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Nursing school while playing minor hockey?

I am going to start nursing school in September 2021 and want to continue playing minor hockey (I am young enough still to play minor hockey for 2 years). It’s not overly competitive but I love the sport more than life. I’m worried about balancing it with the demands of nursing school especially because my hockey team is not through my school so the schedules will most likely conflict & my profs won’t be so understanding. I just want to know if it’s possible. In my Bantam year, my practices were 2 nights a week for an hour and games were on weekends, 1 or 2 games a weekend and then 1-2 tournaments. I expect this year playing Midget will be similar in terms of time spent on the ice since it’s not competitive.
I really really wanna be able to play and I would be so devastated if I couldn’t. I’m mostly worried it’ll conflict with my clinicals but I believe I’ll be on the rotation that starts clinicals in January 2022, not fall when it starts, so I’ll most likely be able to manage the schedule then, I just worry about my winter semester :( Please offer any advice u can #school #university #sports #nursingschool #hockey #extracurriculars

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Thank you comment icon I just learned that I misread the information about when our clinicals start. I can request to be on the rotation that doesn’t begin until the first semester of the second year which would give me a whole year to play hockey and not have to commit to clinicals but just commit to classes & studying. I’m so happy!! Tay
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Suzanne’s Answer

Hello Tay,

This is Sue and I am a retired oncology RN from the USA. You are asking a very thoughtful question. You will make a good nurse as you are already demonstrating critical thinking.

I understand your love of hockey. My love during nursing school was music and in fact, I worked my way through nursing school playing the piano professionally for my college choirs. When I started clinical rotations, I had to stop.

If you are enrolled into a four year program, your clinicals may not begin until year two. The training and game schedule seems workable with an academic schedule. However, this all depends on your ability to maintain great study habits and excellent grades. The academic demands will increase once you enter your clinical rotations.

Nursing school is rigorous. At least in the US, it is really difficult to obtain a placement into a good nursing program as it is very competitive. At this point, you may have to weigh your future goals against your present desires. You are fortunate to be in a nursing program starting 2021. From my perspective, this is a precious opportunity. It is not possible to be successful in nursing school if classes or clinicals are missed. Every ounce of knowledge is required to pass the Board Exams.

There is a global shortage of nurses. Having highly educated, trained, and professional nurses is imperative for optimal health outcomes. Additionally, a nursing career will find you always having a job and earning a decent wage. It's a great feeling to come home from a day of work knowing that you made the world a better place and also able to put food on the table for yourself and your family.

I hope you find a way to continue playing hockey, but I also want you to continue to think critically about the choices you are facing. Again, you must have an awareness of what kind of student you are, your study abilities, and your desire to become a professional nurse. It's not impossible to do both at least during the first year of nursing school, but you must maintain your academics.

I hope this helps!
Sue, RN
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Lyndsay’s Answer

Of course you can! Do you earn a living playing hockey? I think managing a job, nursing school, and hockey would be outrageously difficult but if a traditional job isn't in play, then I think now is the perfect time to pursue both.
Thank you comment icon Thank you! I don’t have a job but I’ll be getting one in a couple weeks to pay for hockey but actual hockey doesn’t start until September when nursing school does so I won’t have a job by then so I won’t be balancing all 3. I’m glad it seems reasonable Tay
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Sanober’s Answer

Hi Tay!

Congratulations on your nursing school acceptance. Since it is still a ways away, you have time to think about how you will balance nursing school and your passion for hockey. Nursing school is very rigorous, but I don't think it's quite impossible to still pursue things outside of school. You should never have to give up things you enjoy doing for the sake of school. Once you begin the nursing program, you will get a feel for how to strategize your time to devote energy to studying and hockey. Never lose yourself in pursuit of academics, I believe in you to have the self-awareness in making the right choices.

Best of luck in school and beyond :)

Sanober
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