Planning "My Space" for Nursing School

traumanurse2b? · Dec 12, 2012

Im starting in January as well :) and I spent today organizing my office. We don't have children, but my husband loves his video games so I need a quiet space away from him. I have 2 small cheap desks in there, one holds my printer and other miscellaneous things. The other desk houses all of my supplies, folders, and books. I also have a big reading chair in case I get tired of the desk. Is there anywhere that you can set up a desk and shut the door to separate you from the chaos? I would try to incorporate time with the kids into your breaks. Take a 10-15 minute break every couple hours and play a game with the kids or sit down with them for a few minutes. I used to study at my dining room table with headphones when we didn't have space for an office. Is that possibility? :) Hope you can find something that works!

BajanCherry · Dec 12, 2012

Don't study at home, I have the same distractions... Study when everyone is asleep if you can.... You'll lose sleep (clearly I should be sleeping but I'm up studying for this cumulative final!) But do what you've got to!

PinkCupcake · Dec 12, 2012

If you have the extra room an office would be a great idea. I have 4 kids and a husband and the last two semesters I've had to lock myself in my bedroom to study. It's not ideal but it works.

My plan over Christmas break is to kick the boys out of their room and move them over to the play room which is bigger that way I can turn their old room into an office. My husband would love it if I had an office. There has been more than a few nights that he slept on the couch because I was passed out in our bed with my books, pens, highlighters, and notes all over his side of the bed lol. Poor guy luckily he's usually pretty understanding but I still have a year and a half to go so I'm sure I can't get away with that for much longer.

Another thing I do is I'll try to squeeze in some study time before the kids get home from school and then study after they go to sleep. Good luck in nursing school it's going to be a crazy ride!

Stephalump · Dec 12, 2012

Well my recommendation would actually be to go study elsewhere. Having a home office doesn't actually reduce distraction. It just increases space and the ability to be organized.

I have an office at home but it's connected to the kitchen, so even with doors shut I don't get that feeling of isolation and my family doesn't seem to either. So I bought a cheapy desk and chair and a short book shelf and put it in our bedroom at the back of the house. It's quieter and the space is free of computers and non-nursing stuff and no one has any reason to touch any of it.

RN9742 · Dec 12, 2012

I set up my desk in the bedroom, but I'll be honest - I get very little studying done at home! Even with my own space, the distractions are still here. I spend extra time at school after classes, and leave early so I can study some before class as well. Those times I absolutely had to study at home, I would utilize Pandora, classical music playing somewhat loudly with headphones drowns out a lot of noise and is not as distracting as music with words. I found I would tend to read with the beat! :) Added bonus was that when I was wearing down I could just close my eyes and breath deeply with the music for a few, very relaxing. I have a hubby, 4 busy kids, and am very active in my church. Doing what I did helped me pass first semester with a B!

Alicat1451 · Dec 12, 2012

We have a really small condo, and I set up a corner of our room to be "my desk area." It's a corner desk, so I don't have the distractions of looking out a window or into the rest of the condo. It helps, but yeah studying at the library is much better for me!

Guinevere39 · Dec 12, 2012

I've found that I can't get much studying done at home. There is always something else to do - dishes, laundry, etc. I do best going to Starbucks or the library or somewhere else with wi-fi. I do have a shelf at home that I bought specifically for my nursing things - texts, binders, pens, notecards, etc., and that helps me feel a little organized.

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2012

goodness lots of great ideas, but concensus seems to be not to study at home! I got a big back yard with lots of trees, maybe a treehouse? lol :) During my pre-classes I did spend a lot of time waking up from 3am to 7am seems to be the only quiet time I had, but I'd look like a zoombie the rest of the day, sometimes I actually locked myself in the car cause i had to study for a final test while everyone was still up, my wife was like "are u nuts?" I'd say nope I need some quite time to study...lol. I do tend to get by with 6 hour sleep. My girls (1 and 5)still sleep in the same room so I do got an extra room but the 5 yr old is relentless on talking and asking for things every minute. It's between that room, the garage or the patio or closet or the car again lol :roflmao:

winterlights08 · Dec 14, 2012

I don't really have any particular space in my house set aside for studying. I do have a desk off the kitchen but it's not private. It's more just an area to keep my books, computer, etc. I did need an area that would let me leave books lying out since my books had pretty much taken over the kitchen table. I have a noisy husband and four kids. Last year for Christmas I requested Bose noise canceling headphones from my husband. He gave me ones that aren't noise canceling but are still pretty good for blocking out the sound. I listen to classical or Yanni (no distracting words) and I'm usually parked on the sofa reading or studying. Occasionally I'll go out to the library or the bookstore to study, but I'm usually at home. I also find that I don't function very well past 9:00 pm so I don't even bother trying to study after that time.

So...I would say if you have to stay at home, get those headphones, and hopefully your wife is very supportive of what you are doing for your family!

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2012

Thanks winterlights08...I love Yanni, he actually is my favorite modern composer, been a while since I listened to him. Maybe time to make a collection and get some good headphones to block out the outside world :blink:

j-low, ASN, BSN, EMT-B · Dec 18, 2012

I also am planning "myspace" before the semester starts. I've done some trial and error the past couple of the semesters, and I've found a couple of helpful things. I have scented pillar candles next to my desk. I light them and I don't know about you, but candlelight relaxes me. I have a floor heater in my office and I have a throw blanket that I keep on the back of my desk chair-I cannot concentrate when I'm freezing. I keep bags of Werthers Originals hard candy to eat while I'm studying-they help me concentrate and then I also take them to the test with me. I keep Pandora on the classical radio station on low while I'm studying for background noise. I go in my office, close the door, and leave my cell phone outside so I won't be tempted. My walls were painted a light blue/gray, so nothing bright or distracting. I made sure it was homey and comfortable, and a place I would want to spend a long period of time in. I even went so far as to buy one of those relaxing small fountains that run water. I discovered that the motor is much louder than the relaxing sound of running water. That did not help at all.