Okay, This Semester WILL be Better, Letter of Weakness or No!

[chapstickaddict]

Okay. I don't post here often, but I lurk a lot. My past semester was really hellish; I had some serious personal issues, my room mate/bf had to have surgery, couldn't work, got screwed when it came to workers comp. I have had to support me and him basically on my part time job a half hour away. That along with other stuff had made it a really tough semester...so tough that I found it hard to even wake up in the morning, let alone go to school. I squeaked through with a B average, and ended up getting a "Letter of Weakness" attached to my record or whatever, stating my lack of professional accountability. This was from one instructor from one lab. I'd rather not get into the details as to WHY I got the letter...as I'm not for airing my dirty laundry and making it obvious the exact situation, but I personally feel that the letter wasn't exactly...necessary. Like, I can see why I got it and also why I shouldn't have. Anyway, the new semester starts in a week.

I'm determined to do better this semester, especially since the weakness-writing-instructor is an instructor for another one of my courses . I'm terrified that every instructor, upon receiving this letter, will be just WAITING for me to fail. Somewhere deep down I know they're all not all out to get me, but the fear is real and there.

Things are *starting* to stabilize at home, with roomie working (but I just lost my job due to a car breakdown...that's a whole 'nother story though) and I'm going to buy most of my books tomorrow.

Due to my home issues, I don't feel like I was able to bond closely with my fellow classmates and thus have been getting left out of study groups and all that. It started to change slightly towards finals time, but I'm just not tight with them yet. I want to get together with people and study, and spend more time at the library studying, and etc, etc...in fact I'm GOING to do it!

Has anyone else had a rocky start and gotten past it? Any tips/tricks from those who aren't good studiers? Even just a smile and wave would do .

[hikernurse]

:):redbeathe

You can do it!!

While I can't speak for every hiring institution, I know in my area, nobody ever looks at your school records (and I don't think can unless you give permission).

Study groups with your classmates (soon to be friends, lol) is a great way to learn.

Good luck and have a great semester :).

[sunshine344]

Sorry to hear your semester didn't go so well. Is this your first semester? My first semester was kind of tough because it was a new environment for me and now I feel a little more comfortable, but like you, I haven't really been able to bond with students and have found that there aren't a lot of good people in the class that are worth being friends with. The people who you think are your friends sometimes may turn out to not be true friends.

I hope i'm not discouraging you or anything.You can make it. Just don't let anyone step on your feet.

As far as study groups go, I have found that they don't really help me and I do better with just one study partner.

You could speak to your instructors and explain your situation without revealing too much.Sometimes they will understand, if they are nice. Good Luck!

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

Letter of weakness? Seriously? lol. Oh gosh, I know where I'd tell them to file that letter.

What is it with nursing schools thinking they're some kind of employer and keeping performance files? No other undergraduate program that I know of is doing that. I think it's silly. Pass me, flunk me, kick me out, or graduate me, but don't give me some stupid letter.

Those records are confidential anyway and can't be disseminated.

[Music in My Heart]

Don't worry too much about the study group.

I know a lot of people think that they're fabulous but I've found, both through personal experience and years of tutoring, that they're also very inefficient. Most people benefit more from an hour of solo study than from an hour of group study.

Tips:

1) Study at least a little bit several times per day.

2) Cut out discretionary time on other stuff and direct it toward studying.

3) Use the interval method: Study something - come back 5 minutes later... then 20 minutes later... then 5 minutes... then 10 minutes... then 30 then 5... then 60

4) Flash cards!!

5) Audio notes!!

6) Review frequently and consistently.

[AOx1]

As an instructor, I make my own assessment of a student's performance. Students may perform poorly in one area, only to excel in another. Your new commitment to learn and to improve as well as less outside stress should show through.

After many years of teaching, I have seen excellent students perform poorly under extreme stress, and initially weak students who learn from their past mistakes and grow to be wonderful students. I don't discount ANYONE who is willing to learn. In all the time I've taught, the students who don't care at all are extremely, extremely rare.

I look for both the strengths and weaknesses in all my students. The strengths, so I can encourage them to capitalize on those strengths, and the weaknesses so we can work together to remediate them before they graduate. We all are pretty much a mixed bag of the two opposites, and I am lucky enough to have coworkers and a boss that will do the same for me in helping me continue to grow and learn. The most important thing is willingness to learn and a great attitude. Don't let one bad semester make you think you aren't capable or that you can't overcome a past mistake.