Starting nursing school in 17 days!!

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Aug 10, 2014

Usually the first day of classes is taken up with a lot of "housekeeping" chores such as going over the course syllabus and the course calendar, if any. It's usually really boring but very mandatory stuff. Often if you're not there that first day, you're on a very short list to be dropped from the class. If the mandatory check-in day covers that stuff, you'll be given the information as to what you'll need on the check-in day that will cover the first day or days of class. That may include the list of books you'll need to purchase for that term.

Don't be too nervous about this part of Nursing School. They're just getting you ready for the tougher part, when the formal program begins. The first couple weeks will probably be the toughest as you'll have to adapt to the faster pace of instruction than you were used to in High School. My advice is simple... for the first couple weeks, you're going to be really busy studying, but this does work. As soon as you get your reading assignment/calendar, start reading. Get about 10 days to two weeks ahead of the calendar from day 1. Once you've accomplished the task of reading the first 2 weeks of material, stay about a week ahead of the calendar. The night before class, skim the material for the next day and make sure you've completed any "homework" assignments that need to be turned in that following day. You don't want to be racing around that morning trying to complete your assignments...

Then you'll go over the material in class. Then afterward, within about a week or so, and certainly before you have any quizzes or exams on the material, go over it again. You'll have read the material at least once fully, and gone over the material at least a couple more times before you're tested on it. Oh, and make sure you park your backside in class every class.

As far as how to study the material, that's more up to you. I used a combination of ways to study. I read the material, took notes when necessary, and taught the material to my daughter's fish. If only they could remember what I taught them, they'd be some very well educated goldfish!

As time goes on, you'll start getting a good feel for how you study best. Keep constantly refining your study skills because that will become crucial later when you start the formal program because the expectations change and the testing methodology will also change.

I'm not going to give you false assurance by saying to you that you can do it, because I don't know you. What I will say is that while this process seems very daunting, it's very doable for most people. Just do your best and if you stumble, pick yourself back up and get going.

Sbrewster · Aug 10, 2014

My first day of class we went over 3 chapters and had our first test the next day!

GOOD LUCK! Lol ?

It will be a fun/scary/crazy ride!

lyssak · Aug 10, 2014

Thank you ladies :)

also, did you have a dress code? Besides clinicala and labs

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Aug 10, 2014

So you are doing your prereqs? These sound like prereq classes. The only place we had a dress code is lab where we had to wear scrubs. Now in the program, we have a dress code. Regular scrubs for class and lab, then a uniform for clinicals. Just make sure you do well in the prereqs so you can get accepted into the program later.

Sbrewster · Aug 11, 2014

During regular class days we wore whatever we wanted. For skills we could wear scrubs of any color. And for clinical we wore our uniform scrubs with our patches and lab coats.