Why do i feel like i've wasted my youth?

I'm 21 and yes, i'm young but i felt like i've never accomplished anything "good" in my life both through my
"professional" (education/career) and "personal" (parties/bars) lives. I don't know it's b/c of the fact i graduated
from high school at 17 and that I haven't gotten into my major yet.

I'm striving to be a nurse but nursing school is just freakin competitive. I'm a nursing assistant, volunteer,
etc...I have my associate's degree YET i STILL haven't gotten in and it's beating me up inside. Also,
after my freshman year of college I decided to be "low key" - i didn't feel comfortable with the whole "group"
parties, bars, clubs, etc...getting into your "clique" and knowing "people that know people"...i just wanted
everything to be simple...hang out with few CLOSE friends and do simple things - movie, dinner, etc...

I know i sound like i prick...i'm aware of what a ********* it is hard getting into nursing and i've sacrificed
a hardcore social life but i feel like i'm missing out...i see my other friends and it seems that they have it both.
They can party and still go to school...why am i feeling this?

well you should never compare yourself to others it always seem like they are doing better and seldom is that true. You are putting unnecessary pressure on yourself its ok where you are at with your life there are no rules or expectations to meet unless you put them there. So stop and ask yourself what makes you happy, what simple doable little thing will make you happy and just be happy.

You're only 21 and you feel like you've wasted your youth? Hell, your youth is just beginning. Come back when you're 41 or 51 and ask this same question. Maybe it'll make more sense at that point...

You know what? You are a dedicated person that knows what they want. That's awesome, you're so lucky to have that. It's a really tough thing to balance social stuff and school. But if you feel that you need to focus more on school right now then don't let it get you down. It's important to you right? You are accomplishing a lot right now and more will happen in the future as you continue further. Like you said, you're still young so don't worry. Get what you want in a career and then party it up after when you don't have your school responsibilities making you feel guilty about it.

Eye of the beholder dear. Some say that you have fun after you make it, some say have fun while you are doing it, some say have fun then make it later. Honestly it depends on what you know is right. I know you didnt put in your story what you really feel. I can tell that by just reading what you wrote. Deep down inside, something you don't share with anyone is what you really feel. Find it drive towards it and then look back later. All you see now before you is temporary spurts of happiness. Tommorow those people will want what you have. Plus the harder you ride your body and soul while you are young, the more you will pay for it in the latter days.

I think most people wish they would have done more in their past. I think more importantly for you is the fact that you don't really want to be a nurse and you haven't accepted it yet. I know nothing about you, but I know this. Find your true passion and you will become successful. I labored through 4 college degrees to "please" my parents, but my passion in life was tennis. So after I completed my fourth degree I went the next day and started coaching kids. Fifteen years later I am a very successful coach not using any of my formal education. You know what your passion is, get to it and start your career.

The poet who wrote the line, "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may" said something truthful there. Perhaps, you need a short break from studying and school in general. Have you considered taking off for a semester? Better to see a little bit of the world before you settle into the really difficult nursing studies. You might learn something new about yourself, such as perhaps that nursing school isn't for you? But then you may also return to school with a renewed dedication to your chosen major.

You should never think of yourself as a ***** or a prick because you choose to have a few close meaningful friends instead of a whole bunch of acquaintances. It takes alot of guts to value quality over quantity. Always remember to give yourself credit for the things that you are accomplishing in life. You are so very young and you seem to have a great head on your shoulders. Don't give up. Once you obtain your goal of being a nurse, all of this will be behind you.

When you are ready to come out of your shell, you will. It is not like you can't, you are just making a conscious decision not to right now.

HTH

First of all. Stop complaining. You're 21. You're way too young to be complaining when you've hardly lived your life so far. So get over it! I used to hang out with a Nurse who was my friend's ex GF. She was hot, smart, cool and fun to be around with. She was a blast ot hang out with. She also was 25 with a little 5 year old daughter from her previous marriage too.

Second...pull up those boot straps and go for what you want in life. You want to be a Nurse! That is great! You'll be helping the sick, the wounded, the dying, the maimed, the disabled, little kids, and infants. Sick patients in the ER will need you in the future!

Third...Do you know how money much Nurses make an hour??? They make about $25 -$ 35 an hour!!!!
Be grateful you are going into a profession that is high demand and rewarding and you'll be making great money while doing something great with your life---"helping other people get well and healed"

Fourth - I'm older than you and I know what I'm talking about from so many years of working in "the real world"

Fifth - Sorry but someone had to kick your butt back into gear cause you are the right track.....

Sixth - Good luck and go be the best Nurse you can ever be

Hey, this turmoil is quite common--you have to forget the past--it is behind you--now you have to take each day as it comes. you need to set goals and priorities and stick to them--work a little on each thing everyday. stress cannot be a part of this scenario--nursing is a stressful career--so learn to relax and let the day go on as it happens. You will get into school when the time is right and not a moment before--so stop worrying about it. Socially you can balance things--you are smart enough to know how to have fun without overdoing it. Allow some fun to be in your life. Find places to go to meet and talk to new people--you'll find that they have the same issues as you do. You can probably help each other over some hurdles in life. Negative thoughts bring negative results--positive attracts positive--just give it all time--stand tall--show confidence--enjoy the life you have now--today !! Good luck to you

you will look back and laugh...because of all the success you will have.

First of all KNOW that you are doing this to:
YOURSELF. The only way to stop it, it to stop yourself from comparing yourself to others.........and realize that we all do things at our own level and our own speed, it is hard to remember this when we are inundated with media; television programs that show people who appear to have it all together, they don't; it is an illusion, don't fall for it. Second, why be so hard on yourself? The rest of the world can do that for you. You sound like an over-achiever ; I know I am one. I have the degree, the big house the whole nine, and I still have to fight the urge to push myself, and look at others and thing why can't I do what they are doing......but I do just that I fight that urge. Why be unhappy. start thinking positively about what you have accomplished! Be proud of what you have done.......and if you have people in your in your life who are less than positive GET RID of them (as best you can...meaning don't absorb their negativity), you certainly don't need that! It sounds to me like you are right on track; in fact WAY on track, I know plenty of 21 year olds who have accomplished zilch!
You are do GREAT.
This is your mantra
............."I am good, I am doing exceptionally well for myself".

You've used your time for something that you feel is important. If you think that you've wasted it, then you should probably step back and re-evaluate what's important, and what you think will be important in another 10 years when you'll have used up a significantly larger portion of your youth. Let's say you do get into nursing school, get accepted at a hospital and spend a lot of time helping others. Would it have been worth the sacrifice of your social life? If not, you need to give it more thought.

Don't be fooled about what others are accomplishing. Medicine is a very time consuming profession, and nothing is going to change that. If you want more time to party, then you should consider persuing something less demanding. Making a living at sales, for instance, involves doing a LOT of hanging out and partying, but for me personally I would consider that unrewarding. Something more 9 to 5 like accounting would also result in more party time, but where would that put you in 10 years? Just because others have more time to party than you doesn't mean that they're making better use of their time.