Not as Good as I Once Was...

So, I'm going back to school. No mid-life crisis. Not unhappy with being a stay-at-home mom. I've just really always wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse when I grow up and what better time than the present? Sam is in school all day. Austin has an after-school academic Kindergarten program available to him. Why not now?

Although I already have two degrees in health-related fields (I know, I really like school), nursing programs are competitive and impacted. I can't even apply yet for spring semester so in the meantime I decided to brush up on Anatomy by taking a course at the community college. Registered for that, no problem. Unless you count me searching online for a college that still had the course available without a wait-list of 40 or more people a problem. Finally, I got the course. In Fairfield. An hour away from my house. Whatever, positive, stay positive....

Next on my list, take a pre-nursing skills assessment test. The test is the day after tomorrow. No sweat, I will be tested on reading comprehension, math, science and English. As I am reviewing the practice test book over the past few weeks I am shocked to discover that although I have a Bachelor's degree in Biology and one in Nutrition, I am performing horribly on the science review. Science is so broad! And please, it has been 10 years since I graduated college. I guess I haven't reviewed the Krebs Cycle lately or thought about covalent versus ionic bonds. I haven't thought to work the purpose of the endocrine system into conversation with the other moms waiting to pick up their kids from school. Needless to say, I am eat, sleep, and drinking my science review. And also wishing I had a few extra weeks to remember what Avogadro's number is.

Alright, so I've enrolled in the brush-up course, signed up for the test... Next up, make sure I have all the prerequisites taken so that I actually qualify to enter a nursing program should I even be selected. I check websites again, scouring the small print for anything that I may have missed. I notice that while "Pharmacology" is not a prerequisite, it is strongly recommended. Seriously. Strongly recommended? Well to me that means required. If it comes down to the last spot in the program and the only thing separating me from Jane Doe is that I've taken Pharmacology, well sign me up! Of course, that wasn't so easy either. This class has a Biology prerequisite, so I waited for Sacramento State to send me my transcripts, so that I could send them on to the community college. The community college took 2 weeks to process the transcripts. After MANY phone calls I was ready to add the course online, only to find out that the course was already full and I had to get special permission from the teacher to add it. Good thing I had planned ahead and become e-mail buddies with the instructor. Now I'm at 8 units. I can do this.

Finally, thinking I am good to go, I come across a prerequisite I have never taken. Eeek! Human Development Throughout the Life Cycle. Okay, if I don't sleep, only grocery shop every other week, cut down on the luxuries in life (yes Sam, that's clean enough to wear!) I'll be fine. I am now carrying 11 units this fall. Plus, I need to put together admissions packets for each nursing program I want to apply to--which includes attending counseling meetings, ordering more transcripts, getting recommendation letters, etc. Did I mention that the boys have golf, swimming and soccer? Or that I actually prefer to sleep 7 hours every night? Suck it up, I guess.

So really. What better time than the present? Why not now?