hours per day

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How many hours per day do you put into studying for your nursing classes? I've heard a lot of different answers. Also, do you think there is such a thing as studying TOO much? Can you freak yourself out because you "don't get it all at once"?

Studying advice?

THANKS

I'm in my first semester of nursing school.

I really enjoy tracking things... I've tracked every single thing I've spent for the last 2 years. Just recently, I started tracking how much I study -- I start a stopwatch, and then I start studying. If I get up to get a drink of water, or stand up to turn down the fan, I'll stop the stopwatch and restart it once I get back to studying. I don't include time I spend watching TV + studying, or I'll count that as a much smaller amount of actual time studying than the time spent.

In the last 7 days before today (was the 3rd week of nursing school so we're getting into tests and things), I studied 20 hours independently. I also had about 20 hours of time in class/clinical. So yeah.. it's like 40 hours (for me). It's tiring and today I'm sorta taking a break. Totally depends on you though -- some people need more time, some people less.

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Typically I wouldn't study at all until 2-3 days before a test then I would look at the power points again. Didn't want to mess with my video game time!

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Specializes in Pedi.
Typically I wouldn't study at all until 2-3 days before a test then I would look at the power points again. Didn't want to mess with my video game time!

I'm with you. I hardly ever studied in college, I had better things to do. I studied before tests and maybe between classes if I had time to stop by the library.

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I'm with you. I hardly ever studied in college, I had better things to do. I studied before tests and maybe between classes if I had time to stop by the library.

Yeah I was definitely the minority in my class on that one. One of the few who partied hard and had fun...

Most of my nursing class was type-A females constantly trying to justify how hard nursing was and how many hours they were studying before seeing their BF who was going to law, med, dental or insert some other top 5% professional school. To be honest nursing school doesn't have that much science or high level of difficulty. Pharm, patho and the adult health classes compose most of the science and even then it's just memorization.

Sorry the whole, "I have no life" motif spread by nursing students is largely fabricated and simply a woe is me self deprecating outlook . I am not of extreme intelligence and I would only classify myself as above-average and I literally laugh every time I hear a nursing student talk about their lack of social life. Does nursing school have more time commitments then the average major? Yes. Is it extremely hard comparatively to most majors? Not necessarily.

Typical nursing student (not always though):

Early 20s female

Already married, engaged, long-term BF

Type-A

Competitive

Worry-wart

Perfectionist

Sometimes conniving (You will see on group projects and test preparation)

The list goes on....

You can say I am wrong, but haters gonna hate. For the non-traditional students with families in my class, most seemed to do just fine. All I am saying is to enjoy school while you can because when you graduate its 12+ hr shifts all the time and that's it...

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Yeah I was definitely the minority in my class on that one. One of the few who partied hard and had fun...

Most of my nursing class was type-A females constantly trying to justify how hard nursing was and how many hours they were studying before seeing their BF who was going to law, med, dental or insert some other top 5% professional school. To be honest nursing school doesn't have that much science or high level of difficulty. Pharm, patho and the adult health classes compose most of the science and even then it's just memorization.

Sorry the whole, "I have no life" motif spread by nursing students is largely fabricated and simply a woe is me self deprecating outlook . I am not of extreme intelligence and I would only classify myself as above-average and I literally laugh every time I hear a nursing student talk about their lack of social life. Does nursing school have more time commitments then the average major? Yes. Is it extremely hard comparatively to most majors? Not necessarily.

Typical nursing student (not always though):

Early 20s female

Already married, engaged, long-term BF

Type-A

Competitive

Worry-wart

Perfectionist

Sometimes conniving (You will see on group projects and test preparation)

The list goes on....

You can say I am wrong, but haters gonna hate. For the non-traditional students with families in my class, most seemed to do just fine. All I am saying is to enjoy school while you can because when you graduate its 12+ hr shifts all the time and that's it...

I like your perspective here, I can tell you are a guy. Refreshing and a real perspective from someone who is not with in your usual type of nursing student.

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I like your perspective here, I can tell you are a guy. Refreshing and a real perspective from someone who is not with in your usual type of nursing student.

How did you know? ;)

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That is seriously awesome to hear. I understand nursing school is going to be a time commitment, but I don't understand how SO many people say they "have no life." I guess I'm just truly worried what nursing school is REALLY like, and if teachers truly prepare you to meet the 78%+ grade that's expected. I will already have a bachelor's degree when I start, and I have to say... I have never been a big studier. If you know what is expected of you, I'm sure I will do fine.

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OH, so basically you're saying it's a competition? "My nursing school is harder than yours" type of competition? HAHA! GOD. I hope it is like you say :) I like to have fun.

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My first week comes to an end tomorrow. I'm in that stage where I'm coming home to read, eat, and sleep. :/ I'm trying to sort out the best way to study that doesn't require as much time so I'm not stuck at my desk all day. It's hard at the beginning where you don't know what/how to study and be able to recall it. Basically, I'm experimenting, and hoping to "feel out" a system that doesn't encase my entire life.

Typically I wouldn't study at all until 2-3 days before a test then I would look at the power points again. Didn't want to mess with my video game time!

And I havn't gotten any COD time in at all this week yet! :( May have to force some time in, lol.

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For all my ADN pre-reqs (Anatomy, Physio, Micro) I usually had my books open all day. I read when the kids werent asking for more food, or when my husband didnt blast his surround sound (currently his is......GTA V time). I read when I was sick of watching netflix or cleaning. I would stop reading when someone needed me, other wise I read slowly and took in what I could little bits at a time. I fit it into my schedule whenever I could until it became something I looked forward to doing. Micro was the BOMB!! I loved it. I couldnt wait to read about anything Micro related. Mostly in part because my professor was awesome and made you want to be addicted to learning. (couldnt say the same for the teacher I had for anatomy and again in physio) Anywho...Got 2 A's and a B.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
Typically I wouldn't study at all until 2-3 days before a test then I would look at the power points again. Didn't want to mess with my video game time!

Same here - I spend so many hours per week in lecture, lab, clinicals, or at work that cracking a nursing textbook is seriously the LAST thing I want to do when I get home. Paying attention in lectures and looking over my powerpoint notes every so often works just fine for me.

Now my PS3 schedule, on the other hand, is VERY RIGOROUS ;)

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Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

I don't study at all until 1 or 2 days before the test, and then it's all day. I was an A student last year (first year), but this year I might be a B student.

I was your typical type A my first year of nursing school. It's so competitive to get in that you tend to come in with those go, go, go mentalities. But, I have relaxed and have plenty of free time for my family and myself. Do I get to do everything I want? No, but I manage to keep my family fed, go to all their events, work out 4-6 days a week, and spend time with my husband. I don't have time to clean my house, but who cares about that? ;)

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