I’m a nursing major. I have a grand total of 43 credits, and am supposed to be applying to nursing programs in the summer. I am not the typical student. I have ADHD (which might be typical of students), and I took a two year break after high school to volunteer and travel. Now I’m 22 years old, and while I may be satisfied being a nurse, I’m not convinced it is what would be the most fulfilling. The problem is that even though I’ve enjoyed the pre-nursing courses so far, I have so many areas that I’m interested in, which all vary greatly. I’m passionate about biology, chemistry, psychology, performing arts, archeology, philosophy, religious studies, nutrition, language studies and literature, and politics. I basically love everything except math, but I’m good at math. It’s just boring by itself. If it was possible, I would study it all and postpone a career for another 10 years. How can I make a good decision when “following my heart” leaves it drawn and quartered?
Most people are interested in many things, and some people are passionate about a lot of things. However, at some point you do have to choose a career - at least to start out with. That doesn’t mean that you stop learning about other things; it just means that you pick something to do that you are reasonably happy with (for now) and perhaps use that career to support your interests.
Nursing is a remarkably flexible career choice. Even if you stop at your bachelor’s in nursing, you can work as a floor nurse in a hospital and make very good money - $65,000 to $75,000 or more in some areas of the U.S. Hospital nurses can work 3 12-hour shifts per week, leaving you with four days a week to do what you want - perform in community theater, attend philosophical lectures or discussions, get involved in a religious study group, read lots of literature, get active in a political campaign.
But nurses can do a lot more than work in a hospital, even if you don’t get a master’s (but especially if you do). If you’re interested in psychology, you could become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner - and basically provide primary care for mental illnesses (including prescribe psychiatric medication). If you’re interested in biology and chemistry, you could become a research nurse - working as a nurse supporting clinical research studies in those science areas. I read an article a couple of months about about a physician who worked for the Metropolitan Opera caring for the performers if they got injured or sick; I’d imagine there are options for a nurse or nurse practitioner to work with some notable performing arts groups in this capacity. A nursing major could become a registered dietitian or nutritionist if she wanted to. You could study a language and apply that to your nursing studies, becoming a travel nurse (and doing nursing in remote areas in need of medical care) or right here in the U.S. (working with underserved populations who don’t speak English). You can even get involved in politics - some nurses go into government consulting or health policy work, using their knowledge and experience to shape laws and policies regarding health and medicine.
What you can’t do is study everything forever as a college student
Here’s the problems with studying it all and postponing a career for 10 years: being a professional student doesn’t pay the bills.
At some point in time, mommy and daddy are going to expect you to start paying your own way.
The great thing is that you can always change your mind, go for another degree (on your own dime), take more classes, learn more.
I realized at age 41 that I really like writing, and have been doing freelance for the past 16 years. Not to pay the bills, but because it gives me pleasure.
There’s no deadline on following your passions; they’ll stretch and grow as you do.