Another Stress relieve question

[hica19]

I know there already is a thread about how to keep calm before the NCLEX. But I thought I would start a new thread because I have a different form of stress. Has anyone here studied for the NCLEX while living at home with parents? If so, how do they react to it? Right now my main source of stress comes from my parents. I myself know exactly how important the NCLEX is. I do study a lot (at least 150 questions a day and I go back and read the rationales). But in the back of my mind, I also know not to get overly nervous because can lead to detrimental results. Whenever I relax, I watch tv or surf some of my favorite websites for fun. However my parents still do not think I'm studying enough. Worse, they also have this idea that I don't know how to study. Whenever talking to other people about the exam, they say it in a pessimist attitude. Kind of like "I don't know if she'll pass it". And they are always asking other people to help me study. I keep telling them I have my studying under control, but they don't listen to me. They think other people have the right study methods but I don't. It's really fustrating. They got me so mad last night that right now I really wish I had a punching bag. Anyone have experiences like that before?

[prmenrs, RN]

I'd suggest you tell them what you need from them right now in terms of support. Point out the fact that you have reached the point where you are eligible to take the exam means that you have put plenty of study time already--i.e., studied all the courses, passed them and graduated. So, it's not like this is the first time you've had to take a tough exam. You must know something about studying to have gotten where you are!!

Try announcing what you're doing: I'm going to be studying for a while, Mom/Day, do you need me for anything before I get started? or, I thought I'd come up for air--I've had my face stuck in those books for [x] hours. Would you like something to eat/drink? Take a little of the down time w/them--talk about what you're studying.

If you hear them say something negative to someone else? "hey, no bad vibes, Mom, please!" "Ask so-and-so to say a little prayer for me, ok?"

Good luck dealing w/them--and on the exam!

[hica19]

Nothing I try to say to them ever seems to work. I tell them I did pass the Hesi on the first try on my own, and graduated nursing school. They believed that I only passed it because I was lucky. Every single day they ask me about what scores I get on my practice exams. Well on Kaplan I get between 60's-70's. But to my parents I said 80's. They still think it's really bad and that I need to shoot for 90's or higher. I tell them NCLEX is totally different than regular school tests and that Kaplan has mentioned 60's t0 70's is on the right track. And it's not like I want to get that score. Everyone wants to get higher. But I learned from experience not to stress myself if I get that score. What I am really dreading the most is after the NCLEX. My parents would for sure ask me how I did on it. I know I can't say "easy" because I know the NCLEX isn't easy. But if I say "it's hard", then they automatically assume I fail. Even if I say "I don't know", they automatically assume I fail.