Whew! I made it through my first week of nursing school

lady_vee · Aug 29, 2003

Congratulations and all the best!!! :)

PJMommy · Aug 29, 2003

Hang in there. I can tell you that the first week of every semester is utterly exhausting. I'm in my first week of my LAST (yay!) semester and am really dragging butt. It all works out... you get organized, you figure out what reading/videos you HAVE to do and which ones can slide, you learn how much studying you have to do.

Just remember to take care of yourself right now. The stress is hard on you so take a vitamin, eat well, drink water, take a walk. I especially find that I'm exhausted from just sitting still all day in lectures this first week -- so absolutely have to go for a brisk walk at the end of the day.

I am totally serious when I say this... you need to pick one day over this long weekend where you do absolutely nothing school-related.

pokey sn · Aug 29, 2003

Ditto on what PJMommy said! You'll get adjusted, and when it's all over, you'll marvel at how you did it. Hang in there! And congrats on getting through this first week of many more to come:)

kwagner_51 · Aug 29, 2003

Originally posted by TeresaRN2b
One week down!!!
So who else is totally overwhelmed and exhausted.
Teresa [/b]

I had to laugh at this. I was reading myself!!!! My first lecture was Tuesday. The class is only 2.5 hrs. long. However, when I got home my mind was whirling and I was EXHAUSTED!!! My husband asked me how my day went and I just looked at him... I didn't know where to begin even trying to explain what I had been through!!! Poor guy!

Yesterday my boys had "Meet the teacher night". I didn't get out of Lab until 1.00pm. Got home and had to run all over town to get TP, and other things. The campus sponsored a free picnic so I took my boys and ate supper for free. Then back home, get them started on their homework, leave for the meeting at 6.30. Got home last night at 8.15.

Had to get the boys ready for bed. Then at 9.00pm my daughter came home from a volleyball game she watched.

Before that, my 8 yr. old has ISTEP tutoring from 2.45-3.45. He rides the bus home. I figured he would be home no later than 4.15. He wasn't...so I went looking. My DH said he got home 5 min. after I left!!! So now either my DH or I will pick him up!!

When my 17 yr. old dtr. got off the bus, she told me that a guy had grabbed her butt and put his hand in the fold of her leg!!! So I had to call the school about that and was very upset!!! Didn't get to talk to the principle until 3.30pm TODAY!!

I'm thinking I need to be about 5 different people going in 20 different directions!!! Overwhelmed??? Stressed out?? Exhausted??? OH YEAH!!! Taht was just one day!!! I'm trying to take one day at atime and deal w/ things as they happen, but that was a little much!!

Thanks for letting me vent!!! I love this site!!

kahumai, RN · Aug 29, 2003

I think all of us are experiencing a little bit (or alot!) of the "What did I get myself into? I'm so overwhelmed and scared and tired and confused..." (See my earlier post titled "Any tips on how to stay awake"). This was my first week, too, and I can already see myself attempting to work out the kinks for next week. Thank God Monday is Labor Day!!!! That'll give all of us new students time to catch our breaths and devise a plan for what to expect now that we have an idea of what to expect. Thankfully, I'm anal-retentive about orginization and have already filled in exactly all of my tests, quizzes, clinicals, projects, and presentations on a calendar with a *pencil* (teachers change their minds all the time) so that I can keep track. As long as I do this, and follow the many other great tips I've read on here (I went to K-Mart 2 hours ago and bought a handheld recorder, extra tapes, and plenty of batteries...), I think I'll be okay. My boyfriend mentioned the other day that he can totally see the difference in my attitude in that I'm, among many other things, **happy**. I have a gut feeling about this, and I belong here. I've talked about it and dreamt about it and planned for it and worked really hard for it over the last three years, and I couldn't be happier that it's finally happening. It's going to be hard, but we knew that. My new daydream now is the day I get pinned and graduate. Hang in there!!! We'll get through this!!!

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. ~a poster above my desk :specs:

Martibear · Aug 29, 2003

Congrats Teresa!

I go back on the second. I'm looking forward to it. Anything other than microbiology LOL! It probably wouldn't have been as bad but I took it in a 5 week summer cram course! I will graduate in May2004. My next 2 semesters are packed with rotations starting with maternity, psych, Critical Care, Peds, Long term care, then community nursing. WHEW! All that in 2 semesters... I'm tired all ready!! :)

pixiel · Aug 29, 2003

I don't start back until next week. However, I remember that feeling of exhaustion and how am I going to manage this? Get organized and take one thing at a time. Once I did that life was so much easier. Good Luck!

nekhismom · Aug 29, 2003

WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS!!!!!! WE WILL BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CHOICE!!!! This is what I tell myself every day. I too am exhausted after this first week. I still have class tomorrow. This is my last semester, and I am absolutely SWAMPED with work. Overwhelmed with family issues, too. But, I have made it this far, and I will see it out. We all worked HARD to get into nursing school and even harder to stay there. Just trust yourself and believe that millions of other people have done this before you and millions more will do it after you. You can do it if all these other people can. Trust me, the time will FLY by and before you know it, you will be filling out your form for graduation. Good luck everyone and let's have a blessed semester!!

Martibear · Aug 29, 2003

Well said nekhismom!!! I am so exhausted the first week too, especially with 2 clinicals in a row!! Good Luck, last semester WHOOOO HOOOWWW!

OnMyWay · Aug 29, 2003

Hi all - today completes my first week of ADN program and I have to say it was not that bad! My teacher is awesome and we have had no homework this week other than reading. We will only have five 50 question multiple choice tests plus the math test and 7 vocabulary quizzes. That is nothing compared to A&P 1 and 2!!

The syllabus does not list any papers, we will have to do 3 care plans and paperwork with clinicals but not for lecture. YEAH!!

After reading posts on this BB I was worried but I was very pleasantly surprised!!!! I'm sure things will get worse but all is great for now!

fnimat1 · Aug 30, 2003

Congratulations Teresa!!!!!:roll You made it....now if you can do 1 week....you can do the rest....lol. Wow...it sounds like a lot of work and I know you can do it. Did your children start school this week? I've been wondering how I'm going to manage my family....hopefully things will run smoothly.

Hugs,

Fatima