Need study and organization tips

Hi there. Now take a deep breath and try to relax. We have all been right where you are now, and even though you may not believe it, you will figure out how to get through it. I am just finishing up my first year of a 2 year program and can't believe how far i have come. Use the search engine on this forum and there is tons of information on all kinds of study tips............I found one after my second test in my first semester that totally turned my grades around. But I was overwhelmed and scared as you are feeling right now. And now, I don't even really get nervous for tests......I know I have studied and call it good. Be gentle on yourself and remember to breath! Good luck and enjoy the ride!

*in through the nose, out through the mouth

*roll your shoulders

*stand up and stretch

hehe, sorry. not only do i hear you, but i am listening. i'm in level 1 (first semester) of a 2 yr. rn program myself. many say i'm anal, but anality has saved my bum many, many times. (even had my clinical instructor call me anal, but later said, 'i see why you are anal, with your life' {daddy of twin boys, wife with 'mental issues' and of course working}). hopefully, here are some tips for you that may help...

-get a good organizer (i use a little school planner type flip-notebook), and use it religiously

-schedule yourself time to study...everyday (i do it when everyone is asleep, either up late, or early)

-drink lots of coffee (yeah, not healthy, but i've lost 15#s the first 6 wks of the semester

-get a lablemaker, and label your class notebooks, class assignments to hand in, etc...keeps you organized, and you look professional

-after classes that day, debrief yourself on the lessons and organize them (i date all handouts, hole-punch, and put in notebook - only what is upcoming on next test... when test is over, i pull out of notebook and put in manilla folder and label... i.e. NU128 - module 4,6,11).

-most importantly, learn your own individual studying style...determined also by the prof (my classes are all taught by diff. profs, thus it's somewhat difficult)... but for one class i study only the notes and the text, another i only review the nclex questions for that individual test...and pick 'your style'...re-write notes? - tactile, highlight and view pix and videos online? - visual, etc. (look up learning styles, if your not sure of studying styles - ie. tactile, visual, auditory, etc.)

-any research/writing assignments, start as soon as possible, but pace yourself... day one-do research to pick topic, day two-write outline, day three-enhance outline, day four-complete and print out BUT do not hand in yet...always read over your work next day (what you thought sounded good at 3am, very well may not be that good )

---most, most important......... relax and breathe, once you've finished a test, forget about it....... your done, don't fret over it (i laugh when all my fellow classmates immediately after test gossip, 'what'd you put for this ?', etc).... it doesn't matter, you can't change your answer.

again, i hope the tidbits above help...... and just remember 'it's not rocket science, it's just more important'

dino

The above OP said it's important to learn about study styles...I could not agree with him more! I finally learned (and it took me FOREVER) to learn that I studied best when I wrote things down and made out study guides just on the most important points. Also, if you haven't done so already, form a study group. One girl in my class and I have become really good friends just from forming a group together...we sit and discuss the material with one another or "teach" it to each other. I find that discussion works for a lot of people in my class b/c people miss things that another person may have read or caught on to if you didn't already.

Oh...one last tidbit: Get a good night's sleep before the test!! haha it took me FOREVER to finally do this, but the couple times I've tried it, I have ended up acing the exam that next day!! It beats staying up all hours of the night and not getting as much sleep as you would've needed to function.

Happy studying, and good luck!!

Erika

ok...... old fart - newbie

'the above op' = ? (other's post?)

also, i haven't been in a study group lately, but yes they can 'work wonders' for the above mentioned reasons.

while looking for study guides for nclex, i've noticed an actual trivia board game specifically for the nclex... gonna run it by my classmates... reviews for it look 'plausible' (everyone chip in $5 as well)... been thinkin of postin to ascertain whether anyone else has experience with the 'board/trivia game'

oh, and ms. ladii... i forgot to mention that the particular school has an integral part in how well your lessons 'work'... i go to a local cc with a 97% pass-rate for nclex, however i'm amazed at how unorganized the whole program is...with the profs always retorting (to us students' complaints)... "you're a nurse now, you need to be flexible"....ugh!

gl,

dino