Semester 3- the whirlwind

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Jan 30, 2016

Purdue is my alma mater!

Write a list and prioritize what needs to be done. Mark what needs to be done by the end of the day without excuse, what needs to be done by the end of the week, and what isn't an immediate concern but something you could do if everything else is finished. Complete them in that order. Crossing things off my list motivates me more than any other tactic I've tried.

Is it studying efficiently that you're struggling with or time management?

sarah108 · Jan 30, 2016

Really? That's awesome! A little of both, I've always been a go with the flow type, and I am having trouble making the transition to planning. Also, my study techniques aren't the best. Reading the texts is just so daunting, and I probably just need to suck it up and read, but I kind of feel like I absorb nothing afterwards. As far as time management goes, I have 2 part time jobs to pay for school, also currently saving for a new car that I desperately need. And in a relationship of 3 years. Balancing is definitely a struggle for me.

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Jan 30, 2016

Maybe blocking out times specifically would help? If I recall, the myPurdue site allows you to print out a schedule with your courses by hours, so you could block out times for your job and schedule study times.

Pinterest and YouTube has plenty of nursing videos that might break up the monotony of reading your books. Just make sure that the presented information is correct and matches what your courses are teaching.

sarah108 · Feb 7, 2016

After you made this post, the following Monday we had an assignment where we had to block out times for our daily activities; work, class, sleep, meals, showers, etc, and then were told to look at all the empty spaces, and to fill them in with "STUDY". Which with my schedule, is technically less than the "recommended" time per class. Your post and this assignment made me realize what I really need to do to succeed and to go beyond just passing, because I obviously want to do well. I also had my first exam last week. Was not as good as I wanted to do obviously, but it did raise my grade by 7% which is a big relief. With exams in my other classes coming up, I have been trying to start earlier in the day (when possible) so I don't have to stay up all night getting homework done. All of this in mind, and in addition to other factors, I have decided to put in my two weeks at one of my jobs, to give myself more time to study. Hopefully then I could maybe find a small summer job, and potentially make enough to not have to work both jobs during the semester.

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Feb 8, 2016

That's a great idea. Do you live in West Lala? Many of the employers are extremely student-friendly, and I'm sure you could find an internship nearby on campus.

sarah108 · Feb 8, 2016

I was actually thinking of looking for possibly hospital internships, desk or otherwise, just to be in that type of atmosphere, maybe even just volunteering. I think this honestly would be the best move for me now, to gain a little experience and have more of an idea about what to expect when i get to clinicals further down the road.

cracklingkraken, ASN, RN · Feb 8, 2016

I was actually thinking of looking for possibly hospital internships, desk or otherwise, just to be in that type of atmosphere, maybe even just volunteering. I think this honestly would be the best move for me now, to gain a little experience and have more of an idea about what to expect when i get to clinicals further down the road.

There's some ALFs, if I recall correctly, 10 min away from campus if you're interested in working as a CNA. That's what I meant when I mentioned potential employers.

sarah108 · Feb 8, 2016

Oh ok! Thank you so much for the responses, I think I just needed a little outside input to guide me and get my head straight. I can do this!