5 Reasons Why Taking a Semester Off During Pre-reqs May Help You in the Long Run

Everybody needs a break sometimes. Pre-reqs are hard and a break may help you more than you think.

5 Reasons Why Taking a Semester Off During Pre-reqs May Help You in the Long Run

A break is usually hard to come by, but it’s the next best thing to heaven once you get it. As a pre-nursing student, I’ve taken classes that have drawn me through the wringer. Constant headaches, dreading going to lecture and counting down the days for the semester to end.

The Beauty of Taking a Break

Here is the beauty of taking a break for a semester! Pre-nursing courses aren’t the easiest, and there is much pressure to get into the program with the most competitive marks that it wears on you physically and emotionally. I started feeling this way shortly after Fall Semester, family sicknesses and my course load (2 science courses, 1 psychology course and an English class) had me stressed! Others around me told me to take a break but my mentality was, I have to finish what I started.  The others proved right, as soon as the first day of Spring semester rolled in I was already over it. I wanted to stay in bed cuddled up but when I couldn’t bear the thought of waiting on the nursing letter to see if I was accepted or denied, I registered for more courses (don’t worry they were very leisurely). I knew I needed a break, and currently, I am taking one before I prep myself up for school once again. If you’re Type A like me then taking a break makes you a bit hesitant, but I’m learning that it doesn’t have to be.

You Can Finally Relax

A semester with no classes seems like a dream come true! No longer will you have to wake up with a horrible tension headache. You don’t have the objectives of school hanging over your head and you have a lot of time to yourself which is a very big bonus!

You Can Dive Into Your Hobbies

Usually when we’re caught up in a goal, it’s very frequent to lose yourself in the process. While taking a break, you can rediscover what you like and even discover new hobbies. Mines for example are writing and cooking, new hobbies I’ve gotten into a pottery!

MENTAL Reset 

Stress is usually the cause of why many people take a semester or two off.  I use to have the mentality that if I took a break off, that I’d be a quitter or that I was slacking off on my goals, looking back at it, it wasn’t true. In the much needed break, I’m realizing that I needed this break for my sanity. By taking this break I allowed myself to be kinder, relax and to revamp my goals.  I also healed from a lot of stuff I needed to. As my mom said, give yourself time to reset and then you come back stronger!

Self Care

During school time, I didn’t really take care of myself. Aside from showering and brushing teeth I didn’t really take care of myself that much. I had a crappy diet, ailments and didn’t treat myself, in a healthy manner. I think that one of the beauties of taking a semester off is that you get to revaluate yourself, this means how you treat and care for yourself. Now I cleaned up my diet, volunteer and I'm doing  things I want to do.

You Can Learn New Skills

While in break I took the time to complete some new skills which are speaking, performing speeches (still a beginner), delivering better presentations and how to think on an analytical, critical and creative level! During break, I feel one of the best things one can do is learn a new skill.

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TheNursingdoll

About TheNursingdoll, CNA

Hello there! I am a nursing student hoping to get into my technical school's Fall of 2021 program. If you are a pre-nursing student needing help , I will help in any way possible.

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Taking a break can be a great way to refresh, but the important thing is to consider how you are going to use these de-stressing strategies when you're in a nursing program or actually working as a nurse.

For me, prerequisites were far easier than nursing classes, and the first year of nursing made school look like vacation.

I'm not saying this to discourage you at all, but to encourage you to go into the next semester with a game plan. De-stressing when you're on a break is way easier than maintaining a healthy balance when you're in a challenging nursing program or learning the ropes as a newbie nurse. Even as an established nurse, burnout is a huge problem, and taking off extended time is not usually an option.  You will need to keep reevaluating how you can keep yourself sane while meeting the demands of a stressful job.  

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6 hours ago, turtlesRcool said:

Taking a break can be a great way to refresh, but the important thing is to consider how you are going to use these de-stressing strategies when you're in a nursing program or actually working as a nurse.

For me, prerequisites were far easier than nursing classes, and the first year of nursing made school look like vacation.

I'm not saying this to discourage you at all, but to encourage you to go into the next semester with a game plan. De-stressing when you're on a break is way easier than maintaining a healthy balance when you're in a challenging nursing program or learning the ropes as a newbie nurse. Even as an established nurse, burnout is a huge problem, and taking off extended time is not usually an option.  You will need to keep reevaluating how you can keep yourself sane while meeting the demands of a stressful job.  

Hello , you didn't discourage me, I thank you for this ?

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