Nursing School Jitters?

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I start Nursing School Janurary 14th @ 8am. My schedule is 8am-5pm M-F until we start clinicals which are 7:30am-3pm. 9 hour school days are LONG! whew. I'm having such jitters, wow. I'm very very excited too all at once. My mind is swirling with all the thought of school, nerves, praying I'm smart enough when it comes down to the core. I have 3 children, a husband and 3 dogs, can I juggle everything? laundry, dinners, cleaning house? Is anyone else having such nursing school jitters? I've worked so hard for this, now I'm here and now I'm stressed..

Specializes in Cardiac ICU.

hey - i'm there with you! i am so worried about the finances...i don't qualify for financial aid (they said i could afford $5000 toward my education - from where? oh yeah, that money tree i've got growing in my back yard - i guess i need to fertilize it!).

i'm worried about the juggling, as well. right now i'm in the process of taking over the basement toy room as "my" study room (kids are 14 & 16 and the room is more of a rec room now). with all the stuff going on (kids, house, spouse, dogs etc) i'll need a place (with a door to shut) to help get rid of the distractions!

of course, while i'm planning this, i see more and more of how much my family relies on me to do a lot of the little stuff rather than them doing it themselves...i've already read the riot act (and dh backs me up on it but thats about it). i've talked to other moms in nursing school and they agree, it seems like its so much easier for mom to do it (take out garbage, walk the dog, pick up living room etc) than it is for everyone else! sheesh!

i've told the family we'll take a vacation to disney world (where we've never been) when i graduate.

so, until class starts in january, i'm cleaning out, clearing out and decluttering everything that i can. somehow i feel that with a less cluttered home, life might be less hectic...i dunno. i put some stuff on ebay (my first experience as a seller) and i made a whopping $5. i recently was laid off from my job but it was a good thing and i couldn't be happier. however, the finances are starting to pinch and the holidays are close. i have enough put away to see me through the 1st semester. i plan to work as a personal care technician in the summer after that. failing that, i'll apply for a student loan.

either way, i see my concerns as merely temporary. i just need to focus and concentrate on the important stuff. its just a matter of getting through the next two years successfully. i wish you the best!

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I start Nursing School Janurary 14th @ 8am. My schedule is 8am-5pm M-F until we start clinicals which are 7:30am-3pm. 9 hour school days are LONG! whew. I'm having such jitters, wow. I'm very very excited too all at once. My mind is swirling with all the thought of school, nerves, praying I'm smart enough when it comes down to the core. I have 3 children, a husband and 3 dogs, can I juggle everything? laundry, dinners, cleaning house? Is anyone else having such nursing school jitters? I've worked so hard for this, now I'm here and now I'm stressed..

oh yes for sure! I haven't gotten my schedule yet, but school starts 1/22. The closer it gets the more nervous I will become I am sure. I also have 3 kids 8,8 and 10. I am feeling tremndous guild about how much time I am going to miss with them. The good thing about my course though, is it is on semesters. I will do this spring semester and then have the whole summer off. This will be such a good break for me and the kids. Then I have the fall and one more spring, another summer break and the last push through one more fall semester and then done. I am so glad I am starting in the spring for that reason alone.

I have bought some study guides to work on through December to keep me above water once school starts. I know some of the basic concepts that we will cover first semester, and some of the things that usually trick people up so I am trying to get ahead to prepare myself.

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Hello! I feel the same way you do. Sometimes I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about it. My first day of class is the same as yours. I am hoping that orientation next month will help calm my nerves somewhat (or it may do just the opposite!) I have three children as well (but no pets) and worry about keeping up with laundry and dinners. I'm not a clean freak so I don't worry so much about the house being spotless ;) As far as dinners are concerned, I think I'm going to have to dust off the Crock-Pot and get reacquainted with make-ahead dinners.

All in all, I am excited and nervous, all rolled into one!

Good luck to you ~

me too!! I have 8,8 and 10 yr old kids, a husband who is a clean freak, and a dog who likes to walk atleast once if not twice a day (he will be so sad when I am gone). Crock pot is a great idea, I think I will start looking for some recipes now.

I am excited and nervous the closer it comes I am sure the stronger my nerves will get.

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I start the same day! I am very nervous! I think right now I am more nervous about my financial aid though. :chair:

I start a little later 1/22 but still very nervous, we haven't had orientation yet so I have no idea about my schedule, will be nice to get that so I can plan child care etc..

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Specializes in E.R..

I am kinda getting excited, I start jan. 9th or 10th. I am nervous not in re: to school, but how my family and work life is going to change. I have a 2 1/2 yr old and 9 month old. I am feeling really guilty about missing the next 20 months of watching them grow up, but I figure it is better when they are younger than when they are older. Also I work in an ER, so I am trying to get my schedule all figured out and trying to get my coworkers to work with me on the schedule rearrangement. I meet with the academic counselor tomorrow to find out my schedule. I think once that happens the excitement will start to set in.

