Tell me how do YOU study.

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i've done some searching on here, and i can't really find an exact post that i'm looking for. i'm starting nursing school in the fall which some of you may know from my posts i've made on here. i want to know how you study. i want to know what resources you use. and what i'm looking for is, tell me you highlight, or re-write your notes, or use tape recorders, laptops, etc. any and everything you could tell me would definitely help me out. also, how do you stay organized? thanks for any advice and information.

-prettyladie.

- Type outlines of the chapters - on Sunday night on info that will be lectured for the week. Outlines include BASIC info such as: title, bold headings, vocab words. I do this to get an idea of what is going to be lectured.

- Read my outlines - before lecture

- Rewrite my notes onto flash cards - after lecture. This helps me to divide all the info. If I study for a test from an outline it won't help because everything is garbled together. Even though my handwriting is perfect and neat, transferring my notes helps immensley. This only takes me 1.5 hours at the most per lecture period. But if it helps me get a B rather than a C, I'll take the time to do it. I use different colored pens & flash cards.

- Read my flash cards then Read my text - as soon as I have the chance to. Because I have just previously read my flash cards I know what info is going to be important to read in the text. However, I do read the entire chapter. I highlight what I think is important.

- Review- at the end of the week. I read my flash cards then read what I highlighted in my text. When I read my flash cards I circle/highlight key words that will help me remember the info or new info that I have NEVER heard of. I review like 1 or 2 different times at the end of the week. Each time I review I always come across something new & often mark up my flash cards w/ stick figures, arrows, etc. I only review for 1.5 hours per class.

- Draw - pictures on 8X10 colored paper IF I'm quite unfamiliar w/ the topic, it's confusing material, or having difficulty remembering the infor.

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Anybody has any advice for someone that has small children trying to go through nursing school??

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Specializes in PICU/Pedi.
Anybody has any advice for someone that has small children trying to go through nursing school??

I have 3 1/2 yr.-old-twins that sometimes present a challenge to getting studying done :bugeyes:. Basically, they go to daycare all day, and so I spend every moment I have studying before, between, and after classes. After I pick them up I try not to do anything until they go to bed, and then I study some more, or do whatever I have to. On weekends I try to do a few fun things with them, but I still study. Luckily, they are very good about playing together when I am doing stuff. They watch alot of movies, too.

Sometimes I will study while they are in the bath. I will give them bath crayons and they will color until I MAKE them get out! And I will sit on the toilet next to the tub and go over flash cards while they play. I take them to the park to play and study, too, although that isn't too easy, because then I am looking up all the time to check on them.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Informatics.
P.S. Nursing School will be like no other class you have ever taken before. It will be sure to kick your butt a thousand times over, if that is what you are expecting! =/

Read ahead and sleep well in nursing school. Many people go through nursing school without much sleep and running on caffeine almost 24/7 to catch up with class. Budget your time. Read ahead of class using the book to skim through it, look at class notes provided by the professor in class or online, and rest. Eat balanced too.

Take care of yourself :)

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Take a multivitamin EVERY DAY!!!! I started taking a Centrum vitamin within the first week of my first semester and while I have missed class once or twice it was never because I was sick!

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Best advice I can give is to start reading fluid and electrolytes now. LOL! No but seriously read on that now. You will be happy you did.

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great thread!!!

like many of you I have kids (3 under 6yrs) and work full time. This semester Im taking 3 subjects - so full time study load:bugeyes:

The semester starts next week, but I'm ahead by 3weeks worth of reading, note taking and I'm feeling organised and ready for the semester. I uses spare moments to look at notes, or learn lable and diagram pictures and when I'm having a 'study day' or even few hours, I break my time up - just spending a little bit of time on each subject.

I read my text book then type notes, then read my lecture notes and add to my notes. After lecture and lab I then highlight the important things to know and keep reading them over and over.

take care, Zoe

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