Congratulations! You’ve taken the prerequisite courses, applied to the Nursing program, and finally received that long awaited acceptance email/ letter. Now it’s time to do the following:
- Invest in a planner! This is crucial whether you’ve used one before or not. You can use your phone’s calendar or a physical planner like this one but I’ve used them both simultaneously thus far. As I’m sure you’ve already heard, Nursing school is BUSY. I recommend adding everything from your class calendar to your personal one ASAP. The great thing about using your phone’s calendar is the ability to set reminders.
- Buy the school supplies! This may seem obvious but I’m not referring to college ruled paper, pens, and pencils. Go ahead and get the supplies that you’ll enjoy using. I found some amazing sticky note dividers on Amazon that saved my life 2nd semester! I highly recommend them. I also love these erasable pens because I hate having to scribble on otherwise pretty notes. (All the females know what I’m talking about here.)
- Don’t start studying before the semester begins! I can’t stress this one enough. I’ve been asked, “What would you recommend studying before the semester starts?” and I can honestly say, NOTHING! Nursing school is a lot. You will learn more than you ever thought possible in such a short amount of time. Spend this time with your friends and family because you’ll wish you had more down time to do so once you’re stuck studying all the time.
- Set up a study workspace. Don’t have a home office or a desk? That’s okay! Nurses learn to adapt and improvise when needed and this is no different. You don’t have to go out and purchase an expensive desk but having an area where you can study without constant distraction is a must! Amazon sells some great lap desks that won’t break the bank and they’re quite functional! (Not to mention this also gives you a great excuse to stay in bed and study.) I have a small lamp, dry erase calendar, candle, and some flowers on my desk. All of these simple things help me relax and focus on the task at hand.
- Schedule a self-care day each week! Go ahead and add this to your planner/digital calendar because without this, you’ll go insane! Once classes begin, you’ll be so busy that you will forget to take care of yourself. Remember to set some time aside (even if it isn’t a whole day…because let’s be real, it won’t be) it’s extremely important to take care of both your physical and mental health. Find time to go for a walk/run, watch your favorite show, or take a bubble bath with a face mask. Whatever it is that relaxes you, do it!
- Lastly, take a deep breath! You’ve got this. I know you’re overwhelmed. The tuition, clinical uniforms, stethoscope, semester sim lab supplies, books, and the many other seemingly hidden fees add up and can make your head spin. Just take a deep breath and know that things will work out. Just take this journey one step at a time love.
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