My mom was terminally ill, and I was taking care of her. She passed July 3, 2023. I had to stay home with my dad, who is 83 years old and has serious medical issues, as well as my sister, who is disabled. While all this was happening, I was still driving trucks; I'm a Class A CDL driver. I did that for 31 years. But because life changed so drastically and unexpectedly, I had to find a new vision for my life. I loved transportation; it was my passion, and I loved teaching new drivers and mentoring. It was so hard giving up what I loved.
I'm definitely not ready to retire, so I started thinking about what else I like to do. I was an STNA all through high school, and I loved it. I watched all the awesome nurses take care of my family, and that had a lasting effect on me. I always dreamed of going to college. I have always loved helping and encouraging others. So now I have a new passion, and that is nursing. My dream is to be a hospice nurse.
I visited a lot of different schools, but they were not very encouraging. Everyone would just explain all the challenges, but no encouragement. On my first visit to Hondros, I felt welcomed; everyone smiled and was helpful. They explained the challenges, but they also gave me encouragement, support, and resources to help me on my journey.
My advice to any future student is to just get in there and do it. All the instructors here are knowledgeable, helpful, compassionate, funny, and friendly. No matter what their personal challenges, they show up and work hard to equip you to become the best nurse you can be.
But, you get what you put in. It’s hard work! It’s about prioritizing your education while you are in this program. It is fast paced, and you have to be disciplined and focused. But you can do it! I'm amazed after every semester. I was 56 years old when I started at Hondros. It’s never too late to chase a new dream! If you’re older and your children are all grown up, and you have this dream too, come on, we're here waiting to cheer you on!
Success takes determination, hard work, and discipline. If I don’t understand something, I ask questions. I read all my material and use my resources. Hondros gives me the information—my responsibility is to learn it.
I love the phrase, “Believe in the beauty of your dreams.” Hondros helped me believe that being a nurse is possible. That my dreams are possible. The support from my faculty has been amazing. I'm so happy to be here. I'm so happy that everyone—students and faculty—make me believe anything is possible!
– Oralia Terrazas is a student in the Practical Nursing Program at the Maumee campus.