First Semester and I am extremely stressed.

avahnel, ASN, RN · Jan 23, 2009

I know I did!! I started last semester, and it took a few weeks to get my feet under me. Make a reading schedulle, and try to get into a routine of doing a lot of your paperwork DURRING clinical (saved me from looking like I had nothing to do a lot last semester) You will be fine-you will look back in four months and be amazed at all the information you learned and proud because you can apply it in clinical. I was really scared of failure early last semester, but after my first test I was reassured. Even though I only got a B, I am still proud of it and know that I did my best. That is all that you can ask of yourself. Look at everything one goal at a time instead of the whole thing. The first test and lab test out and first clinical assignment. Make a plan to be able to pass every one, and on the day of that test make a plan to pass the next one. Then you will be done before you know it!!

malaski · Jan 23, 2009

Yup, that's nursing school for you. Yes, don't worry I felt that way to in the beginning. You just have to develop a system of studying. The math is not hard - If you are having problems with it, get some assistance from someone, or a professor. Once you understand it, it's really easy. Here is what helped me in pharm: After studying the material, I would make a list and I would categorize all the drugs in the same class and I would group them together so I wouldn't get confused. It helped me to see it all on one page. I would review this right before the test and quiz myself on important things to know

Good luch, you will make it. But you have to study like you never have before!

patricianyc · Jan 23, 2009

Thanks for your words!! Glad to hear somebody else felt that way. I am trying!!! :hdvwl:

VenaKavaRN · Jan 23, 2009

Breathe deeply and take it one day at a time.

This is par for the course in nursing school, so you are definitely not alone. Chances are your classmates are having the exact same struggles. They can be an enormous source of support for you. Also make sure you talk to instructors when you are having a hard time, they really want you to succeed and are usually more than willing to offer you any help they can. My program has tutors available all day long to help us through dosage calc and anything else we might need help with. I'm actually one of the tutors and let me tell you, it's a highly underused resource.

This is probably the toughest semester because you have to work really hard on getting your feet under you and learning how to study the material for the NCLEX-style tests. You'll be amazed how far you've come when you get to finals, believe me! I look back at my very first care plan now and cringe, but I also marvel at how much I've learned in just a semester.

sproeber89 · Jan 23, 2009

I started my nursing classes on Wednesday, and I am so happy to have a nurturing teacher. We were all freaking out about what needs to get done and when, she's like I'm giving you guys all this stuff and just do this by next week. And she said she would do the stressing for us the first couple weeks, she wants us to get our footing and then figure it out :) I'm going to like her.

Illinurse2010 · Jan 23, 2009

I just started my second semester Tuesday.. Just take school one week at a time and stop thinking about all that you have to do.. just focus on what needs to be covered this week. If you don't do well on your first test go talk to the instructor about the ones you got wrong and practice your math early--or go see a tutor if you need help. Don't wait until the last minute-attack any problems you have immediately. All my proactive nursing program classmates passed--the ones who waited until it was too late, or just tried to muddle through did not make it.

It is scary and even though I have one semester under my belt already I am stuffing those nagging doubts to the back of my mind every day. I try to think positive thoughts and focus on why I wanted to do this so badly in the first place.

missjennmb · Jan 23, 2009

Just wanted to agree with the previous posters.

1) make a routine for yourself so that you dont get behind...nothing is worse than getting behind with the amount of material you have to cover

2) don't look ahead any further than the next test and don't look back at past mistakes You can't change whats already happened and you cant do anything about the workload you have for the whole semester. You can only affect what you do today, and you can only prepare for one test at a time. I study for one test from the second the class ends from the last test, so that I don't ever end up cramming. Cramming, for me, always ends badly b/c something always comes up (getting sick on "cram day" can break you) I've seen so many good students fail out so far because they either stressed out too much or they waited until the weekend before the test to study.