Half way through the semester- how is everyone?

KellieNurse06 · Oct 18, 2006

I have totally lost my drive, and I still have half the semester to go!! Mid term grades are coming out this week and I am doing fine. I just have lost all steam. What do you do to keep motivated?
I start up another clinical in a few weeks and things are just going to get more crazy.

Oh I hear ya! I just keep saying " XX more weeks left " " You've come this far already. Don't give up now" My class is exactly 1/2 done as of tomorrow with 7 weeks left until we are done.

I tell ya..the other semesters seemed to drag & this one is just flying by ..it seems like we just started and we are 1/2 done.......it gets better...just go weeks or days until done...it will be over before you know it......we were saying a few weeks ago that we will feel lost at first with no school or clinicals to go to .........you'll be fine ..you've worked hard to get to this point so keep chugging along......

NaomieRN · Oct 18, 2006

Continue to stay focus and know the reason why you want to become a nurse. I wake up everyday and pray, so I can continue to stay motivated. I know I love taking care of people, I look forward to take care of the patients.

The patients motivate me because I know they need my assistance.

allthingsbright · Oct 18, 2006

I am still motivated-I have to be or I'll sink. Grades? Got a 92, 91, and 91 respectively. ALMOST straight A's!

Off to get my work done. As usual...

gerry79 · Oct 18, 2006

Wow! I thought I was the only one feeling like a 3/4 drained battery! Only 7 weeks and 2 exams to go! Good luck every one! Remeber when school first started? Well we are almost done!

Achoo!, LPN · Oct 18, 2006

ha! I'm almost half-way done! I guess that is what is bothering me. I still have a year of classes. If I feel like this already, next year is going to be a bear!

michar · Oct 18, 2006

I'm over halfway done with this semester and seriously feeling burned out. We haven't started clinicals yet, and we have a few weeks of clinicals and skills pass offs.

I think our class is desperate for some perspective that I know will come from clinicals, I'm just not looking forward to dealing with skills at the same time.

I'm also finding myself talking in strange sentences and everyone around me looking at me strange. Things like I'm at risk for deficit of motivation r/t going to school 5 days a week then working 36 hours Saturday and Sunday, aeb todays outburst.

RN1263 · Oct 18, 2006

I have totally lost my drive, and I still have half the semester to go!! Mid term grades are coming out this week and I am doing fine. I just have lost all steam. What do you do to keep motivated?
I start up another clinical in a few weeks and things are just going to get more crazy.

here's my take on it, some semesters may be better or worse than others. last semester i "rocked" w/ my study habits, this semester....not so much!

classmates have been asking lately..... "you probably have all the reading done already, practice questions answered, ect...right??" and when i say, "nope, haven't even started yet!" they say, "wwwhhaaaatt!!!!! that's not like you, what's wrong????" and basically, i don't have an answer for them????

frankly, i think i'm going through "reality shock" early....ya-know, instead of it happening as a new grad, it's happening now!!......bits of depression, , feeling overwhelmed & thoughts of....I CAN'T DO THIS, IT'S TOO MUCH PRESSURE!!!!!( I'll be done w/ the program in may). BUT, i do think it's starting to let up (it's been 2 mos. now), because my outlook has been slowly getting better.....

all i can say is if you need to take a day off & double up on studing on another day, then do it! whatever it takes so that you get a break once in awhile.....that is what i've been doing to get through this "episode" i'm having and i still have a solid "B", so it's possible to still get a decent grade!

good luck:wink2:

marilynmom, LPN, NP · Oct 18, 2006

We are a little more than halfway done as well. We just finished our Med/Surg clinicals and have started Psych clinicals this week---ours are broken up into 8 weeks each. I'm not burnt out thank goodness and am making A's and B's in all my classes---I also got excellent remarks about my clinicals so that shows you can be an A student AND awesome with clinicals too

We do have people flunking out though, even some of my close friends, it breaks my heart. Most of those who are doing badly on tests are also doing badly in clinicals though.

Anyways, I'm having a great time! My Psych clinicals are really fun. I'm working in the Juvenile Sexual Offenders Program (ages 13-17) and then in 4 weeks I will switch to working with the unit that has the schizophrenics and bipolars, etc. So it is interesting to actually see some of these disorders rather than just reading about them in my book.

midlifexover · Oct 18, 2006

I had my first feelings of doubt and burn-out about school this past Friday. That led to a rough weekend of stress and negative thoughts. That was followed by clinicals on Monday with a VERY challenging patient for whom I didn't feel prepared. Needless to say, by Monday afternoon, I was ready to check out.

Thankfully, the week has improved, and my positive attitude is returning slowly but surely. I guess the 'duldrums' are inevitable on occasion, but I have to say after my first bout. . . They Really BITE.

Good luck to others experiencing the same feelings. Hang in there!

locolorenzo22, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2006

Yep, we're all close to that halfway point, and at the moment, I'M STRESSED!

Clinicals, class, reading, skills demos, and I started back at my old job Tuesday, so WOW! I'm just dealing and looking to the weekend to recharge(12 hours of sleep sat. night, anyone?) I keep reminding myself that I've waited so long to get into NS, that NOTHING is going to stop me! I could have the instructor from heck, but I'd just give her some water and keep going!

Two things I'm doing/going to do:

1. Remind myself that becoming an RN is going to help my overall life goal of moving from IL to portland, OR or San Diego, CA(so if anyone's around there, what's it like?) I spent a lot of time around there a few years ago, and could see myself living there.

2. Our school gave us this estimate of time needed for studying, work, clinicals, and asked WHAT'S KEEPING YOU HERE?? So everyday, I'm going to mark off one more day until It's down to 1! (then I'll just say LATER!!!)

3. Remind myself that I can't become advanced practice without the ASN, the BSN, and the Masters!!!

4. Taking days off when needed, and reading some non-school related material(especially after christmas!!)

just a few.

smk1, LPN · Oct 19, 2006

LOL i was just realizing that my mid to late term slacker mentality was starting to set in. ( i had a whole day essentially to myself and did nothing productive whatsoever). I have all "A's" at this point and would like to keep them and will give myself a good kick in the pants to jumpstart my motivation again.