Reading for pleasure

I wasn't able to read as much as I usually do (2-3 books a week) while I was in school, but I made sure I got some reading done. I figured out the most effective way for me to study and I would schedule myself for a certain amount of studying/assignments. When that time was up, I read whatever I wanted to. I graduated with a 3.8. You have to carve out time to do things for yourself too. However, I didn't have to work during school, nor did I have kids. I'm sure that would have been much different if that were the case.

Reading for pleasure is difficult in nursing school.. especially if you're like me, and HAVE to read a book cover to cover as quickly as possible. The way I've managed my reading addiction is I read A LOT on the breaks. We have the entire summer off, so over the summer I knocked out dozens of books. Over winter break, I knocked quite a few too.

Just make it a rule, no 'fun' reading during the semester, and no rules during the off time.

Reading for pleasure is difficult in nursing school.. especially if you're like me, and HAVE to read a book cover to cover as quickly as possible. The way I've managed my reading addiction is I read A LOT on the breaks. We have the entire summer off, so over the summer I knocked out dozens of books. Over winter break, I knocked quite a few too.

Just make it a rule, no 'fun' reading during the semester, and no rules during the off time.

I am the same way!! I have to plan a couple of hours of free time because the book isn't put down until it's done!

I read generally 2-5 books a week, but in school I could only do it on breaks. Otherwise, I'd have been face first in a novel and failing!! The only time I would read during the semester was on one of the rare days when I had nothing planned. (RARE - happened maybe three times)

I love to read, but my problem is that once I start a book I don't want to set it down. I realized during prereqs that I use reading as an escape, and if I'm not careful, I'll spend hours reading instead of studying. I try to limit myself. I'll read at night before I sleep and on weekends.

I didn't, because I am like a few others and have to finish ASAP. I didn't have time between student/wife/mom life!

Nope.

Absolutely. Everyone needs a break and it is possible to read for pleasure. It's all about how you schedule your time.

I never stopped my personal reading for 30 min before bed no matter what. It has kept me sane and allowed me to decompress before bed.

Graduation in 16 days!

I havent yet. I am also an avid reader, but I have found it so hard to squeeze in time for my family let alone any reading that isnt my nursing books. Maybe next semester. This was my first semester and I felt underwater most of the time lol

One of my fellow nursing students introduced me to the Hunger Games (back when the movie was first announced and it was nowhere near as popular) . . . I made the mistake of starting to read that during a study break before a big test and ended up pulling an all-nighter for the test one day and an all-nighter to finish reading the trilogy the next day! Poor choices!

I found that picking up "fun" books from the medicine or nursing section of the bookstore helped me read as a break, but also reinforced some aspects of school. Some of the ones I really enjoyed:

- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

- No Good Deed: A Story of Medicine, Murder Accusations, and the Debate over How We Die by Lewis Mitchell Cohen

- Asleep: The Forgotten Epidemic that Remains One of Medicine's Greatest Mysteries by Molly Caldwell Crosby

- anything by Mary Roach - Spook was fun, Stiff was very interesting, Gulp looks AMAZING

I've been trying to get through A Song of Ice and Fire series. I have been able to do that mostly on my breaks. Between nursing school, my two jobs and allnurses, I don't have much time to read.