Nursing School= No Life

[johns795]

Going into nursing school I knew it was going to be hard, but i still got a rude awakening. I started my first semester, and I'm not saying i wasn't prepared for the work because I was. I am just saying that I literally have no time to do anything but sleep, work, and study. One thing that really bothers me is the fact that in order to pass the classes we have to average a 75% on the quizzes and exams. This brings my test anxiety and stress level to a maximum. Nursing students should get weekly complimentary stress relief massages. :) I am so excited to be in the program and on my way to my career as a nurse. However, the years to follow are going to be filled with tons of school and no fun.

[caughtbuckinoff]

I wouldn't say that nursing school equals no life. It is definitely time consuming and you will have to say "no" to things you'd rather be doing more often than you'd like, but it really shouldn't cause a huge life shift unless there are a multitude of other stressors as well. I'm in school full time and work 30 hours a week. I won't lie, I'm tired a heck of a lot, but not to the point of the walking dead. I am in a good relationship that hasn't suffered due to the hectic schedule, and although I don't have children myself, I know plenty of my classmates do and still find time to enjoy their family and even some "me" time while still doing well in school.

It is challenging and you MUST take some time to enjoy yourself, even if its just a couple of hours a week. If you don't come to the surface for a breath of fresh air now and then, you will drown. Organize your time so that you're not spending an entire day studying for your next test. You learn much better by taking in a bit at a time. Don't rush home from school and start studying. Come home, eat a healthy snack, take a quick nap if you need to, exercise, or otherwise relax and recharge yourself before attacking the books. If possible, take at least half a day away from school and work and do something fun.

Nursing school is fun. It changes you and you'll have to make some sacrifices but you'll be done sooner than you can imagine and will look back and wonder what happened, where did it go? Above all, enjoy everything in life that you can, even if it feels like a struggle.

"Even the darkest hour is only sixty minutes" (forgot the author of that quote, sorry).