Surviving School Please Help

Music in My Heart · Jan 27, 2010

Some very general advice:

1) Study every day... even if it's just a little bit (but it should generally be at least an hour for each class... and often more)

2) DON'T GET BEHIND. Playing catch-up would be brutal.

3) Get used to studying in the morning... or whenever you have time.

4) Get regular exercise, keep yourself well hydrated, and eat well.

Nepenthe Sea · Jan 27, 2010

Get a day planner, if you don't have one, and write down every assignment, test, quiz, project, reading assignment, etc. and the due date. For big stuff, you might even write a reminder a week or two ahead of time to work on it or study for it. write down due dates for bills due and things like that, also, but mark them a week early if sending through the mail so they have time to get where they are going and aren't late. Keep stamps, envelopes, and bills due all together so you don't have to go looking for them.

Try making lists of everything you have to do for the week, and cross stuff off as you go. List all your school stuff, all your personal stuff...whatever needs to be done. It feels so good to mark that stuff off once you've done it! One way I do this is to write everything that I have to do for a module or a week of class on an index card. I list the required and suggested reading, assignments, videos, plus any tests or return demos that week. I use these cards to mark my place in my textbooks, and it helps me stay on top of things. I check them off as I complete them.

Pack your bag/backpack the night before school, and make sure you have everything you need in there so you don't forget something. This is especially good on clinical mornings when I am majorly sleep-deprived!

I echo the previous advice: study when you can (it will become habit), don't get behind. ALWAYS be doing something. Get anything done ahead of time that you can. If you have a break in your clinical rotations, bust your a$$ to get as much done as you can in that time. At my school, if you have an A average going into finals, you are required to take the finals, but you will keep your A no matter what. So I like to do really good at the beginning of the semester when I have lots of energy, and that way I don't have to work so hard at the end. Something to think about, if your program lets you do that.

I am trying to relieve stress by taking small study breaks and using that time to lift some weights, do crunches, etc. I won't take a whole 30 minutes to work out, but if I take three ten-minute breaks, it adds up. it's not great, but better than nothing.

AND, be sure to do something at least once a week that you enjoy, so you can retain some sanity. Everey week, no matter what, I spend a few hours on Friday night, cooking dinner and hanging out with my boyfriend. Then I get back to studying!

Good luck :clown:

Psilant · Jan 28, 2010

AND, be sure to do something at least once a week that you enjoy, so you can retain some sanity.

This is an absolute MUST!!! You will get hard core burn out if you don't take time for yourself. I am in my last semester (Thank You, Lord!!). I take either Saturday or Sunday as MY time. Sometimes, I don't even get out of my PJs. LOL.

Also, if you have assignments that aren't due for a while.... go ahead and do them if you have free time!! It will take some stress off. I have a critical care paper due at the beginning of March... done! Now I only have 4 more to do. *I hate writing papers.*

ninixtran92 · Feb 11, 2014

Are you done with the program now?

ArrowRN, BSN, RN · Feb 12, 2014

I was wondering if anyone has any good tips on surviving my first semester? THANKS :)

I wrote an article on just that exact topic. Just go to my threads/blog. I gave some great pointers also got some awesome ideas from other students and nurses. Do I have it down pack? not quite but now in my 4th semester I clearly know what to expect and I am coping a lot better with the pressure.