Energy Level Of "older" Student

Bicster · Aug 11, 2008

Balanced diet with healthy carbs, good fats and quality proteins.

Supplement with a multivitamin. Also take extra Vitamin C, B's and Omega 3's. You may also want to look into Glucosamine to help out with the knees.

Exercise.

Keep a positive outlook.

Not only will you live forever, youll be a great nursing student.

amjowens · Aug 11, 2008

There are a lot of "older" students in my program. Regardless of age, there are some solid styles of studying that work, and those that don't. Pulling all-nighters didn't work for me and my friends when I first went away to college at 18, and don't work now at 31.

Start now by not trying to separate yourself because of age. There are people in their 50s in my program. One seems old, the other doesn't. It's completely about attitude and making good choices. I believe the same for studying.

Good luck with NS!

beth66335, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2008

In my experience those who can't pull all nighters tend to be more morning people, so consider going to bed early (after studying some) and getting up early to finish studying. My Mother has always been an early to bed early to rise person even when she was younger ( I don't take after her, at my age I can still stay up all night,lol!) so when she taught school she would turn in early and get up early to grade papers or make lesson plans.

myhalo · Aug 11, 2008

Balanced diet with healthy carbs, good fats and quality proteins.
Supplement with a multivitamin. Also take extra Vitamin C, B's and Omega 3's. You may also want to look into Glucosamine to help out with the knees.
Exercise.
Keep a positive outlook.
Not only will you live forever, youll be a great nursing student.

:yeahthat: I feel so much better when doing these things, also get a massage every once in a while!! I was lucky a classmate of mine was a massage therapist (she was 56)!

MaryAnn_RN · Aug 11, 2008

I was a mature student and found a little and often was the best way - for me, at least.

taxifolia · Aug 11, 2008

"All nighters" are not the best way to go for life long learning, just a way to pass a test.

just develop your own schedule to learn as you go through the course, try to keep up each week and don't get behind,

focus on learning when it is being taught, not focus on the test. think about what you are learning and how it all fits together, that is one of the benifits of maturity, better able to see the big picture, I was about your age when I started, and was still working, and got great grades, you will do fine, sue

margaretptz · Aug 11, 2008

Hi Luclylin08

I'm 57 and graduating in Dec (i think) with good grades. I worked and have only pulled one all nighter (care plan) in the three years it has taken me to do pre reqs and my ADN course.

I agree that getting up earlier is the key. Good luck.

mb1949 · Aug 11, 2008

I am an older student, in my 50's second career student. I cannot do all nighters either, however what I do is study or do my care plan until I know nothing else is going in. I wake up at 4am and start over, I find this works much better for me. Also diet and exercise, the first semester I was 40lbs overweight, I went to Weight Watchers and started walking 3 days a week. I feel great, it actually helps clear your head, good luck fellow newbie oldie.

WVlpn2b · Aug 11, 2008

I love these threads! I am almost 44 and just beginning my ADN program as well (after a year of pre-reqs and changing my plan from becoming an LPN to becoming an RN). I can't do all-nighters either -- no way! In fact, I turn into a pumpkin after 11 p.m.

Thankfully, I don't have to have a job while in school either, but I do have a husband who travels and two teenagers (feels like 6) and a dog, so I feel like I have my hands fairly full. I am really nervous about starting my program! Hopefully, what I lack in youth will be made up in life-skills and life-experience (that's what I am telling myself, anyway).

I also agree with exercise, vitamins and overall preventive maintenance.

PEBBLES1 · Aug 11, 2008

Sometimes you can study in short periods. Maybe study for 1 hours and give yourself a break. That's great you don't have to work, It will help you alot. I work a full time job, I go to school 2 nights out of the week and every other weekend are my clinical days and it is rough.

Also, I work and do my clinicals at the same hospital, so I see my job 24 days out of the month.

Montessori Mommy · Aug 11, 2008

I graduated from nursing school just before my 40th bithday. (A second career for me.) I found that my family commitments gave me very defined times to study, so I didn't need to stay up all night. (It's like asking the busiest person you know to do something for you. You know it will get done because they are good time managers.) It's also much easier to focus as a mature adult in school than it is to be 18 and worried about friends and boyfriends. When the younger people in my class were stressing about relationships, I was studying! My wonderful husband and daughters never threatened to "break up" with me if I couldn't go out Saturday night!

I'm thinking about going back for my masters in midwifery next year. I would finish just before I turn 45.

You can do whatever you set your mind to do!! Best of luck!!