Any older students?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'm over 35 and working my way through pre-req's to apply to my CC's program in the spring.

I notice a few things being an older student: availability, memory, conflicting responsibilities.... I was just wondering if anyone can relate and what are your favorite tricks to make it work.

I am 37 years old, have 3 kids, and I am an the middle of my senior year in nursing school. I agree with the previous post about learning your learning style. My time is limited, so I have to make every minute count. I have a planner that I write everything down in. I think being "older" helps me in nursing school, as I am very determined and not doing well is just not an option. You have to learn to let things go. My house is not as clean as I would like and sometimes my dinners are whatever we can throw together last minute. I do have a very high GPA, so I know it can be done! You just have to set your mind to it and take it one day at a time! Good luck!

Specializes in ICU.

I'm 38 and a single mother to an 8 year old boy, soon to be 9!! I plan, plan, plan. I make sure I have back up plans. I make a schedule and print it out for my ex husband so he knows what is going on. I just printed out January for him. I can't do it too far in advance, lol, or he loses it. I have 3 planners myself. I have a dry erase board in my kitchen that I write out what is going on for that week so my son knows. He is in competitive judo and we have practice all of the time and travel a lot.

I also take time for me!! I schedule massages for myself every 2 weeks. I may take a hot bath at night. Only can do it when my son is at his dad's though because otherwise it seems every time I go into the bathroom he has something vitally important that can't wait. I think that is all kids though.

I plan and organize. That is the key, I promise.

I may try a planner or actually utilizing my phone's calendar feature.

Im in no danger of bad grades. A's & B's all the way. However, I'm not very comfortable applying with a 3.4. It's just too low.

Dodie, I began the application process at 36 and I agree with the comments here about planning and figuring out your learning style. Also, I would say try and be as open as possible to change and going with the flow. This can be applied to planning in that you can get a physical planner, keep it with you and intend to use it, but also use your calendar on your phone and laptop (mine sync's, which is super handy, I've pretty much given up on my planner) if it's easier. Don't get hung up on trying to maintain a habit or way of approaching things if life is telling you to switch things up. Same can be applied to learning style. Do whatever you can to get the material to stick, whether it be forming study groups, teaching others, going to office hours on a regular basis. Be your own advocate. That's part of being a mature student is knowing what you need to succeed and not being afraid to seek it out! Good luck :)

I am 46. Just graduated in Oct and passed my boards 1st time. I am now working my second week and I carry my "brain" around with me. I write down treatments to done, blood glucose, and when someone wants a prn med, I write by their name. You all sound like we are 85 years old!! I am working with another new nurse and she is in her 60's. It can be done, and you are only old if you make yourself think like that.

I am 29...mom to 2 kids (5 and 9)...married....and have a photography business (although I have seriously cut back on that since I went back to school). It's a LOT harder this time around than the first time I went to college....but in ways I have more motivation to do well and get finished as quickly as possible...motivation I didn't have the first time around. I start the ADN program at my school in January

The keys for me are a paper planner.....I like an "appointment style" planner....the way the days are broke down work best for me for seeing assignments etc......I bought one like this at Office max

http://www.amazon.com/AT-A-GLANCE-Professional-Appointment-Wirebound-917P-905/dp/B00LGYAAJA/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1418408974&sr=8-4&keywords=at+a+glance+appointment

I don't use it for breaking down what I'm doing by hour...but I like the lay out...each block for a separate assignment

I also use an app on my phone called my homework.....you can put in all your assignments and due dates...and mark them complete when you turn them in.....I dunno...it just helps me to be able to see what I still have to do...when it's do by...and what I have completed.

Finding your study style is a HUGE deal....it took me awhile to find what worked for me....but now that I know...it really streamlines the time I spend studying....I'm not wasting time doing things that aren't helping me....I know my "process" and that is what I do.....

Specializes in Public Health.

I'm 37 and just finishing up my pre reqs and will apply for the Spring start. I don't have kids so I don't have that to contend with. I find this is very different from when I was younger and in school, but in a good way. I'm very focused now and am putting a lot of effort into this, and my grades are reflecting that. Had I attempted nursing at a younger age, I would have failed for sure, I just wasn't ready. But yes, age was a factor when deciding if I was actually going through with this. I feel like I'll be 100 by the time I graduate since I am going part time. But, the way I see it, if I don't do it, I'll just get older. And if I do do it, I'll still get older...but I'll be a nurse.

Older student here too, I just turned 28 last saturday and I'm a single mom of a 1 year old. I'm a full-time student and work part-time.. it can get tough but it's manageable. I take advantage when my daughter is napping to review the lectures or just do a quick study. Sometimes homework is done in the library while my daughter is in daycare or even when she's asleep i'll stay up till 2 in the morning the latest I was up was 4am and that was to do a damm research paper which paid of with an A. And as with memorizing I'm a visual learner, and If I can say a repetitive learner lol If i repeat any vocab + definition one thousand times i'll get it down ok not one thousand times but I repeat it until I feel comfortable I have it down. I also listen to music while studying that helps me to concentrate a lot!!

The best thing I did was to start voice recording my classes.

Specializes in SNF, home health.

Yup, I agree. I also have recorded my lectures and go back and listen if I missed something. Some classmates will ask, when did he say that?

Not that older but definitely older than my classmates. 27 with 2 kids, 1 year old and an almost 4 year old. School full time, work part time from home 25 hours or so. Apparently I'm crazy because I took 6 classes totalling 17 credits this semester. However I survived with mostly A s a B and a B+. So my GPA should be a 3.7. learning my style was a lifesaver as well as my planner. Next semester I'm only taking 4 classes but I'm taking AP2 with micro together.

I don't know how much of our memory can be attributed to our age. I'm sure there are studies out there, however I see students in their early 20's forgetting everything! They scramble around far more than I ever do. I have moments where I wish I started a few years earlier, however I know my life has worked out perfectly. We have several advantages to being the *older* students. Most often, we know what we want and do not have time to mess around. I've made great friends with the younger students and they are awesome. We have a mutual respect for each other. I will say that, typically I perform better than they do and it could be my effort, I am not sure. I have 2 kids in middle school and I plan my study/homework sessions around their schedules. I do best when I do school work while they are away at school. Unless it is finals, I typically put in a good several hours each day studying while they are gone and then try my best to put my school work away in the evening so that I can connect with the family. You can do it! Good luck!

Color coding different parts of my life on my Mac calendar (school is gold, home is blue, work is pink, etc.) has been tremendously helpful. Every morning, I look at my rainbow and can easily keep track of what needs to be done! As mentioned above, when you get the syllabus, before anything else, mark all your due dates down on your calendar.

Study-wise, you just need to find your groove and see what works for you. For example, making flashcards and being part of a study group are the golden ticket for many. However, they do nothing for me. What works for me: I scan the material, reading summaries and objectives, even if I don't really understand the material (it plants the seed and helps you focus on what's important); then I do a detailed reading, taking notes and working on the study guide (if provided); then I review, using the PDFs to help me remember the highlights. Rinse and repeat for new material. I also find recording lectures and recording myself reading my study guide/notes, then listening to them in my car, to be very helpful. You can even do this with lectures you find on YouTube, recording the sound on your phone or other device. The more senses you use to take in material, the better chance you have of remembering, regardless of your learning style. Also, you may want to try varying the places you study (this goes against common advice you hear and was recommended by my psych professor). The variety, and connecting learned info to different loci, can help you remember better. This can be as simple as studying in different rooms in your house. Maybe this would work for you as well. Good luck!

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