Ugh! What to do???!!!

Crystalina wrote: Ok, so I am SUPPOSED to start college (RN) this summer, July 1st actually, but this is the deal...

I am having EVERYONE around me, excluding dh who is saying do whatever you want to do, tell me NOT to go to school but to put my efforts into my photography. I have been a nursing aid before (strictly Alzheimer's) and from there I moved from nursing into activities where I was the activities director (also strictly Alz) so it's not that I know nothing at all about nursing. Everyone in my family is either a nurse or in the medical prof.
I wanted to go to school for my RN not for any other reason then the money. I am not fond of having anyone watch my kids and since dh will not always be home when I go to school I would have to bring Gabby with me. There is a daycare program there but it's your either IN the program or you aren't. You can't just bring your kid here or there and since I will not know when I NEED to bring her I will have to ALWAYS bring her so she has a spot. UGH!!!

I am being told in every direction that nursing is good BUT they see me with camera in hand. Now...I do photos for family and friends only. I am doing my first paying job in a month or so, I'm waiting for green to come back into our world because they are engagement photos. This girl is also killing me over doing her wedding. I keep saying no but she said she WANTS me to do them. I am still on the fence and said right now I will only do the engagements and see how that goes.

I need my girls here to give their honest opinions. I SAY HONEST!!!
You know I can take it.
Nursing or photography?
Either way I will have a lot to do to get ready for either.
Nursing will be 4 yrs. It's usually 3 but I plan on taking an extra year for all of my "nursing" classes out of the way so when I'm actually in the program I can concentrate on what needs to be done for that.

Photography.... I feel I'm confident with it but I'm bad at charging and, of course, there is always someone better and SO much more still to learn. I have turned down a lot of people by saying "sorry, I don't do photography as a business but here is the number of a girl I know...." and then they see my photos and message me on FB saying ...."but they are so nice..."
so maybe I'm not as confident as I thought I was?

Help!!!
I'm not Cameragirl (Jennifer) ....just sayin'

moped replied: Ok, I need to think here. I think I know what I want to say but need to think on my drive home. Will give you the 411 tonight!

BUT I will say this: I have always put schooling on hold because my kids are too young for me to focus that much attention on school and full time work.

Is nursing something you can do in a few years when Gabby is in school full time?

luvbug00 replied: I vote photos. Can u take a corse at ur local community center or college on photography?
In the end, do what u love. To be able to do what u love and get $ is a gift u must grab!

luvbug00 replied: U have photo talent which is why I'm not saying the stable, logical nurse answer. LOL

Calimama replied: I'm torn. But honestly, if photography is your passion, I'd lean that way. Nursing is great, don't get me wrong, but you guys are clearly surviving on your husbands income right now, right? So maybe that's your chance to spend a year and really get the photography thing together. Figure out pricing, make a website, a portfolio, etc. Spend time doing what you love. Life is so short, you know? If the passion isn't there for nursing, then it's sort of settled for you.

I really, HONESTLY think you are a great photographer. I know, I'm a nobody and can't take a picture to save my life, but your pictures amaze me. If you have the talent and the passion, well, maybe that's the direction you're meant to go in? Remember, you can always change your mind.

Crystalina replied: I love both.
Well, photography has always been a "hobby" (along with my knitting). My knitting turned into a job so that is not so fun anymore. I'm not afraid I will get tired of photography because it will not take up as much sitting on my rump as knitting is doing.

I really love nursing but I prefer to work with Alz and in my area all we have are nursing homes for that and the money will not be there so in the end, with nursing, I will only "partially" be doing what I love because I will have to do something along the lines of a hosp because there is just no money in nursing homes. Let me rephrase, there is money but not the hours required to actually make the money. For full time work I would have to travel like my sis does. She travels to Akron every day for work and Akron is about an hour and 45 mins from here. I don't want that commute for the money.

Crystalina replied:
That's what my mom said but...she's my MOM!
She said that college will be there when and if I'm I go that route but I'd hate to put that 4 yrs it's going to take off any longer if I do decide that route.

My Oma said she would love for me to do my photography but... SHE IS BLIIIIIND!
She has seen my photos but I cringe at the photos she remembers. Her reasoning for pushing me towards photographys is that SHE is almost 80 and wishes she could have done what she wanted instead of what she had to.

and yes, we are surviving off of dh's income but nursing would give even him a break.

Crystalina replied:
I'm thick skinned!
I can take it!

No hard feelings here. Any of you who know me from FB should know I will not take any of this to heart and I will still love you tomorrow.

Calimama replied: What part doing photography as a side job once life has settled down from school? Or even after you finish school?

