I am entering my nursing program this fall- in a month actually... and I am, in a few words... TOTALLY FREAKING OUT!!! I don't know what I should be doing at this point! I have completed all of my pre-matriculation requirements, tuition is covered (Praise the Lord!), gone over my monthly bill budget a gazillon times (I'm a parent and working through school-- that's essential), purchased my uniforms and supplies, and I have all of my books (emphasis on ALL-- there's like nine of them). WHAT NOW!!!????
I guess what I'm asking is, how should I be preparing myself for this? Should I start reading the first chapters of my books? Should I start prepping for NCLEX?? Should I... I DON'T KNOW!!??
I think I'm a little excited. This is a major change for me. I have a school aged child and a preschooler and I'm going from working full time to studying full time and work study. I'm starting school. My son is going back to school. Money is going to be tight. I feel a little overwhelmed. I know I'm ready. I have my plan in place and I guess I'm just like "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!!"
I'm feeling tense like a runner at the start of a race, waiting for the time to explode full speed ahead!
I need some advice guys? What did you guys do in the weeks leading up to your program? I should probably relax, and I will.. really.. I promise!!
Besides relaxing I would highly suggest giving your house / apartment / living area a good cleaning so that all you need to do during the semester is small touch ups that won't take a lot of time to complete.
I agree, especially as a parent! Deep clean, and organize as much as possible, it will make life much simpler while working, taking care of kiddos, and trying to tackle nursing school. I might also suggest planning meals that can be made ahead of time and frozen, maybe even getting a basic cleaning schedule down.
Really do enjoy your time. Sleep, rest, have fun with your son. Read here and there. If you have gotten your syllabus, take care of the first few chapters. Don't try to memorize it, just read. Do anything in your house that may need to be done over the next couple of years...lol. Make sure your dust bunnies will have a nice environment to spend their time in. Congrats on getting in and good luck :)
I heard that! I'm getting my place organized once and for all because THAT should be the least of my worries!... next couple of years.. lol! :cheeky:You're telling the truth though.
Thanks for all of your advice guys! I'm definitely taking that organizing, deep cleaning, and meal planning/ scheduled cleaning stuff to heart. I know for a fact that those will definitely be helpful. Thanks for all of your well wishes and congrats to all of you guys standing at the starting line with me! May we run well!
I have been chillaxing some too! I just finished what will be my last paid week of vacation for a long while and what did I do for a big chunk of it???? SLEEP:sleep: Yes I did! Amazing right??
Y'all please-- between all that cleaning, book browsing, organizing my school bag (and reorganizing my school bag-- I just like touching my stuff)-- I was sleeping like they paid me to do it! Kids were at camp all day-- what?!?!? I barely knew what to do with myself!
Again though, thanks so much for your tips you guys! YOU'RE ALL AWESOME!!!!
I would not read a thing!! I'll tell you why!! If you read it now, I think it will sound like a foreign language to you! It did to me anyway. I do not think I could have prepped at all for my first semester. My whole first semester was all about trying to grasp the critical thinking part of nursing school. I think going to class and having the teacher's guide you into what's important on whatever you are studying, will be all you need to do. So I would wait it out and not worry with it. I really feel like until you have physically been in class and realize what nursing school is all about, reading before then will do no good. This is only my opinion though!! If they offered a pre-nursing class like nursing 101, I would have definitely taken that! Good luck!! Like PPs said, enjoy your time!! Be free while you can!!
Reading your post makes me 100x more excited! I got into RN school this Sept. and I'm very ecstatic! I will be working full time as well and I am a parent to a 17 month old boy, busy busy busy! but I am so ready to take on the challenge. This is what I've been waiting for.
What I've been doing lately is googling the nursing subjects I'm taking this fall and I've found lots of review questions, tests flashcards, etc and I've been reading them. It's a lot of A&P stuff. I don't have the books just yet or the materials. I'll be getting them soon though. I am sooooo ready to start!
i have 12 days till my first core class... I am prepping crockpot meals to freeze, spending our last weekend with my kids and planning out my other duties so that all I have to do at home is go into auto pilot! Good Luck!
I would not read a thing!! I'll tell you why!! If you read it now, I think it will sound like a foreign language to you! It did to me anyway. I do not think I could have prepped at all for my first semester. My whole first semester was all about trying to grasp the critical thinking part of nursing school. I think going to class and having the teacher's guide you into what's important on whatever you are studying, will be all you need to do. So I would wait it out and not worry with it. I really feel like until you have physically been in class and realize what nursing school is all about, reading before then will do no good. This is only my opinion though!! If they offered a pre-nursing class like nursing 101, I would have definitely taken that! Good luck!! Like PPs said, enjoy your time!! Be free while you can!!
You know this is true. I've been reading some of my book and while it's not like I don't understand what's being said, I do, but without knowing the true application and putting it into action, it's like... ooookaaaay. I don't have anywhere in my brain to hold it yet or anything to connect it to so I'm laying off of that until we start. In the meantime, I'm searching for post and people that are keeping me pumped up. I'm storing this excitement for a rainy day. LOL!!
Reading your post makes me 100x more excited! I got into RN school this Sept. and I'm very ecstatic! I will be working full time as well and I am a parent to a 17 month old boy, busy busy busy! but I am so ready to take on the challenge. This is what I've been waiting for.
What I've been doing lately is googling the nursing subjects I'm taking this fall and I've found lots of review questions, tests flashcards, etc and I've been reading them. It's a lot of A&P stuff. I don't have the books just yet or the materials. I'll be getting them soon though. I am sooooo ready to start!
Keep me posted on your progress! You can do it girl! We may have to keep each other encouraged once in a while!
You know this is true. I've been reading some of my book and while it's not like I don't understand what's being said, I do, but without knowing the true application and putting it into action, it's like... ooookaaaay. I don't have anywhere in my brain to hold it yet or anything to connect it to so I'm laying off of that until we start. In the meantime, I'm searching for post and people that are keeping me pumped up. I'm storing this excitement for a rainy day. LOL!!
Girl keep that positive attitude!!! Just hit the ground running as soon as you start :) I start back August 22nd! Third semester (whoop whoop), and I am still decently pumped but not quite as much as I was my first day of NS! It makes me so happy to see people going after their dream and getting a college education esp us women! Happy for you!!!
I don't know what I should be doing at this point! I have completed all of my pre-matriculation requirements, tuition is covered (Praise the Lord!), gone over my monthly bill budget a gazillon times (I'm a parent and working through school-- that's essential), purchased my uniforms and supplies, and I have all of my books (emphasis on ALL-- there's like nine of them). WHAT NOW!!!????
This is a major change for me. I have a school aged child and a preschooler and I'm going from working full time to studying full time and work study. I'm starting school. My son is going back to school. Money is going to be tight. I feel a little overwhelmed. I know I'm ready. I have my plan in place and I guess I'm just like "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!!"
RN9742
260 Posts
I agree, especially as a parent! Deep clean, and organize as much as possible, it will make life much simpler while working, taking care of kiddos, and trying to tackle nursing school. I might also suggest planning meals that can be made ahead of time and frozen, maybe even getting a basic cleaning schedule down.