Finally ACCEPTED!!!!!!! Now what?!

BeachsideRN, ASN · Jun 7, 2015

Relax. Really, relax. Read a good book. Go on a vacation. Take time with family friend and loved ones. Enjoy your time. Once school starts it will be a whirlwind.

Plutonium261 · Jun 7, 2015

Congratulations! And yes, what the first commenter said, relax, go on a little vacation, and spend time with family and friends. Also I would sit down at some point with your family and whatever close friends you spend the most free time with, and explain to them that you are about to embark on a journey that is very time consuming (meaning that it will take up the majority of your time, most of the time), and probably one of the toughest journeys that you'll go on. Well worth it, but tough and time consuming nonetheless. I say do this so that when things do start to get hectic and busy and stressful (and it will), and you aren't able to meet up for a party, or a birthday, or a holiday, or something like that because you have studying to do or school work to get done, they'll know why. They may not always understand, but they'll know why. I always heard people say before I started my program that "You won't understand unless you've gone through it", and it is 100% the truth! Hahaha. You'll spend a good portion of your time with your classmates and I find so much now a days that there are just some things (feelings, emotions, stresses) that you'll feel only your classmates going through this crazy journey with you will/would understand. And that's ok. So, relax, sleep in when you can, spend stress-less time with your family and friends, go on a vacation somewhere, even if somewhere small and/or local, read a non-text book (if you like to read), watch some movies, and get some sleep. I know I said that twice. Hahaha. Much luck with all your studies, and again congratulations!

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 7, 2015

Relax. Really, relax. Read a good book. Go on a vacation. Take time with family friend and loved ones. Enjoy your time. Once school starts it will be a whirlwind.

I can't stress this enough. Take time to RELAX, enjoy your free time, do lots of stuff with your family & friends. You will have little time to do this once you're in nursing school (except on breaks).

You'll be happy later that you did this. Trust me, I wish I would have listened to this advice before I started the program. Just graduated and now I'm enjoying my free time again :)

rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN · Jun 7, 2015

Sleep and review A&P.

Cohiba · Jun 7, 2015

Get drunk, sleep until whenever you wake up vs being tied to an alarm clock, turn 5 y/o again (eg have sugary and nutrition-free cereal for breakfast, then go to McD's for lunch), climb a tree, take a long afternoon nap in a hammock under the trees in a breeze, and generally enjoy yourself. There will be time enough for work once you're in school so enjoy the summer off when you have it.

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · Jun 7, 2015

Relax!!! Burnout is a real thing and can strike early on.

If anything, I would just have fun spending tons of time picking out all the new nursing stuff you'll need (after you get the list from your school). Trying on uniforms, picking out your stethoscope, deciding how to organize your life... But not studying anything.

Pistachio830 · Jun 7, 2015

I agree with others relax and spend time with friends and family. But as someone that just finished first semester 2 weeks ago. I wish I had started reading before I started first semester. Thats just me though :)

Dogen · Jun 7, 2015

I'm going to deviate a little bit and say setup a routine that involves physical activity and fun. It doesn't have to be crazy, but if you can ensure that your schedule every week includes some of each you're more likely to find the stress more bearable. School can get intense, and those are the times when taking twenty minutes to run on a treadmill can unwind anxious energy and allow you to retain information better. That's no joke. Exercise improves memory.

But you're probably looking for something more academic, so, sure, go over your A&P notes again if you feel the need.

frenchtoastwaffles, BSN, RN · Jun 8, 2015

I'm going to deviate a little bit and say setup a routine that involves physical activity and fun. It doesn't have to be crazy, but if you can ensure that your schedule every week includes some of each you're more likely to find the stress more bearable. School can get intense, and those are the times when taking twenty minutes to run on a treadmill can unwind anxious energy and allow you to retain information better. That's no joke. Exercise improves memory.
But you're probably looking for something more academic, so, sure, go over your A&P notes again if you feel the need.

I've actually gotten a head start on this one! I put on a few extra pounds over the past two semesters so I'm taking the time to shed them and be more active because I'll need to have an established routine later rather than trying to pick up an exercise regimen in the thick of it

42pines · Jun 8, 2015

I knew what I wished to do... but nobody would let me do it.

I had this idea that if I worked as an LNA for at least six months that would be a great asset.

But every place sent me packing. Being a male and "old" (read late 40's) I think I scared them.

So I never did do LNA work. But now, having worked with many LNA's in med/surg I realize that my initial attempt was a good one. Do LNA work for half a year (or a summer) and you learn to "handle" patients. I think it's the way to go and if I could turn the hands of time back I'd pursue working as an LNA before Nursing school.

mirandaaa · Jun 8, 2015

Congrats!

You're in the same boat as me :)

My advisor told me it would be best to get some of my co-reqs done over the summer but they're all the difficult science courses so I politely declined (I'd rather not risk taking full time hours for difficult science courses over half the time as a normal semester). So I am spending the summer relaxing, reviewing A&P, and enjoying my last remaining free time until next summer.

Good luck :)