Nursing Student needing ADVICE!

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Hello. This problem I am having may need quite a long introduction, but I will summarize as best as I can. What I need is genuine advice. Last year I was a very hard working student and I got a 4.0 GPA and go accepted into my university nursing program. Now this year, I ended up having to get paired up with a random roommate in a dorm room because I do not have a car. This first semester has been a downhill spiral for me. Last year, my roommate, who ended up having to transfer schools for her major, was perfect. She was never in the room really, and when she was, we were friends and she was quiet as could be, so I could STUDY. Now this year, I thought that getting assigned to a random roommate in a small dorm room would not be horrible, but it has been. My roommate is not that bad of a person. She initially started off watching TV all teh time in the room and it was hard for me to adapt to since last year I was able to study without any problems. We ended up working out it out where she uses headphones while watching TV now, but I still find way to get distracted, like when she is opening and closing drawers she is really loud and just kind of careless where my roommate last year was always courteous as can be and dead silent. Also, she does not care about school and it is hard for me to be in this environment. I have tried and tried to switch room and it has gotten to the point where I feel I NEED a single, but there is not a single room available on campus. I have no car, so I cannot go anywhere off campus. Now it is to the point that whenever I go and study in my room, or do anything, I just cannot do it. I get so much anxiety inside of me and I just have a panic attack. The library is a 10 minute walk from my dorm every single day, and I just fear that I will be unhappy there. My roommate snores each and every night too and it keeps me up and I have to use ear plugs and ti still does not blcok it out. What do you suggest I do to cope with this situation? I really need advice because I can see my grades and motivation slowly but surely slipping through the palm of my hand. Next year I have plans already to life with 3 people and I will have my own bedroom, but I just fear I will not be able to get through this one more semster with this girl and I feel that things will go downhill to the point where I have too many issues where I may have to just go home. Please, I need genuine advice here.

Sorry the counseling center was so unhelpful. =( That's frustrating. At least you gave it a shot!

I spent a ton of time studying in the library when I was in school, both the first time around and when I went back for my BSN. When I was in school the first time (and living on campus with no car), the library was a 10 minute walk from my dorm room. When I went back for my BSN, the library was about 10 minutes away from the commuter parking lot. I walked to and from the library in rain, sleet, snow, you name it. Twenty minutes was a small price to pay for a quiet, calm study environment. Since you asked, I think you should give the library a try. At the school where I got my BSN, our library had about 10 "quiet rooms" - small rooms off one of the main levels with a door and a small desk. Those were REALLY quiet - and no distractions! There was nothing on the walls, no clocks, etc. They were the perfect place for someone (like me) who is very easily distracted by any level of noise or conversation. Maybe your library has something similar?

You just happened to get lucky with that first roommate. No disrespect intended OP, but you have to understand that the room you share belongs to your roommate just as much as it does to you. While common courtesy should be given, I don't think you should expect her to tip toe around her own room just because slight noises bother you. How fair is that to her? I really mean no offense here, and what I'm about to say next may be taken harshly but know that I'm really not trying to upset you. Here it goes:

Your last roommate spoiled you. Also, I find it crazy that you don't want to take a 10 minute walk to a quiet study hall. That blows my mind. Wow. Seriously, it blows my mind. I'm wondering whether this post is real because it's not like you said your new roommate is disrespectful, just that the noises that accompany normal day to day life is preventing you from studying. I mean, opening and closing drawers... Really!!!???!! She even agreed to wear head phones while she watches TV! I might do that once in a while if you had a mid term or something, but not all the time lol.

But if you want a solution, go get a pair of those BOSE Quiet Comfort headphones. They're supposed to work like a condom. They're a bit expensive new, but if you check craigslist I'm sure you can find a pair at a reasonable price.

Good luck with your studies. And again, I know the tone of this post may come off a bit stern, and I don't mean to upset you. But come on, you have to know that you're being just a tiny smidgen unreasonable...just a bit, maybe?

Go to the library and understand that if this is the worst thing you are coping with then all will be well. There are many here who are getting divorced, single with kids, have ill loved ones, work 2 jobs, etc,. and still manage to make it. Some people have a combination of what I just mentioned. I am saying all this to help put your problem in perspective, not to dismiss it. You do have a problem, but it is highly fixable.

