s Anatomy) and I realized hey, I’d make a great nurse. I could wear scrubs every day to work, the surgeons I would get to work with would all look like McSomethings, and I only had to work three shifts a week. Saint Mary’s has a great nursing program, I would be set.
Then I got to college and realized I don’t want to be a nursing major. At all. Zero percent.
It wasn’t just an overnight decision. In fact, it took me the majority of my freshman year to actually say it out loud. Three of my best friends, all nursing majors, were some of the most influential people in my decision making process. Before you get all sappy thinking they gave me emotional pep talks about following my heart, you can stop that train of thought right here.
It was more so how when we got into conversations regarding our future careers; I realized everything they were looking forward to was everything that scared me half to death.
How they think: I think it would be so cool to work in Orthopedics for a while. Like seeing people with bones sticking out and you just get to pop ‘em back in.
How I think: K, If I ever saw someone’s bone sticking out I think I would run out of the room immediately and probably throw up and call my mom from the bathroom, crying.
How they think: I want to work in Labor and Delivery. Getting to help deliver a baby would be the best job ever.
How I think: I’ll touch the baby after all that goop is cleaned off and it starts to resemble a human and not a sea creature. I think I would just like L&D because majority of the time, you don’t have to deal with sick people.
How they think: Well the cool thing about working in Oncology is that you get to form these awesome bonds with your patients, and for some of them you’re the only person they really talk to on a regular basis. You’re all they’ve got.
How I think: OK that is actually the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard. I weep for weeks when characters on my TV shows die. I think if I watched real live people, dying in front of me every day, telling me their last wishes and their biggest regrets, I would probably check myself into a psych ward.
How they think: I just couldn’t see myself doing anything else. I’ve always wanted to be a nurse.
How I think: Yeah. I could write you a list right now of five things I’d rather do than a job that entails getting thrown up on, drawing blood, removing catheters, or telling someone their loved one is dying.
Okay, so it was official. I wasn’t cut out to be a nurse. They say most people change college majors at least once, there’s nothing wrong with being “most people” every once in a while. But to any incoming freshmen currently freaking out about picking a major, do not worry, you will figure it out eventually. Just take this bit of advice: if you’re choosing your career based on the fact that you think you’d look cute in a pair of scrubs…code blue.