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Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

I am extremely excited yet have the jitters about starting NS on Jan 16!! I am keeping myself 100% positive that I will do just fine as long as I keep myself on track. My jitters have lessened since I received my financial award letter and let me tell you it pays to be single and poor! Haha!! I am however extremely anxious to know how my wedding is going to go in April, since I will just be into my 2nd 8 week session. No honeymoon for this gal, it will be back to school bright and early Monday morning!! I am blessed to have a very understanding and supportive Fiance who is willing to take this cut in income over the next 2 years to make the rest of our life better. We have no children at this time, but I do have a cat, dog and a horse to feed, as well as the Fiance (can't he just eat the dog food??) :lol2: One thing that is lowering the nervousness for the moment is that I do not actually go into a clinical facility until March!! Ask me around then about my jitters and I can guarantee I will have a completely different response!! Good luck to all of you in your Nursing school adventures!!

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Good luck to all who are entering nursing school this Jan.! Don't worry, I'm sure it'll turn out OK for everyone. I think cleaning out the extra clutter beforehand is a great idea!

I'm not quite there yet, but hopefully in August, I will be. I'm waiting for my hubby to graduate (in May), and hopefully find something that will pay all the expenses, so I can quit my job to go to nursing school during the day. I'm nervous, since I've always worked full-time. I'm worried about the expenses and hoping my hubby will not be too stressed that he'll be the one supporting everyone (we also have 2 kids).

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Specializes in Critical care, Pediatris & Geriatrics.

i'm de-cluttering my home also!! i'm sorting old toys, old clothes, steam cleaning carpets and organizing the blanket/sheet closet. i still have to help my husband trim the maple trees and rose bushes next month, but that isn't so bad. all i know is i want alot of the major stuff done so i will not freak out, because i am a clean freak. i hate it tho sometimes, because i cannot relax if the house is dirty. i do have a daughter that is 16yrs old who can cook & clean, and my hubby says he will (god help us). he called me one night in pharmacology and asked me, "babe, what do i add to the hamburger helper", (yuk), i said, "hamburger"..geez! i'm doomed haaaa.. i will also get out my crock pot and make big meals like spaghetti and stews/soups that can be eaten more than one day. i have large dogs too (lab) that sleep indoors but can be outdoors when i go to school even in the dead of winter. they arent' much work since i have a very large yard for them to run and exercise.

well i think i've covered everything, geez..i can see i"m stressed just by reading this.

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Glad to know my kids aren't the only ones that are gonna be short Mommy time in the next yr.. I think lots of other kids have gone through it and turned out just fine. I can't wait to have ponytail class with my husband...that should be real interesting.

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Specializes in CNA; LPN Student.

I'm with you all! I start Jan 2, 7:45-2:45 M-F. I can't wait but I'm very nervous about how I'm going to handle everything. I have 2 boys (21 months and 6 months), I'm putting the oldest in daycare and my grandmother is watching the youngest. My husband works a lot and goes out of town a lot, so I'm just praying everything runs smoothly!

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Specializes in progressive care telemetry.
I'm opening a home equity loan before I quit my job, to cover any expenses that arise after I deplete our savings accounts. I have a degree. So, no fed aid or fed. loans for my situation.

I would seriously reconsider using a HELOC to finance your educational expenses. You can still get private student loans even though you already have a degree. The good thing about SL's is that if you have a hardship they are usually pretty good about putting them into forbearance while you get things straightened out. Not the case at all with a HELOC, they can take your house.

Sounds like you have all your ducks in a row! I understand totally about the type A thing, being one myself. I'm just taking prereq's now, I start A&P 1 next week and I've organized and reorganizedmy binder and materials, read and re-read the lab manual for the first day of classwork, sharpened my pencils, printed out the syllabus and class noted for hte first lecture, and so on. I couldn't possibly be more prepared, heck I've even taken this class before! (Have to retake because my NS won't accept an online lab) But I'm still nervous.

Good luck!

Karen

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j-me~

I did the same thing. (chose the day program thinking it would be nice to be done in 24M instead of 36m) are you in the LPN-RN program or the RN bridge? (I am in the LPN-RN) After looking at the sample schedule in the packet, it looks like days end at about 3pm, that will be nice. My hubby works from home on california time, so the minute I get out of school I will be on kid duty and he will be working from then until about 10pm. A bit scared about how I am going to juggle school, homework, 4 kids & their homework, etc. and all the animals, etc. etc. etc...... I guess we just make it through right? My hubby is very supportive and he keeps saying *it is just 2 years...* Then I can work part time or maybe 3 days a week. ahhh apprehension!

anyhow, nice to meet a fellow galen student, my name is Lisa.....

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