Sharing your survival tips--How do you prepare each semester?

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In the past, when I know I'm going to be faced with a tougher than normal challenge, I try to prepare and make life a little more convenient ahead of time.

Now that I have been officially accepted into the nursing program, I will be doing a lot preparation in between each semester.

Here are a few things I do before I start my tough semesters:

-Make meals and snacks that require very little to no prep time and freeze them.

-Clean like it's spring

-Give myself a pedicure with a new polish color.

-Get my hair done.

-Wear my kids out by spending tons of time with them.

-Me and my husband go out on a date.

What do you do to make life a little more convenient while in nursing school?

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I am starting my first semester, so I am stockpiling recipes for quick dinners (hellooo, crockpot!), doing big cleaning jobs around the house, and getting into an exercise groove so that I will have a good stress-killer once the semester starts.

But when I first read the title of your post, I thought about how the nursing office and several nursing students told me "Enjoy your summer"....so I consider that part of my preparation too, of doing things now that I won't be able to do (easily) once school starts. Going to the movies, reading books for fun, wandering aimlessly around Target, and having friends over for dinner are also helping me prepare for the semester!

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Specializes in PICU/Pedi.

Clean house

Organize my kids' clothes according to what season it is

Clean my car inside and out really good, becauae that will be the last time for awhile!

Oil change, rotate tires on my car

Stock up on frozen dinners (the ones in the bag, or lasagnas or enchiladas) so I will have easy stuff to make for dinner during the semester

As soon as the bookstore has them, I buy my school notes and organize them in binders

Buy supplies EARLY if I can, so I'm not fighting the back-to-school rush

Also, I spend some time on every break reviewing things I have already learned in school, and also reading ahead in the subjects that I will be studying in the next semester, just to keep my brain working.

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I'm starting in the fall, too, and I'm doing the same thing. Anything to make my life easier when it gets crazy! A few of the things that I'm doing--

-Rearrange our guest room into a study room for me. I'm hoping to get a study group going and if we ever meet at my house, I'd like to have a place for us to shut everything out.

-Stock pile school supplies. I've bought a ton of pens, highlighters, printer paper (10 reams for $23 and change from Amazon BTW), back up printer ink, etc.

-Get started on reading. At orientation they actually gave us a bunch of reading to have done by the beginning of class, as well as an additional book that as far as I can tell breaks down the critical thinking process.

-Collect easy recipes. Mostly crock pot and soups--add a salad/veggie and some bread, and voila! dinner is served!

-Spend time with my family. I've been very clear with my husband what NS is going to be like, so if the dishes or laundry get ignored for another day so I can spend time with them, so be it.

I don't know about you guys, but as excited as I am about finally getting to the good stuff, I'm nervous as all get out. I figure that if I can make things remotely easier on myself and my family, I'm going to. Good luck you guys!

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Oh yes, car maintenance--that's a good one (must remember that).

Enjoying the summer is good, too. My husband and I just bought a house in June and have planned a party the weekend before school starts--That will be our last for a very long time.

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do you mind if i ask where everyone gets their quick/simple recipes from? (:

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do you mind if i ask where everyone gets their quick/simple recipes from? (:

My recipe books are really boring compared to Allrecipes.com--Very cool site.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Allrecipes.com and recipezaar.com are good sites. Other students are usually a good resource for recipes too!

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I am starting my first semester, so I am stockpiling recipes for quick dinners (hellooo, crockpot!), doing big cleaning jobs around the house, and getting into an exercise groove so that I will have a good stress-killer once the semester starts.

But when I first read the title of your post, I thought about how the nursing office and several nursing students told me "Enjoy your summer"....so I consider that part of my preparation too, of doing things now that I won't be able to do (easily) once school starts. Going to the movies, reading books for fun, wandering aimlessly around Target, and having friends over for dinner are also helping me prepare for the semester!

Ditto the crock pot. I just got a cookbook called The Itailan Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone its easy recipes and not too many ingredients.

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I second allrecipes & recipezaar. I also really like kraftfoods.com, too...lots of very easy one pot/pan meals.

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ooh awesome! i'm going to look through these sites and compile an ultimate electronic recipe book. haha (: thank you!

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