Do you remember the lessons your parents tried to teach you when you were young? Donna Gilliatt’s children do, and in a turning of the tables, they have been repeating those lessons back to her as she navigates returning to school and focusing on herself.
“I can’t quit. When my children were young, I gave them the rule that you have to see things through. And now they’re helping me hold myself responsible,” Donna said.
After raising three children, who now have successful careers and families of their own, Donna decided that it was time to pursue an education that she thought she didn’t have time to do before. She had always thought that if she couldn't go full-time, it wasn't worth it. However, a missionary trip to raise money for the reconstruction of a school in Nepal, resulted in a period of self-reflection.
“I started to live again and concentrate on myself,” Donna reflected. “The clock starts ticking and you think, ‘Did I make enough of a difference?’”
Donna had worked in medical aesthetics for years and had always wanted to take the next step to become a nurse. After considering several schools, she felt most welcomed at QCC and enjoyed the info session designed for healthcare students, so she enrolled in the Pre-Nursing program.
"At first it's so overwhelming to study again and maneuver online courses," Donna recalled, "But if you can get through the first year, you can do it."
Donna's children were a vital support system during that first year. One of her daughters offered some tough love support, encouraging Donna to learn things on her own (another lesson she had instilled in her kids) but assisted her with tasks like selecting an appropriate laptop. Her other daughter, a Spanish teacher, had a more hands-on approach.
"She was so encouraging. She would sit with me at home when I was studying and helped me learn Excel and Blackboard," said Donna.
In addition to her children, Donna has found the instruction style to be helpful as an older learner. When she was in high school, she felt that everyone was taught the same way, whereas now things are more customized to different learning styles. And while it can be more challenging now to retain information and balance other responsibilities, there are benefits to going to school later in life.
"There's something that's very fulfilling about it now, that wouldn't have been back then. I really want it and I like proving it to myself," said Donna, adding that she loves the excitement of checking grades on Blackboard and sending screenshots of her GPA to her kids.
Even with her children grown and out of the house, Donna experienced personal obstacles during her time as a student. In her first year at QCC, her father became ill and she had to frequently travel out of state to visit him, all while working, studying and attending class. This painful experience could have easily derailed her studies, but she persevered and even gained inspiration from her father's hospice nurse who provided a high level of care and compassion- something she aspires to do in her future nursing career.
As one of Donna's children told her, in life, time is going to pass anyway, so you might as well invest in what you want - the degree, the job change, the trip of a lifetime - and make it time well spent.