Hey, ya'll! I just finished up my first year of nursing school today! Last year at this time, I was looking on this site for guidance and encouragement about the nursing program (about which I knew nothing!). Believe me, I can't believe how much I've grown and learned in the past two semesters. This is just my culmination of tips and tricks for new Nursing students. (Pst, some or all of these may not apply to you/your program, so just try to apply this to yourself)
1. CONGRATULATIONS on being accepted into a Program! You worked hard and ya'll are awesome!!
2. Organization. Organization is KEY. As soon as you get your hands on that syllabus, pencil that ridiculous amount of stuff in your phone calendar, wall calendar, mini calendar, period calendar, I don't care! Just write it down and be organized in your own way!
3. Think about possibly getting a tech/CNA job at your local hospital/Nursing home. Now, I know this can be a controversial subject because some don't think people should work while in school, but it will seriously help you with your skills and especially your patient communicating skills. Plus, if ya'll are organized (see #2 haha) It shouldn't be a huge problem. Plus, you can pad your worn scrub pockets with some $$$
4. (This is subjective) You don't have to read all of the material. You usually won't have time to thoroughly read chapter upon chapter. You'll wear yourself out doing that. Try to go over notes and supplement it with the reading. That is, fill in the gaps from your notes with your book.
5. Make friends at NS. Seriously. Friends will be your lifeline. Whether it's shooting a quick text question about an assignment or de-stressing after a huge exam, nursing school friends UNDERSTAND what you're going through like no one else will quite understand. Believe me. I have a best friend who I tell everything too. However, she doesn't understand the stress, frustration and satisfaction of NS like my friends at school do. You create a bond through commonality and similar emotion and that combination has the potential to make great friends.
5.1 A note. Don't take the above to mean that you should diss your non-nursing school friends. Even though those friends may not understand what you're going through, they'll still be supportive in their own way. Plus, you need friends that you can hang with where you just forget about NS and stress and talking about LIFE outside the lecture hall and hospital. :)
6. YouTube may become you best friend for supplemental lectures and understanding. If you are a more visual learner, I encourage you to look up animations and lectures on YouTube and learn the way that suites you! This is especially helpful in those first semester check offs
7. Don't take breaks for granted. Whether for Christmas, Spring Break, Fall Break, Thanksgiving, whatever, if you can, make sure you relax, spend time with family/friends and try to give your brain a break from fluid and electrolyte imbalances, safety precautions and neuro assessments. Binge watch Friends on Netflix if need be. You get it! Just take a break! :)
8. Cry if you need to. It's okay. I remember, after a particularly stressful week after I was done with everything, I just got in my car and just had a good cry. It was more therapeutic than anything. Listen to your body. Take care of you.
9. Don't throw those notes/Power Points away. Aside from the possibility of having a cumulative final, those notes/Power Points can be really helpful for future reference and studying for ATI and NCLEX testing.
10. Talk to upperclassmen. THEY GIVE THE BEST ADVICE EVER. They've been through it. They know which professors are the best, what times to take certain classes and best of all, they can help you see that NS is doable. :)
Ya'll got this. Okay? These were just some tips that I wish someone had told me before I started NS. I know that some of them don't apply to everyone. Nursing school can be rough, stressful and tiring. But you know, it's as equally if not more so interesting, exciting and empowering. If ya'll have any questions about my first year experience, comment below. Thanks for reading.
haha) It shouldn't be a huge problem. Plus, you can pad your worn scrub pockets with some $$$ 
Hollyhocks720, MSN, NP
78 Posts
Excellent advice!