I really wish having a roommate that opens a drawer and flips the page of a book too loudly was my biggest concern in college.

OP, you are being extremely unreasonable, I'll just say it. A dorm is a HOME for college students, it's where they live while in college. It's where they hang out with a friend, watch a good movie, relax, sleep, and yes, sometimes study. But like any home, if you can't study, there are many places on campus designed for studying. If I was your roommate, I would not watch tv with earphones on for your convenience, unless you were studying for a mid-term or final. Otherwise, that's her home too, and she shouldn't have to go to those extremes.

I live at home while in school and my house is FULL of noise. People talking, dog barking, tv blaring, you name it. If I have an exam coming up, I DRIVE 45 minutes to school, even on my days off (!!) just to go sit in the school library a few hours to study. It doesn't bother me any to do so, the library is big, spacious, quiet, and full of books if I need to reference them. Not to mention, free school wi-fi for any research I need to do on my computer. On days where I am in school, I still spend 2-3 hours studying after my classes before driving home, just to make sure my work gets done. I actually prefer to study in the school library, less distractions and I get more done.

A 10 minute walk to the library? Yes, walk to the library and do your studying there. It's not unreasonable. For most students it's actually normal.

Hmm.. I have to agree with the others- you are being really unreasonable. You sound like you expect your poor roommate to live her life totally around you and your needs... Totally not OK. You want my advice? The next moment you see your roommate, apologize!! I'm sure you're just stressed about grades, and that I completely understand- I'm that way too- but demanding that your roommate not make even the slightest noise because YOU don't want her too, is insane. It's not YOUR room, it's both of your room. What kills me is that you can't stand being there and study with her, but a 10 minute walk is too much of an inconvenience to you??? That makes you sound like the selfish, inconsiderate one. You owe her an apology if you've been treating her like this all semester, and you are incredibly lucky she has tried this hard (agreeing to wear headphones to watch TV) to be considerate of you. I'm an auditory learner, so I understand how you can be distracted by sound, but you should try to learn other techniques other than complete silence. Try turning on the tv to a show you aren't really interested in (helps you not be drawn to it quite as much), and turn the tv down really low- like maybe a loud-ish whisper, and try doing some studying. You will get use to the noise and be able to better tolerate it. Gradually you can up the volume to talking level and if you can do that you'll be saving both yourself an your roommate a lot of stress. I have 3 kids, 2dogs and Im married to a sailor-there is no quiet in my house, but I've learned to adapt and so can you! I'm actually able to tune out a lot of the chatter now, and I can't tell you how nice that is!I wish you luck, and I suggest you try to take a day off studying and just go and have some fun! You need a break to destress!

Specializes in ICU.

Ear plugs! Seriously, they were a lifesaver for me. You can get them from the drugstore. They're squishy little things you just pop in your ear. Think about investing in eye covers for sleep and maybe some calming teas like peppermint and vanilla. Good luck

Try earplugs, my friend puts relaxation music in I pod To study with

The library is made to study in, remember a lot of people live at home, and have to study in a library.

I know it's tough, but you can do it.

I don't have an opinion as to moving to another roommate, can you interview/ talk to them about your habits?

Good luck

Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

It is important for you to remember that it is a dorm room, it is not YOUR room in which you are allowing someone else to crash there. It is just as much her room as it is yours. From my experience as an undergrad, she seems to be EXTREMELY accommodating to your needs. I had a roommate that ate all of my food and brought strange boys/her friends back drunk at all hours of the night, so your roommate sounds like a gift from God :) I remember when I lived on campus/in a dorm years ago, it was rare that anyone ever studied in their rooms. There's hundreds of places on campus made for quiet study, whether it be in the library, rooms in the student center/computer labs, quiet rooms in the dorm buildings, etc. A lot of schools have 24 hour resources (after all, this is college!), so explore your options and don't feel limited to the library.

Maybe it would be good for you to NOT treat your room like a study room. It helped keep me sane to keep my studying OUTSIDE of the room, so that when I was in my room, I could relax, hang out with my roomie, and de-stress with the comfort of my tv and bed.

