Fall 2016 Nursing Student Study Tips Contest

Making a list of the things I need to do each week in my classes has been helpful during my studies. Stick to your schedule/list and don't procrastinate!

I know this seems way overboard, but I used to record every lecture on my phone and took good notes. When I walked my dog I would listen to the recording. It really worked listening to the same thing twice, my brain seems to not listen for a whole 90 min lecture and so I got the stuff I missed on the first round.

Always helpful study tips: first, study what you don't know, or unclear on, for all subjects, don't waste time studying what you already know, just review what is known, study what you don't know, and briefly ( 20 minutes max) what you do know, makes things much more interesting, tip 2. Create your own notes, writing your own notes is very helpful for memorizing things on subjects esp. when written in your own words and hand. Tip 3. If you find yourself, getting to the point where your brain can't take in any more info, yes! It is time to take a break, go for a walk, get fresh air, watch a movie, or go to one, cook something, listen to some music, or whatever you want to do, for a couple of hours, your mind will reset, and you be surprised how much this helps. Tip 4. Don't study for more than 2 hours on all subjects combined, you already know a lot, and new info takes time, if you get stuck on something, move on to another point, then go back later, or skip ahead a bit, sometimes this will put things back into perspective. Tip 5. Find the best time, and most comfortable place to study, where you will not be disturbed for an hour or 2, this is a tough one, for some this might be outside in a park, or at the library, this is key! Tip 6. Never cram for a test, if you have reviewed everything, and studied, you won't need to, give yourself credit, and just review (20 minutes) until test time. Tip 7. Study groups/partners, extremely helpful, if everyone can find the time, and agree on the place to meet up, getting a different perspective on a concept can help learning go faster.Tip 8.drawing pictures of a concept, example drawing the cell, or layer of skin, anatomic structures, Krebs cycle.ect. is really helpful. tip 9. Don't worry you getting this, you have gotten this far, and you will go further, as far as you want, never forget this! Tip10. Test time, no anxiety needed, you did not study "anxiety" as a subject, so no anxiety allowed, if fact if you have trouble sleeping the day before a test, make sure you get extra sleep a couple of days to a week before the test, this is just a test, merely a measurement of how much of any given subject your aware of, nothing more.So you got this go in there and show that piece of paper/computer who is boss. Tip11. Please please! Do not cheat on any test, when you do this, you are only cheating yourself, and nursing exams are so so important, so you will ultimately be cheating your patients, and you could be expelled from school, I look at it this way the more I know the better nurse that makes me for my patients, and this is the ultimate goal. Good luck!

My best study tip is to act like we are in grade school getting a spelling test. Rewrite it everyday until you learn it and can rewrite it with out looking at the original. If you hesitate you have to rewrite it again that day.