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Starting my 1st semester on the 13th of January and I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I have prepared everything I can early (family, no job, uniforms, laptop, books, lab kit etc) I know something will come up that I have not prepared for but for now all is well. Just trying to enjoy the last few weeks of freedom lol. Any tips or pointers are appreciated......

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1) Don't panic! Breathe and remember that you are doing the best you can.

2) Space your studying out (over days, not just hours) and if you get to the point where it just wont sink in anymore go and take a break.

3) If its stupid, but it works and you can understand it/remember it, then its not really stupid.

4) Get sleep and eat breakfast or at least pack protein bars/instant breakfast. You'll function better with food and adequate rest.

5) Labs, meds etc can all seem overwhelming and confusing. Understanding will come with experience/exposure and lots of repetition.

6) You will make mistakes; be kind to yourself when it happens, but take responsibility for it and own it. Use the situation as an opportunity to improve your methods and prevent future mistakes.

7) There is no end to all the material. You can always learn something new and it will not always come from someone above you. Sometimes CNAs, techs, or patients are our teachers.

8) Find some stress relief techniques that work for you. Aromatherapy, hot shower, workout, dancing, music etc. Nursing school has its ups and downs just like life and stress relief is a must.

Good luck on your first day!

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A MILLION THANK YOU'S for that list! I just wrote everyone of them down on the front cover of my planner! I appreciate it so much!:)

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I'm feeling very nervous too! I also start on the 13th of January. Thank you for the tips!

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I'm feeling very nervous too! I also start on the 13th of January. Thank you for the tips!

What school?

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First & foremost, congratulations on getting into the nursing program! That in itself is a MAJOR accomplishment! :)

I am a nursing student starting my 3rd semester in January. The best advice I can give you is:

1. The first semester might seem a little tough, only because its a whole new transition into different tests questions, getting your mind to think like a nurse, and learning to manage your time, but it is very doable! :)

2. Don't be afraid to ask questions. This is the time to ask & learn. Even when you are in clinicals and you aren't too sure on what to do, do not hesitate to ask your professor or a working nurse. Its the best way to learn!

3. Do not be afraid to be hands on & get in there and do it in clinicals. At first, it seems overwhelming, but once you get in there and do your skills, you'll see that it gets a little easier.

4. Every answer is right in nursing school/exams. But never 2nd guess yourself, always go with your gut feeling -- its usually right :)

5. There are going to be times where you get frustrated and just want to cry, but don't give up. Keep pushing yourself & remember the reason why you started nursing school in the first place!

6. BEFORE nursing school starts, spend as much time with your family & friends as possible, because its true what they say, nursing school is like a full-time job. In order to succeed, you must be dedicated & make sacrifices. There will be times where you have to miss family events & cant go out with your friends, but just remember that at the end of it all, its going to be worth it!

GOOD LUCK! You can do it! :)

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What school?

It's a school in California - Los Angeles County College of Nursing & Allied Health. What about you?

Thanks for all the replies on here! I too have been feeling really nervous and anxious these last two months...every piece of advice helps! :)

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You got in for a reason! Be kind to yourself, enjoy the ride! Congrats!

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Specializes in Hospice.

I discovered that on the things that have to be memorized, (which really isn't much, since you need to grasp concepts, not memorize things) I do best if I break them down. For example, blood flow through the heart. There were sixteen different points we needed to know. Memorizing sixteen points in order seemed like an impossibility to me, so I broke it down. Right heart: R atrium, tricuspid valve, R ventricle. Pulmonary: Pulmonary semilunar valve, Pulmonary artery, lungs, Pulmonary veins. Left Heart: L atrium, Bicuspid (mitral) valve, L ventricle....... then aortic......blah blah you get the idea. I may have learned this in A & P but of course I had forgotten it. Lab values and dosage calculations are another thing you have to commit to memory.

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Thank you guys for the lists! I start my BSN program January 6th and this information is super helpful! I started reading my fundamentals of nursing book last night, but only skimmed the first chapter. We're supposed to receive an online assignment to do by the first day but I haven't received it yet.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

what you are feeling is normal. Also, studies show that nurses have some of the same personality traits and one is worry about things to come. So you already sounds like a nurse!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Congratulations! A few things that have helped me:

*Manage your time. This goes for everything in your life. Cooking, sleep (oh, how I miss sleep!), exercise (SANITY), family, studying, papers, assignments, reading...

*Accept that you may not read every single word of your reading. There will be an overwhelming amount of reading. Get through as much as you can. You'll figure out from which reading your instructors write their exams (some of the reading is often redundant, but each text has something different to offer).

*Accept your mistakes. Inevitably you'll make mistakes. Acknowledge them and learn from them. Don't let them make you crazy. You'll find yourself at home going, "I should have done X with that patient". Don't make yourself crazy!

*Advocate for yourself. Get your hands dirty!! Speak up when you want to learn something or observe something or do something. This has also helped me get the preceptorship I wanted, because a nurse manager said she wanted to see how I'd be in her department (A JOB!!!!).

*Don't forget to eat. Figure out easy stuff you can carry with you to school (this will save you money over eating at school). Carry a granola bar or something with you, too. This includes during clinicals! It'll keep your brain functioning.

*Learn what works best for you for studying. In my case, I do some of my reading on my treadmill. I do a lot of studying at Starbucks, because if I do it at home, it's the best way to get my laundry and dishes done! Plus, I have my son and husband pulling at me.

*You'll learn what "more right" means. It'll drive you crazy at first! But like someone else said, every answer is right, but you have to choose the answer that's "more right." Part of this is learning how to think as a nurse.

*BE FLEXIBLE. Nursing and nursing school are lessons in flexibility. It will test you in more ways than you can imagine.

*Ask questions. Ask your instructors, the nurses you're working with, the CNAs, the patients, their families, folks from other disciplines, everyone! They're all good resources for different things, and you never stop learning.

*You WILL survive! Remember that when you go through the inevitable hard times and you want to give up or are so overwhelmed that you don't think it can be done, etc. We ALL feel this way sometimes. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! You WILL get through it!

Good luck!!!

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