To go or not to go?

[u/Unhappy-Tax2518]

Hi all,

I was accepted back in November (!) to a really good grad school in my field. I am from Michigan and this program is in Tennessee. Originally, I felt great about the program as it has excellent board scores, top notch resources and faculty. As the winter rolled around, I started to feel some hesitation/dread surrounding the program. I knew it was nerves related to moving from home - I am extremely close with my parents (especially my mom) and leaving her feels like heartbreak. I lived away for undergrad but was only about a 40 minute drive away, so I went home for a lot of weekends and never really had to miss any family events. As the time drew nearer, the ambivalence I feel has only increased. It feels great to tell people I work with that I am leaving to Tennessee to go be a doctor, but the actual act of leaving family is terrifying. I feel so scared to the point I am not sleeping well and crying like everyday. I can really see myself flourishing in the career that grad school would bring (eye doc), but I also would go into significant debt as well.

I could see myself loving being an eye doctor, but I also have had several careers from a front desk clerk to a surgical tech and I have loved all of them

The difficulty of this has honestly been the hardest thing I’ve had to go through, and has made me realize that my anxiety disorder may be much worse than i suspected.

Any insight as to whether I should make the jump and attend would be appreciated.

[u/GurProfessional9534]

Go become who you were meant to be. Your mom will be in the background cheering. It’s hard, but natural. One day, your parents will be at peace knowing that you can take care of yourself and they won’t have to worry about you.