I am a bit confused. You say it's so hard to study, but later said you have over a 100 in all your classes. So it can't be that much of a problem for you.

I agree with the others that said you are being a bit unreasonable and that your roommate is trying to accommodate you (no offense but I would have told you to go to he** by asking me to wear headphones while watching my tv in OUR room) I'm not making a bunch of noise I am by myself watching tv. for all you know she has complaints about YOU and feels like you are the annoying unreasonable roommate. Watching tv, snoring, and opening and closing drawers doesn't make someone a bad roommate.

Where did you used to study that it was total silence before besides a library? even if you have your own room, dorm buildings in general aren't completely silent. You hear people coming in and out, laughing, doors opening, shutting, etc.

It doesn't really sound as if she is doing anything major where you should be THAT irritated,(no loud music or friends over; and the snoring she can't help that so why do you say it as if she does it on purpose?) If you are that irritated why not just leave and go to the library. You're the one who wants to study so why do you feel she has to work around you? You should go to a quiet area, not be somewhere and expect everyone to get quiet around you. Like others have said, That's her room also, and she has the right to relax and be in her room.

Also you said one of the problems with the library besides a 10 minute walk is that it closes at midnight? How late do you study? And how often? Are you a bit obsessed with studying or something? (and no I'm not asking to be smart I just never heard someone say the library closes at midnight as if that was early and not enough study time)

Hey Op, I just wanted to jump in here and say it's not that we're all teaming up against you. And even you admitted (pg 2) that you were being a bit unreasonable. Anyway, I've had buddies who had anxiety issues in college too, and they were just like you.

Here is a piece of advice that I gave them, I hope it helps.

Relax a bit. I understand that school is important to you, as it should be. But lets say hypothetically you failed a test for lack of proper study or whatever. What is the worse that will happen? You will simply just have to take the class over again. That's it! And once you do, the new grade replaces the old so your GPA will then be where you want it to be. It's really not as bad as I'm guessing you think it is ;)

Breathe...

I was JUST like you!! I seemed to always get paired with "the bad roommates". You know- the needy ones. The ones who wanted you to be there to hang out with them or go grab meals with them, or go and "do something fun". Yet, my nursing school put so much pressure on us to pass, and not just pass but make a B or higher in EVERY single class, that it was impossible to not worry. I had always made a's or high b's before nursing school and didn't think NS would be that hard, to be honest. But then I had one roommate in particular that almost caused me to fail out of school. I would obsess about how loud she was, or how loud she would breathe, or the fact that she always seemed to be in my space... even after I would try and lay the ground rules again. Yet, I was unable, or maybe unwilling to consider life from her perspective. I had to learn to love the library (except around finals time because it was overpacked), and had to learn to study with music on. I bought a fan/ air purifer, so even in the cold winter I could have some noise in the room to cover her sounds, and learned to wake up early/ get to studying earlier in the day.

It was unfair of me to wait until after 8 or 9pm to start my studying, and then tell her she couldn't be loud, or dry her hair or snore or whatever noise it was that was bugging me. I was projecting my anxiety about failing nursing school onto her. It wasn't her fault I couldn't focus- it was mine. Once I learned that my family would still love me if I failed, my boyfriend would still want to date me, and my school would still have me back- I was less anxious about tests and studying, and able to remain calm even in noisy situations.

with all that being said- yes it IS NORMAL TO GO TO THE LIBRARY EVERY NIGHT AS A NURSING MAJOR. It is possible to make flash cards even when someone is opening and slamming doors and drawers. It is possible to read when someone is snoring.

Like other posters said- take a study lamp with you to the lounge, use your earplugs. If people come in that are loud- you could kindly ask them to be quiet as you are preparing for a huge test. Maybe even make cookies/ cupcakes for your neighbors and try and be more amicable, rather than the self-centered roommate you could be perceived as if you don't.

Above all, take a deep breathe- you ARE going to make it!! God didn't bring you this far to have you fail out because of a bad roommate. Nursing is all about learning to work with difficult patients, co-workers, management, and diagnosis in life. If all else fails, at least you will have a GREAT answer to the interview question "name a time when you were in a challenging situation and how you handled it".

Sorry that was long, just wanted to give you some encouragement from my heart!

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