Because Sticking with a Decision for Longer than A Week is Too Easy.

Given my inability to commit to anything for longer than .2 seconds, what I am about to say should come as no surprise.

I've changed my mind again about the future. Why? Because I'm fickle. Says so in the title of this here blog. And if you've ever wondered "how" I'm fickle, the fact that I've changed my mind about my career path(s) and how I will go about getting there 101 times should be explanatory enough. Need a refresher? Let's map it out, shall we?

Aug '05-May'06: Begin college as an education major with a concentration as Intervention Specialist (fancy name for special ed).

July'06-January'09: Have my sites set on being a journalist, which I ultimately earn my BA in, in May'09.

January '09: Decide I'd rather do something in the medical field. Toy with the idea of being a diagnostic medical sonographer (my mother is one), but wanted an accredited program that doesn't require you to go through x-ray school first. Find a few, but they are incredibly hard to get into and are located in TN and CA, for the most part. I realize I'd probably rather be a nurse anyway. Begin looking into nursing programs in Indiana.

March- June '09: Begin communicating with Marian College (now University) in regards to their newly started Accelerated Bachelor's Program. Have a bazillion credit hours to take to qualify, become overwhelmed, get my first bill for the school, and damn near become one of the youngest females to die of a heart attack and stroke. Begin contemplating doing a different nursing program.

June '09: Go on our annual family vacay to Siesta Key. Talk with two of my aunts, who are nurses. Am convinced that I need not have my bachelor's, especially since I already have one. Start looking for associate's degree programs (read: dirt cheap and fast. Like I prefer my men. Oh wait...).

July '09: Attend a nursing school info session at Ivy Tech, register for classes, move forward with the hopes of beginning nursing school through Ivy Tech Community College (ASN program) in August 2010.

Aug'09-March '10: Take prereq classes at Ivy Tech. Take the (incredibly pointless) TEAS test. Realize I loathe Ivy Tech, but at least the program is cheap and I'd be finished quickly. Decide to stick it out, because in the end, I'd be an RN, and that's all that matters.

April '10: Apply to nursing school at Ivy Tech. Also begin considering getting my bachelor's degree... again. Initially, it was a back up plan, to cover my hiney, in case I didn't get into Ivy Tech. After about, oh, a day, it became my preference (to have my bachelor's)-- for many reasons, including the fact that I HATE Ivy Tech and the people that work there.

May '10: Am denied entrance to Ivy Tech. BS. I've argued with them about it since then-- not because I want to do their program, but because I want to tell them, "Screw you." And because the only reason I didn't get in was because of grade scale discrepancies between two campuses of the same bloody school. UGH! *OK, Marianne, calm down, deep breaths...* Anyway, between the end of April and my rejection, I had already decided that I wanted to do an accelerated bachelor's program anyway, so hmph. Apply for admission to IUPUI so I can friggin meet with an advisor regarding their program.

June '10: Meet with the same girl I met with last year at Marian University. I still hate the cost of the program, but realize I'm just going to have to suck it up and figure it out. IUPUI's program isn't exactly cheap, either (although significantly less expensive than Marian). She informs me that it is "feasible" (oh yea? How about you take the courses for me then, hmm?) to begin their program in January '11. I immediately begin figuring out my crazy schedule for the fall, which would require 21 credit hours at 4-5 different campuses.

Early July '10: Still waiting to hear from IUPUI regarding admission (because taking over two months to decide whether or not to admit a college grad with over a 3.5 gpa who was accepted to the university less than a year ago is reasonable...), so I don't have much information there. But I will be applying to their program. However, they have less requirements for prereq's than Marian does, which stinks, because I may take more classes than I'll end up needing. Fortunately, I never think education is a waste. Money, yes. Education, no.

So here we are today.

As of last week, I was going to be driving all over God's green acres to get from class to class. I was going to be taking 21 credit hours of intense courses. Long gone are the glory days of Intro to Theater and Wine Tasting. We're talking Advanced Physiology, Chemistry (again. because the first one 'wasn't enough'), Business Stats, a few psych classes... on, and on, and on.

Then, this past Friday came along and the shit hit the fan and I was on the verge of a serious mental breakdown. The morning started off on a sour note, as I showed up at a completely wrong location for a meeting regarding some courses for the fall. Fortunately, where I went was able to help (in more ways than they realize). They told me that one of the classes I need (in order to start in January) was full, with 8 people on the waiting list. I'd need to find a way to take it somewhere else, at some other time.

Womp, womp.

I came home and spent way too long on my computer trying to find a solution. And then I started crying (and I'm not really much of a crier, unless I'm about to totally lose my cool) and questioning why the heck I was putting myself through the chaos. I pretty much realized, if I was this stressed about the upcoming semester before it has even begun, I would undoubtedly be a certifiably insane, grade-A bitch with an unhealthy love for the bottle. Images of rehab and/or the psych ward were running rampant through my mind.

Needless to say, I had to change my plan of action, yet again. So this fall will now consist of the following:

Online: Lifespan Development (3cr) from Aug 23-Dec 19.

On campus: Advanced Human Physiology (4cr) T 12-1:20, Th 10-1:20, from Aug 23-Dec 19.

On another campus: Abnormal Psychology (3cr) M 5:45-9:45, from Nov 1-Dec 12.

Total credit hours: 10

Much more realistic. Much more manageable. Much healthier for my sanity. Much to the delight of those around me who would have been subjected to my wrath of psychotic bitchiness this fall, had things been kept the same.

You're welcome, family & friends. See, I'll be a great nurse, I'm always thinking of what's best for others. ;)

Obviously this means I will not be starting nursing school in January. I'll be starting in May 2011 (either at Marian-- where I've pretty much all but been formally been admitted to the program since it's so new and enrollment isn't anywhere near capacity--or IUPUI). Two full friggin years after I graduated from college. It's not the most ideal situation, but it is what it is. It's the degree I want, the program I want, and maintains the sanity I want. Marian's program is 16 months, IUPUI's is 18ish. Either way, I'll be finished before the end of 2012, and that, my friends, is a beautiful thing.

I believe my mother's words late Friday night were, "Marianne, you look like the world was lifted off of your chest." Um. It was.

If you followed all of that, I applaud you. If I haven't proven my fickle-ness, I can't help you out. If you want to join me for a Hawaiian vacation celebrating my RN status in mid-late 2012, start saving now, because y'all are invited!

Toodles!