Why I Started Nursing School: Following My Mom’s Dream (and Finding My Own)

 Her story was mine to finish!

Growing up, I’ve never really had anything on my mind, I didn’t have a dream job or career. I was just a girl trying to finish school and figure something out you know.

In grade nine, my mom and I were talking about the past, and she told me something that left me shook . She wanted to be a nurse! I was amazed. Never in my life would I ever think she wanted to be a nurse. my mom is a teacher now, but listening to her stories, I could see it in her eyes and her voice trembling.

She told me about her childhood during the war: injured soldiers and kids would come to their home, and she would always be the one to care for them cleaning wounds, putting bandages, and helping however she could. She wanted to be there for people who couldn’t help themselves 💖. But when she graduated, she wasn’t chosen to be a nurse she became a teacher instead.

Hearing that, I thought:  Why not finish her dream? Why not take the journey she once longed for? 💭

Fast forward to my last year of high school: I wanted to know something so I asked my mom a question “if you were to get a chance and go to college what will you study” she smiled and said “ In my next life I would choose to be a nurse. And that gave it up, it wasn’t just something she wanted to do in the past but it’s still something she wants to do🥺. I finally applied to UNAM. First choice? Law, because it looked cool on TV. Second choice? Nursing obviously.

Starting nursing school was exciting but also scary as hell. I’ve always been a hard-working student, so I gave it my all. My second-year practicals started, and guess what? My first placement was midwifery… OMG 😭😭.At first, I wasn’t sure if I liked it. And now? I’m in labor ward which everyone says is scarier than the antenatal clinic. 

Even though I was nervous, I showed up, listened, and slowly got the hang of it 💪. I passed second year—mom was happy, I was happy 😁.

Then… 2025 happened 😭. I registered for third year, attended a few classes, and a week late I got deregistered back to second year 😭😭😭. Trauma level 1000. I cried. I was discouraged.

After that chaos, I started practicals again. I was giving my all to patients, respecting my seniors but in the midst of all that I neglected my logbook and it was empty 😅. One day, a nurse sat me down and asked:

"Why is your book so empty when you’ve been here so long?"

I told her my story, the deregistration, the discouragement and she said:

*"Willem, I’ve seen you work your ass off in this ward. I see so much potential in you. Even with what happened, you mustn’t dim a light that was meant to shine ✨”

 It really hit me. From that day, I treated my midwifery logbook like my life depended on it. I studied harder, learned things I never thought I would, and slowly… midwifery grew on me.

When I went home for holiday, I kept telling my mom about things I’ve learned. She noticed the difference. “What changed? You’re happier. You talk so much about midwifery now—last year you barely said a word 😅.” I replied, “It’s because I’ve been doing it all year.” She smiled and said: “It’s either that… or you love midwifery 💕.”

That moment stuck with me. That’s when I realized: I want to specialize in midwifery 💉👶.

💡Moral of the story:

Sometimes our dreams start as someone else’s but along the way, we find our own passions. Nursing school is hard, emotional, and sometimes scary—but it can also lead you to exactly what you’re meant to do.