Another thread has prompted me to ask: what mantra/saying/advice has gotten you through nursing school? What do you mutter every day as you head out to all the responsibility that is waiting for you?
Here are mine:
'Never let anyone or anything get in the way of your goal.'
When you think you can't do something, you WON'T. When you think you can, you WILL.
I have the above two sayings on my fridge, so I can look at them every time I open that door.....which is a lot, sadly, LOL.
Finally:
"One more day down and on my way to my goal."
These three sentences have given me strength the whole time and have made a difference for me. What helps you?
When I am feeling completely overwhelmed (as I was today) I remember where I was just 4 years ago... sitting in a wheelchair recovering from a life-threatening illness myself. Back then I was 31 years old and I thought my life was over and believed that I would never have the opportunity to see my dream through... now I am just 263 days away from an RN!!!!!!! yeehah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes, I am counting)
p.s. I really really like "the sky is pink" hahaha
First off, I NEVER consider failing out. Ever. Its not a mantra, but I just refuse to allow myself to consider not being there. Every single time I have seen people start to consider failing, next thing you know they are GONE. Every.Single.One.
My friend bought all the supplies for her graduation party already (we graduate in August) and that is her "thing". We just dont leave the option out there to fail. I *may* fail a test, but I will *never* fail out of the program. If I do badly on a test or a quiz, I just try a thousand times harder for the next one.
My mantra though? "When this is done I am going to sit on my @$$ and eat bonbons and watch tv for 6 months!" I know in my heart that I would never be happy sitting home that long, but reminding myself that when this is all over I WILL get a break, really takes some of the edge off. Seeing an end in sight makes all the difference. I am just going and going and going and it feels like I never get a moment to breathe so I am very much looking forward to a breather. In my case, I am going to be taking general education classes for a semester after graduation before starting my LPN to RN bridge, and that will be relaxing to me, compared to nursing school.
Not so much a "mantra" but I look at our very unfinished house and my mud yard that we have lived in for four years so far now, and realize that if I finish nursing school, we can live like normal people , be debt-free in a couple of years, and enjoy life instead of struggle every day.
"Nobody can make you feel inferior w/o your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt
I use that one when I'm sitting there feeling like an idiot because something won't sink into my brain.
"It will all be worth it in the end"
"What would you tell Peyton" Peyton is my 3.5 y/o son. Someday when he's struggling w/ something I want to be able to tell him I worked full time, went to school, and took care of a family so you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to.
Not really a quote, but just a trick I use to motivate myself. I try and buy yellow notebooks and folders for school. My son has a HUGE obsession w/ the color yellow and it just reminds me of him and how much he is sacrificing for me to go to school (as far as mommy time) and I don't want all of that to be for nothing.
"Nobody can make you feel inferior w/o your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt
I use that one when I'm sitting there feeling like an idiot because something won't sink into my brain.
"It will all be worth it in the end"
"What would you tell Peyton" Peyton is my 3.5 y/o son. Someday when he's struggling w/ something I want to be able to tell him I worked full time, went to school, and took care of a family so you can do ANYTHING you put your mind to.
Not really a quote, but just a trick I use to motivate myself. I try and buy yellow notebooks and folders for school. My son has a HUGE obsession w/ the color yellow and it just reminds me of him and how much he is sacrificing for me to go to school (as far as mommy time) and I don't want all of that to be for nothing.
i dont know if it is so much a mantra, but i tell myself everyday, that all my hard work , my sweat and tears will pay off. That everything I do is for a greater goal, and sacrifice now will only sweeten the reward....MAY 9th 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!! three long years of NS hads been hell, and i have been tested in almost everyway, but like others have said, failure is NOT an option!
, be debt-free in a couple of years, and enjoy life instead of struggle every day. 
nursgirl
129 Posts
When I am feeling completely overwhelmed (as I was today) I remember where I was just 4 years ago... sitting in a wheelchair recovering from a life-threatening illness myself. Back then I was 31 years old and I thought my life was over and believed that I would never have the opportunity to see my dream through... now I am just 263 days away from an RN!!!!!!! yeehah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (yes, I am counting)
p.s. I really really like "the sky is pink" hahaha