Nicole and Peyton Shively are living a dream. While it may be one the mother-daughter duo stumbled into, for mom Nicole it is a dream realized even bigger than she could have fathomed.

Earlier this year the area family duo began their journey in nursing school, together. A career which escaped Nicole in her early 20’s, as a young Peyton had blessed her life and stable employment caused Nicole, a single mom, to put her nursing aspirations to the side at that time.

Nicole shared all these years later, nursing had remained on her heart and mid-2025, she decided to pursue returning to school. Meanwhile, daughter Peyton, a 2025 high school graduate, continued to weigh the options of where to continue her education, debating between doing hair or pursuing law.

A few short months before starting the nursing program, Nicole randomly posed the question to her daughter of joining her in nursing school.

“I was so shocked, because I said it so nonchalantly,” Nicole shared of asking Peyton. “I didn’t expect her to say, ‘I’m down’ so causally.”

But she did. So, the two began getting everything in line to start their nursing journey – together – in January of this year.

Shortly before starting the program the reality of her decision caught Peyton a bit off guard.

“I just started crying with my friends and was like this is not for me. I wanted to be a lawyer, I wanted to do hair, real estate ... I wanted to do something else not nursing,” Peyton confided.

Once classes began, however, things changed.

“But then I’ve really loved it ever since,” she continued of her shift in feelings since starting the program. “Ever since this new semester started and we’re taking care of patients and clinicals, I love it. I love it so much. I miss the days that we’re not in class and not in clinicals.”

As the two began their journey as nursing students, Nicole thought it would be fun to document some of it on TikTok. On a whim, she posted a photo to her account which she renamed ‘nursingwithnic,’ simply stating her joy of going to nursing school with her daughter.

Much to the women’s surprise, that simple post generated over 1.5 million views and her followers multiplied into the thousands.

“Before we knew it, I think in 24 hours it had 500,000 … maybe a million views, which was mind blowing,” Nicole said of the simple post. “I had no idea the nursing thing would take off like that.”

Four months later, the account now has over 56,000 followers and continues to grow daily. Almost as if the universe is confirming the Shively team belongs in nursing, the TikTok account has taken on its own life, resulting in brand partnerships and influencer program opportunities.

“The following just kept growing. People were super interested in our story, they wanted to know more about us,” Nicole said. “They kind of became invested in our story pretty quickly. So we kind of went with it and decided to share our story more than mom and daughter went to nursing school.”

As they did so, the natural comparison to the much-beloved mother-daughter Gilmore Girls found its way into their feed; a fact which tickled them both.

“It was our go to show,” Nicole shared of the popular series. “It was always a thing. I just didn’t expect TikTok to be like, oh ... Gilmore Girls.”

The content is simple yet relatable. Everything from confessions to who’s the Type A and Type B of the group, to tough tests and study struggles, the Shively’s put it out there for their followers and they love it.

“We’ve had some videos that we’re like oh this is a good idea, let’s talk about it,” Peyton said of their content, “but most of the time she’ll pick me up for school in the morning and she’s already filming. We just go with it.”

“It’s super, super organic,” Nicole added.

And ‘going with it,’ has proven to be exactly what the audience loves. Currently the duo has accepted opportunities with Fabletics, Curel Lotion, Case Mate, Headbands of Hope and Halara.

While the brand deals are fun, Nicole has made it a practice not to say yes to everything. Focused on keeping the account authentic and not having her content driven by endorsements, she has turned down just as many as they’ve accepted.

“I didn’t want my account to come across as inauthentic, that I’m posting simply because I’m getting paid,” she shared. “I genuinely wear Fabletics scrubs. They’re my favorite. So that made sense for us.”

While mom is relatively ‘new’ to the TikTok world, first starting her account three years ago, for Peyton the whole thing just seems a bit crazy. She shared that she’s been recognized while shopping at the mall or out and about with friends.

“It’s a little bit of both,” she said of it being both cool and crazy. “I like it but it’s also embarrassing and I know it shouldn’t be but it is.”

“It’s not us specifically, people like the mother-daughter dynamic,” Nicole humbly stated. “Our dynamic is rare. How many mom and daughter nursing students are going to school. It’s the story itself.”

Prompted by curiosity to review their followers, the duo learned they have them from all over the world.

“That’s so cool,” Peyton said of their reach.

While the social media aspect may be a fun bonus, the mother-daughter team remains focused on their studies and the goal at hand – becoming nurses.

“She is such a natural. It’s blown me away,” Nicole said of her daughter. “She’s in the top portion of our class on every test. She studies; her homework is always done. She still works on the two days that we’re not in class, so she’s going seven days a week. She’s completely blown me away.”

Peyton still finds it all a little surreal.

“The first few weeks I was uncertain,” Peyton said. “Then a few weeks in, like week four, all of a sudden I was all in. I love it. This is what I was meant to do. I don’t really know what changed but it was just out of nowhere and I love it. I live and breathe for it.”

The current nursing program they are in will conclude in December. Upon completion of the program, they will each be able to secure jobs as LVN’s and then they plan to bridge to an RN program.

“I can’t really imagine doing the rest without her,” Peyton stated, regarding staying together for the next chapter.

“We definitely help each other,” Nicole added. “Academically I’d say I help her more. For whatever reason the medical stuff is ingrained in me. It’s so natural for me.”

Peyton, they both agree, is the more organized of the two. The true Type A, which Nicole, as the Type B relies on to keep her on track and organized.

“We’re a great balance to one another,” Nicole said.

Both women share stories of nurses that have positively impacted their lives at vulnerable and uncertain times, a fact which motivates and inspires them to someday be that for someone else.

And as far as the long-term nursing aspirations?

Peyton hopes to either pursue labor and delivery or work in a prison with her nursing skills, while Nicole tends to lean to trauma or continue her education by way of MP.

“I love puzzles, not physical puzzles ever. But I like to look at a patient’s chart and say okay, what’s going on here,” Nicole explained of her aspirations. “To be an MP you can take that full circle.”

Of the moments they cherish the most during this time, both note their car time as their favorite. Nicole enjoys the morning drive with coffee, while Peyton cherishes the after school debrief drive home.

“We really have had a staple in our day. Every morning we’re together, we get our coffee. We talk on the way there; we talk on the way back,” Nicole said, acknowledging the unique opportunity. “It’s a cool thing to witness this. Not many people get to witness the college side of their kids. Getting to experience it with her and just seeing her blossom; I’m just so insanely proud.”