PrairieMom replied: Photography.

You set your own hours. You don't have to be torn over missing your kids school activities. YOu won't miss holidays. You are good at it, you have people asking you to do it, you can start today. Don't have to pay for the education to get started!

Is there really that much $ in nursing? esp. working in a nursing home? Of course, I am biased because of my own personal bad feelings about working in health care, but for me it is a no brainer.

Hummm... take pictures of adorable babies.... or clean up old person poo.... not a real hard decision for me.

Calimama replied:
That's cute though.

boyohboyohboy replied: Why do you have to chose? I mean do the nursing program, it's really full of other aspects you won't even know you enjoyed until you get started in it. And make the great money and use that for photography.
Is the RN program 2yrs? That's really not a long time. There is plenty of time to do both. Then once you have your license there are many things you can do not just hospital, nursing home, or dr office.
You can do insurance, you can do home health, you can do audits, and you can make your own schedule. I work four days a month. I hear photography is expensive, so use the money you make as a nurse to do something else you love.
I also think that our economy is still really shaky and could get worse before it's better. So an RN is someone who will always have a job.

It's scary starting something new, I hope you don't talk yourself out of a job that I think you would be good at, and you have a good back ground for.

PrairieMom replied: ok. Here is something else.

Knowing you as I do, which , can be argued, that I don't really know you at all....

when you announced that you were going to school for your nursing I was like, ok...

now if you said you were going to start a photography business, it wouldn't surprise me at all. Seems like a more natural fit to me. Maybe Its more of a passion for you than you realize?

Crystalina replied:
It's something I couldn't really do the 4 yrs I would be in school because I remember everyone before me studying their butts off and trying to keep up with their kids and everyday family life.

Not to mention my commute to school alone is going to be a 45 min drive one way.

Crystalina replied:
You make valid points.

Crystalina replied:
That's what they all said today in the "family meeting" I had no idea would occur at my mother's house.

It went from an innocent visit to my mutha, my oma and my sister (who is herself a nurse) telling me to scratch college and do my photos. They also said that was more "me".

It seems as photography is (as Charlie Sheen would say)....WINNING!! ugh that man.

Crystalina replied:
Thanks!
Oy, you also make good point.


The RN is 2 yrs but I wanted to take an extra year so that I can get all the classes required for nursing out of the way so that way when I'm in the actual nursing program I don't have to worry about all the side classes.

Then there is the extra year (before I even get into the nursing classes) that I would have to take the Enlish and Maths I kinda flopped on in HS. I passed them all but I was told by the guy in recruiting that you usually have to take some maths and English so....

boyohboyohboy replied: For me nursing isn't my passion. I thought it was before I had kids but it's a means to an end. It let's me make good money for only four days I am away from my kids. It allows us to buy what we want, go on vacations....have my foot in the door in case DH would ever lose his job.

The hours are flexible that you can really work very little so if you wanted to do photography you can.

I was thinking too, would the money you spend going to school to get a degree be worth it if you only worked part time and then focused on photography?
I hadn't thought of that.

I agree that you are talented. So it's a big decision.

ediep replied: you are such a talented photographer-- tough decision. I don't think you can make a wrong decision- both are great jobs


good luck!

bluebear replied: I am an art major so of course I'm leaning towards photography. Take classes at a local college, photography isn't only with a camera.

mckayleesmom replied: I love your photos...so I will go with photography. I"m like the person who is suprised you said you are going to school for nursing, but wouldn't be shocked if it was for photography. Maybe you can take photography classes while taking some side jobs.

msoulz replied: From the practical accoutant's guide:

Nursing is a great profession with a lot of opportunities for a steady income along with a lot of opportunities for part-time income. If nothing else, it would be the perfect fall-back career should the photography not work as you had hoped. Also, God forbid, you should be in a position where it is only you providing for your family, you will be able to do so.

So the practical accountant suggests you get that degree and then decide if you want to immediately pursue nursing or put it on hold and pursue photography. That way your family will be in better shape, IMHO.

Good luck!!

coasterqueen replied:
This is what I'd say. Not from the practical accountants guide , but from someone who would be seriously freaked out if there is only one person in the family providing and only having that to fall back on. Too risky in an economy like this one.

youngmomofone replied: I would start. Its very hard to get accepted into the nursing program, and since you are starting this year, do it. The photography will always be there, but with this economy I would so do nursing at least to get your degree so you will always have a job.

my2monkeyboys replied: Oh Crystal....
I know that nursing would be a safer thing to do, but I really think you have such a talent for photography. I don't know what to tell you, except to say that life is short. Do what you love as long as you can. When you can't anymore, do what you have to.