Overcoming fear of returning to school

Sprott Shaw College - Education that works

Karen C.
Health Care Assistant Program, Surrey Campus

At the age of 44 I decided to go back to school. I had been in retail on and off for 25 years and just could not do it anymore. My soul was crying out for fulfillment. I was scared and unrealistically afraid to fail. I wanted to go back to school a long time ago and my fear of failure stopped me from going at all. Finally I couldn’t do retail anymore and went in and registered for the Health Care Assistant (H.C.A.) program at Sprott Shaw Community College in Surrey.
I live in a world where just going to school was not an option, so I had to face working full-time and going to school full-time. I was worried about how I would juggle the two and how I would have time to study or even do homework. For seven months, day-by-day, I went to school at 6:30 a.m. to do homework and study, and then went to work. I got a maximum of 4 to 4 1/2 hours of sleep each night, and on exam days even less because I got up at 3:30 a.m. to study as I had no other time to do so. I got most of my homework done and aced almost every exam. 
I finally graduated, and with honours no less. I couldn’t believe it. I am grateful to some of the women at Sprott Shaw for their constant encouragement even when I came to tears from shear exhaustion and frustration. They pushed me to keep going and here I am now working where I did my first practicum and very happy indeed. 
It was tough and it took everything in me to do it, but I did it. Thank you Sprott Shaw and specifically Lois (instructor), Shelley (finance), Aimée (career planning) and Angela (clinical instructor).

Kickstart your career with Sprott Shaw Community College. Since 1903, Sprott Shaw has offered accredited, relevant and respected education and training, delivered in a modern way. Learn more at www.sprottshaw.com or call 604 310 HIRE.