A&P II & Microbiology this semester PLEASE HELP!

Tex. · Aug 24, 2015

I took those together too, and it wasn't too bad. It really helps when you find the content interesting AND stuff you know you will use in your near future in NS and at work.

My advice is really simple, and goes for any class you take from here on out:

1. Pay attention

2. Don't skip classes (save them for when you are truly sick)

3. Take detailed notes

4. Stay on top of your homework assignments

5. Study as you go rather than cramming before exams

Good luck!!

futureRN_ · Aug 24, 2015

Thank you for your quick response! I plan to do all of those helpful tips.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 25, 2015

I took Physiology (our school does Anatomy separate from Phys, so this would be like A&P II) and Micro in the same semester and got a 4.0 in both. You can definitely do it.

My best advice is to get a planner to stay on top of your studies & due dates. I color coded my planner so I could see, at a glance, what I needed to do each day. Take the syllabus and fill in all exam dates, highlight in color of your choice. Then fill in quizzes, highlight with different color, then papers due (different color) and finally, homework assignments (also a different color). Once you've got these filled in, on the blank spaces in between all the colored dates, schedule your study time. I broke mine up in to chunks so I still had time to get things done in my personal life (e.g. cook dinner, laundry, clean, drive kids to sports, etc.). My planner is what got me through pre-reqs and nursing school summa cum laude. You can definitely do this!!!!

One other bit of advice, if you're a mom and have to do the cooking: make a list of all the meals you're going to cook for the week, make a grocery list based on that menu. Follow the menu you created. You'll never have to go "OMG, what am I going to make for dinner tonight???" It takes only a few minutes to do the menu, but it saves you so much time later because you're prepared and have everything you need. Before I go to bed at night, I make sure I take meat out of the freezer that needs to thaw for the next night's meal. Doing the weekly menu kept us from getting in food ruts, plus I could ask everyone if there was something in particular they wanted to eat that week. That way, everyone got something that was their favorite. This was a HUGE stress saver for me.

Good luck on your upcoming semester!! :up:

futureRN_ · Aug 25, 2015

Thank you so much for that advice! I'm getting me a planner today! That's seems like it will be very helpful! By the way I am a mother and those cooking tips were awesome! :)

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Aug 25, 2015

A big (desk-sized) calendar propped on the table next to the door helped me keep organized. Anything that had to do with me, red. Daughter: green, son: blue. Times and where. Eyeballing it prn (as needed) was a great reminder.

I'm also a great believer in having kids do more around the house.

A four year old can set the table, and this leads the way to participating in the household at a higher level when s/he grows.

A six-year-old can throw laundry in the machine, add premeasured soap packets, and push the start button, then throw the wet things in the dryer and push the button. The immense advantage to that is that as they get older, there is no fuss over, "I don't have anything clean to wear!" because the answer is (and you will only have to say it once), "And whose fault is that?"

An eight-year-old can form hamburger patties and fry them, and put a package of frozen peas in a glass bowl and into the microwave, and pour the milk. Mine made their own sandwiches for school.

All of this while they see their mom working hard for school and doing a lot around the house too. Builds a foundation for a strong family when everyone works together to accomplish a goal.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 26, 2015

Thank you so much for that advice! I'm getting me a planner today! That's seems like it will be very helpful! By the way I am a mother and those cooking tips were awesome! :)

Thanks! I'm so glad they were helpful :up: Best of luck on your semester. You CAN do it!

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 26, 2015

A big (desk-sized) calendar propped on the table next to the door helped me keep organized. Anything that had to do with me, red. Daughter: green, son: blue. Times and where. Eyeballing it prn (as needed) was a great reminder.
I'm also a great believer in having kids do more around the house.
A four year old can set the table, and this leads the way to participating in the household at a higher level when s/he grows.
A six-year-old can throw laundry in the machine, add premeasured soap packets, and push the start button, then throw the wet things in the dryer and push the button. The immense advantage to that is that as they get older, there is no fuss over, "I don't have anything clean to wear!" because the answer is (and you will only have to say it once), "And whose fault is that?"
An eight-year-old can form hamburger patties and fry them, and put a package of frozen peas in a glass bowl and into the microwave, and pour the milk. Mine made their own sandwiches for school.
All of this while they see their mom working hard for school and doing a lot around the house too. Builds a foundation for a strong family when everyone works together to accomplish a goal.

I wish I could "like" this post more than once! I completely agree!!! I taught my son to do his own laundry at age 10. Younger kids can sort their clothes easily by giving them colored bins to put their clothes in. A white one for whites, a colored one for bright colors and a black one for dark colors/black. The kids thrive on a positive reward system for doing their "jobs" and it gives them a sense of accomplishment. We would do homework together at the table, too. They used to say "Mom, you study more than we do!"

For Moms out there struggling with organizing & keeping the house clean, I highly recommend flylady.net (it's free!). Once I got my house organized, I never looked back. There are even routines you can print based on your kids' age, so they can help, too. I love getting the kids involved. They have more of a sense of accomplishment when they help clean up. The house stays cleaner longer. Great life lessons to learn