Too...Much.... STRESS

[Becca]

Okay becuase they have cancelled SAT's for year 9's here we are starting our GCSE revision/course work early and in 2 weeks :shock:

To be a Verterinary nurse you need to be good at Science and Maths and I am absoletly crap at both and I'm scared because I am actually really rubbish at them but I really want to be a Veterinary nurse

Also I don't know what I want to pick for my options, I think if i pick triple science the rest of my school life will be a misery but if I pick double and other stuff ,... Oh I don't know, I don't know what qualifications I need to be a Vet Nurse I am definelty doing Drama for GCSE even though that doesn't relate to being a Vet Nurse and oh for goodness sake please someone help

 

[Flashy]

I think its important that you don't panic about this. I would suggest the best thing to do is choose relevant subjects, but also what you enjoy, and mix of the both is good.

It's also important to point out that even if your GCSEs do not go to plan it is not the end of the world. There are a good few ways to become a vet nurse/get the grades you want after GCSE level, so if things go wrong its not the end of the world.

Essentially what you need to do is try your best, get your attendance up and that's all you can do. The rest will take care of itself.

 

[PepnFluff]

I was in the same position as you in my jnr year, I wanted to be a vet tho and I was/am RUBBISH at Science. I've completely dropped all sciences this year and I already regret it and school hasn't even started. I am HIGHLY allergic to cats and with them being a animal that there will be many of at a vets influenced my decision not to take sciences. Sometimes when we want to get places the road to get there isn't very easy, at all. If you really want to be a vet nurse then I would recommend to take them all, when your doing them and are struggling remember what your trying to achieve. Many schools offer tutorials after school or in lunch times etc for things like the sciences and maths. Good Luck with what ever you chose. You could become a vet nurse a bit later in life, so you wouldn't need to take all the subjects now, and things would be a bit easier and stress free.

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Becca, seriously sweetie don't worry about it. Work hard, plan ahead, be organised and everything will be fine. (I also have to say, I love coursework. It is a great way to get points in the bag for the exam!)

Now me, I am stressed up to my eyeballs. I have my A2 Cold War history exam tomorrow and I am getting so confused with all the details. All the battles and dates and statistics of the Vietnam War are getting all messed up in my head. And I still need to look over Korea stuff again before tomorrow.:shock:Oh I hate exams soooo much. They stress me out!!ullhair:

 

[Michaela]

Don't worry about coursework, they will really guide you through it and to be honest it's a lot better than doing exams.

I did Triple Award Science, if you don't like Science then I wouldn't advise it.. I think a third of my timetable last year was spent in Science, even more this year as I kept on all three for AS. But you don't need TA for anything, sure if you plan on keeping sciences for A Level it's useful, but plenty of my friends did DA and are coping fine with AS sciences.

Do you have a careers teacher you can talk to about it all?

 

[NZminilops]

As above!

Don't stress about it too much, really. You're never too old and it's never too late to go and study at a university, college or polytechnic institute.

At least here in NZ, you can start from the very basics - you can take a basic science course then go on further to vet nurse and vet dr stuff. I was considering doing it last year. Adult education is readily available in your country, you'll be fine if you don't do well now.

 

[TinysMom]

My thoughts are probably going to get rotten tomatoes thrown at me here......and I really know nothing about the education system over there so I really should shut up.

But I don't want to see you doing what my son did - and what he's having to do now.

When Eric was younger he was gung ho on how he wanted to be a "youth minister" working at a church. He was just sure that was what he wanted to be - so we looked at schools where he could do that - and he wound up going to Multnomah Bible College for 3 years in pursuit of a degree in youth ministry. (He is a people person and we agreed with him that it would be a good fit).

During his third year in school - he was very miserable. As part of his education - all third year students (Why oh why didn't they make the kids do this their FIRST year??) had to go through a course about understanding themselves and finding the right career for them.

Eric was shocked to learn as he went through several assessments - that what he really wanted to do - what his true passion (and that he'd give up eating/sleeping and almost breathing for) was drama. Anytime he was in a play or helping with a play - he felt truly alive. Sure enough - the assessment showed that his strengths were in the area of the creative arts.

He was broken hearted the night he talked to me. He'd gone to college three years - was thousands of dollars in debt w/ student loans...and had more to go to finish a degree he realized he didn't want to use.

He cried - with relief - when I said to him, "Finish out the semester - come home - there's a college here in Texas where you can get a degree in theater/drama..".

He was like, 'Really? But I'd be giving up 3 years of my studies..."

I went on to say, "Do you want to give up more of your life to something you realize isn't right?"

He came home - enrolled in a college and now has to go part-time and work part-time to finish his degree - but he LOVES his classes (usually - not the homework - but the classes). They love him at his school - he's received two awards for $1,000 each that were scholarships to help him complete his education. His instructors actually want him to stay around and get his master's in their program...

So what does this have to do with you? Am I telling you to get a theater degree?

No.

But with all you're saying about hating sciences and math - I have to wonder if a veterinary nurse is really a good fit for you. (I wanted to be a laboratory technician and started training for it - only to flunk out of college cause I hated sciences and math).

