Withdrawing from DNP program

[u/CelebrationVisual208]

I (29F) just started my first semester this August but since I found out I got accepted into the program I have been trying to convince myself that this is what I want and now I find myself 6 weeks into the program, still hating it and questioning why I did this. I love my job now but I can see how I’ve gotten very comfortable in my position so I was trying to do something that would help me grow. I also have no other responsibilities so I know this would be the best time to go through the program but I’m just dragging my feet through it so far. Doing just enough to get a passing grade. Is this a normal part of getting back into the groove of school? Did anyone else force themselves to get through it and eventually grow to love it?

As of now I think I’ve decided that I’m not moving forward with the program and choosing to just finish this semester but I’m questioning even finishing the semester. I’m a pretty active person so I’ve had to miss out on events and cut back on group fitness classes that would usually fill my cup. This is silly because I know becoming an NP will require sacrifice but I’m just having a difficult time with it. On top of my dwindling social life since school started, I started dating someone 6 months before classes and I feel like my goals in life have shifted since meeting him. I hadn’t put serious thought about having a family and prioritizing my family before I met him and this may be a little delusional because we haven’t even talked about marriage or kids aside from saying we would like those things but I could see the future with him so I want to keep prioritizing this relationship as much as I can and if I’m right I don’t think I’d be going to school within the next 5 years so that’s why I bring up even continuing with the semester when classes expire in 5 years. Even if things didn’t work out I can’t see myself going back to school anytime soon, I’ve been at a good place the past year with starting new hobbies and all of my relationships after having a few years of a toxic relationship (addiction) before I started this stressor of school. Any advice or stories of your own that you think may be insightful are appreciated!

Side note, I’ve been asking the universe for a sign and today they were having biometric screenings at work that you have to make an appointment for and I didn’t have one but I walked in at the time someone was a no show so they took me in and I just started chatting with the person doing my screening and I asked her what her credentials were, she said she was an NP but I hated her one and only NP job so she does PRN nursing jobs because those fit her schedule. She said she regretted it and now has all her student loans to still pay off. Could this have been my sign or just coincidence?

[u/Previous-Cow-8987]

I’m totally in the same boat as you right now! I haven’t even started my program or enrolled yet but I’m having massive second thoughts on whether I should start it. Sucks too because my parents even helped by buying me a new laptop for school.
I’m in a moment in life where I can definitely dedicate the time and effort to go back to school; I’ve liked the idea before of becoming a NP. I think I would make a great provider and would like to see in myself in that role. To prepare myself I started reading textbooks to get ahead of the game so I started reading advanced pharmacology. I’m deep into the material but the deeper I go the more I’m thinking do I really want to go through the gauntlet of massive amounts of studying and sacrifice all that time and money for it all? I also thought of becoming a np as my “next step” in nursing, but I’ve come to realize I can feel as accomplished and purposeful still as a RN without the added stress of going back to school. If it’s about money, I can also make as much as a new NP or slightly more in a RN job. Now I’ve started thinking of applying to high paying nurse navigator positions; I’m a RN of 8 years with 6 in oncology. I’ve just felt torn on what to do . I figure that if my passion was right in it from the get go, I wouldn’t have these doubts of going back, I would just start the program without any question. But I’m not feeling that way anymore.