I AM SOOOO Scared!!!

GaLara · May 25, 2010

I know how you feel! I just finished 2 yrs of pre-nursing with Bio, Micro, Chem, etc with 4 kids! Its hard but manageable! :)

My best study tip is to copy, copy, copy! Not cheat :) --copy diagrams and surround yourself with them ! For example, before my muscular system practical I copied pics of the arm, leg, etc. and posted them one at a time EVERYWHERE- on my fridge, bathroom mirror, car, etc. The first few days up it was a labeled copy to study then I hung up a copy that was just the pic so I could identify everything by memory. This took planning bc I did each part one by one so begin as soon as the material is introduced.

Also, I found notecards held together by a metal ring. I used these for vocab. They were always neat and in order and I could take them with me EVERYWHERE.

Lastly, use your cell phone's camera! In lab, I took pics of whatever we were studying, then later I could pull up the pic on my phone regardless of where I was and what else I had with me and mentally review.

Good Luck, hope this helps!

tmills · May 25, 2010

I am taking A&P II right now and the instructor is relying on us to teach ourselves which makes it harder. The hardest chapter for me so far has been the respiratory system and the gas exchanges. I use a program called Welcome to myAP!. It has helped me.

Good luck

katebean04 · May 25, 2010

If there is a website that accompanies the book- utilize it. There will be practice tests, diagrams etc. Make flash cards, make flash cards, make flashcards! Quiz yourself on the flash cards, if you get the questions wrong- revisit the section in the book or your notes and write the appropriate answer down several times if you have to. Always, ask the professor about things that you are unclear on. Sometimes, I would stay after class and the prof. would answer my question more fully than if I were to ask during lecture. I always read the chapter at least once with good note taking before coming to class. That way, I knew what I was unclear on and could ask the prof. Good luck to you, find a studying routine that works for you, it may take a little while to come across something that makes things click for you. (By the way, I am 24, with two children- my youngest is 17 months and oldest is almost 3. I have had straight A's my whole first year in pre-requisites) So I know, the anxiety that you feel. Just take a deep breath, and know that anything you set your mind to- you can accomplish!

gamomstudent · May 25, 2010

I am 37 with 4 kids and am finishing up with Micro this quarter. I was petrified as well because it had been so long since I was in school! Looks like everyone has given you GREAT advice because I did everything they said to get through my A&Ps. I took pics of lab models, made copies of diagrams in our text, used white-out on the labels, and made multiple copies so I could diagram on my own. This helped tremendously! Our text had an awesome website & I googled online quizzes. Good luck!

StangGang92 · May 25, 2010

Things which help me not only memorize but learn material are the following

1)Flip charts, basically the same thing as flash cards.I use this for words we need to know the definition of or med term when I took HS A&P

2)Notes. Take notes and highlight important material. The single act of writing it down engraves the material into your mind, then going a second time to highlight reinforces the material. Everytime after that you use the notes for review the reinforcment grows stronger.

3)Explain it out loud. You can do it with a study buddy or just by yourself. But if you explain things out loud you can see how well you know what youre talking about.

Just learn what ways of studying work best for you, once you learn your personal study method you will learn the material with no problem.

Good luck! :yeah:

Anne36, LPN · May 25, 2010

Im 39 with 4 kids and started my pre reqs 3 years ago. Start off part time is my advice. I have never gone to school full time yet. My baby is in Kindergarten this year which makes it easier. I did not do well in high school, pretty much failed math and had not had a Bio class since I was 15. I went straight for Microbiology without any other bio and got an A. I worked my butt off. I had to take all my math over again and chemistry since I never had it in high school. Its a whole new world from being a sahm for 18 years.

Knitter72 · May 25, 2010

I'm 38 with 3 kids and just finished my prereqs and am starting an ADN program in August--it can be done! In addition to what everyone else has said I wanted to emphasize the importance of time management--vital when juggling school and family.

Don't wait 'til before tests or due dates--study a bit everyday. It is so much less stressful and you'll retain information much better than when cramming. You'll also recognize question areas sooner and have time to ask your instructors well before the day of a test (when there will probably be a long line of students with questions). I seriously blocked out/scheduled 1-2 hours per weekday per class and ended up having weekends free for my family.

Anne36, LPN · May 25, 2010

knitter, Im still struggling with time managment. How did you study for A&P 2.? (not trying to hijack thread) I swear Im studying 30 hours a week outside of class for A&P2. (not including Lab)This one class is a full time job for me. The Proff I get for these science classes will not tell us what the exam is on so I end up having to study and try to remember every single thing in the book!

zbb13 · May 25, 2010

I was out of school for a long time, and I was also nervous. I started very part time. At first, I couldn't absorb the material and didn't grasp the text (and I have an English degree). I think our brains have worked differently for so long, multitasking, instead of having a laser-like focus on material. After a few weeks, my synapses started firing again, and I was really grasping the material. I went from an okay student to a great one.

It's a huge plus to be a mature student...you have better study habits, are more motivated, and you are hopefully more organized. Also, your kids will learn a very valuable lesson from you--that with dedication, motivation, and pure hard work, you can succeed. Class is like my personal vacation from all the hectic day to day stuff with a large family--I turn off my cellphone and am not available and if there's an emergency, well, their father is a phone call away.

I don't get caught up in all the flashcards and taking photos of everything. There are plenty of websites where you can find quizzes on science topics and A&P photos, as well as slides. I saw the "young kids" taking photos of all the bones for an anatomy lab quiz. They made these sophisticated flashcards and review sheets out of them. I felt so incompetent and antiquated. I had gone home and studied my diagrams. I got a perfect score on the exam-without the flashy stuff. I guess good old hard work does the trick.

I do take a recorder to class, and I use it to listen to my lectures while I'm doing laundry, driving to doctor's appointments, wherever. Helps the info sink in. I also highlight my notes when I study (my notes look crazy) and I review them regularly. For chemistry, I wrote out the formulas over and over until I remembered them.

Good luck. You can do it if you don't overload yourself and are realistic about what you can handle.

Justanotherday · May 25, 2010

I just finished Biology a week ago. Reading through a chapter for the first time was often like reading a foreign language. So reading it through 2-3 times helped me a lot. It was necessary for me to do that just to familiarize myself with the vocabulary. Also, my text had an accompanying website that was very helpful. All the power points from class were available, along with video, animations, and practice tests. Youtube has teaching videos on everything under the sun, so that is another tool (Professor Fink has a wonderful demonstration on cellular respiration, for example).

Our teacher also offered extra credit assignments, so it is smart to take advantage of that if your teacher does the same. It's nice to have a little wiggle room sometimes.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · May 25, 2010

Agree with all of the above. Yes, I saw lots of younger students making very elaborate study tools. I didn't do that. What I did do is use the material the instructors made - they had a study guide with class notes and practice tests. I still took very detailed notes and drew pictures to help understand processes like DNA replication. If I wasn't understanding, I would find videos like on youtube and university sites. Before starting my pre-reqs, I hadn't had a biology class since 1982 and it was dry. I find it pretty cool that I can do a google search and find a study tool on just about any topic.