Here are my suggestions for you...

• See if you can follow around a veterinary nurse for a day or two. Perhaps you can volunteer a month of Saturdays for "job shadowing" to see if this is what you REALLY want.
• Find and take some personality tests online - I think there are some free ones out there - and if you want - I'll try to help you look for some. Eric took the DISC test and I've taken it also to help me see what I should be (I paid though for a more detailed report). There is also the Myers-Briggs test and several others.
• Make a list of the reasons why you want to be a veterniary nurse. Is it the animals? Perhaps there is a more creative way for you to work with animals that you would enjoy more.

I'm mainly speaking out here because I have seen you post several times about how you love to write....how you love to act....and how you hate school and can't go.

The fact you're drawn to the more creative things - makes me concerned about you trying for a career in the sciences.

The fact that you hate school and have anxiety attacks or whatever - makes me think that if you enroll in the sciences/maths that you hate - you're going to continue to have problems in school.

Once again - these are just my thoughts and opinions - I certainly don't know you as well as others.

But I know what my son went through - and how at times he regrets wasting 3 years of his life working towards a degree he realized that he didn't want. Now he's 24 and STILL going to college part-time....

 

[irishbunny]

Join the club Becca, I have big exams at the end of this year-can't wait! :X

 

[Becca]

TinysMom wrote:

• Find and take some personality tests online - I think there are some free ones out there - and if you want - I'll try to help you look for some. Eric took the DISC test and I've taken it also to help me see what I should be (I paid though for a more detailed report). There is also the Myers-Briggs test and several others.

Please

 

[Mai_Roberts]

irishbunny wrote:

Join the club Becca, I have big exams at the end of this year-can't wait! :X

I do to. :?I had a science GCSE exam today, and have one tuesday to!



I have to say, i do prefer the coursework. Just make sure you prepare it well... and dont leave it last minute, or hand it in late. (Like i have a few times. :blushan My english macbeth coursework was the worst... it was MONTHS late! :whistling

Good luck x

 

[Becca]

Here is something I found from this link here

What skills and knowledge will I need?

• concern for animals without being too sentimental I can work on that
• calmness and confidence when handling animals Definetley
• a tactful and sympathetic approach with upset or nervous owners Yup
• an interest in science, particularly biology I like Biology
• willingness to carry out messy or unpleasant tasks Sure thats what I do best!
• the ability to communicate well with owners and colleagues Yup, I talk a lot
• administrative and IT skills. Yeeep!!

 

[Flashy]

If you get there (there being doing more maths and science, starting a vet nurse course, etc) and find that it's not for you there are a huge variety of jobs that you can d involving animals (if working with animals is what you want to do), like working at an RSPCA, being an animal behaviouralist, grooming naimals, even, when you get your own house, boarding animals, or being a pet sitter, being a wild life rehabilitator, educating children, working at a zoo (I know someone who volunteers at a zoo and it sounds amazing), anything like that. Equally, you may decide in the future you want animals in your private life, but want to do something else for work, and that's ok too. Just go with what your heart says. You have plenty of years to decide what you want to do, and if you are determined enough, then all those options should be open to you.

 

[Saffy]

I think you've been given some fantastic advice here. Wishing you (and anyone else going through exams this year) all the best ... remember to take lots of breaks.

 

[pinksalamander]

I haven't had time to read through everyones posts, but hereis my advice.

Keep your options open. When I was in your situation I really wanted to do something media related. Perhaps not acting but I really like the idea of being in radio or television production. I was sure that was what I wanted to do. Now, I'm sitting here hoping to go to university to be a graphic designer. So really its very far away from what I thought I wanted to do.

At GCSE stage I recommend you do something you enjoy and are naturally good at. You want to be a vet nurse, but that doesn't mean you have to do triple science. You could always do a college course at 16 to get the courses you need for vet tech at uni. I'd say try and do something you are naturally talented at (so you should hopefully get a good grade). I had 4 options, I took Spanish, Drama, Geography and Product Design. Out of those 4 subjects, I only did 1 at A Level (Product design). Now I'm doing ICT, Product Design and English.

GCSE coursework is really nothing. Just plan well and take your time and you will do fine. You need to focus on school work a lot now because it will only get harder. Just keep on top of it and you have nothing to worry about.

As a guide, I just used the UCAS guide and found a Veterinary Nursing course (at Brighton Uni, just the first I came across). To get in they want 120 UCAS points which is basically 1 A at A Level, and a relevant subject (most probably biology). So basically, if you go the normal route you will be taking 1 AS Level and 3 A levels, and you can definitely get 120 points for that. And onl one needs to be relevant.

So in short, to sum all that confusingness up, stick to what you like at GCSE. If you want to be a vet nurse, its not all about the grades and subjects. They want to see you realy want it. You need to be volunteering with animal rescues, seeing if the vets will let you help on Saturdays etc to show you are really and truly into it. You will probably need to take Biology at A level, but for the rest choose subjects you are going to enjoy. The more you enjoy them they better you will be. And the better you are the higher grades you will acheive!

Fran :hearts :brownbunny