The BEST Nursing School Advice you Should hear

***Full nursing school experience video linked at the bottom

Let’s be frank, nursing school it a B I T C H. We all tell our friends in other majors about how sorry we are for them when they are struggling with classwork, but really we are thinking, “if only they knew.” So what’s my advice as someone who’s been there and done that? Well….

Don’t sleep on your first semester (This one is so important!)

It is SO beyond tempting during the first semester to just go out all the time with new friends and to join every new club you see. It’s understandable, I mean, you’re finally without parents and finding your own way in the world! The mistake I watched too many people make is not finding the right balance. As much as it sucks, sometimes the cute boy will ask you out the weekend you need to study for the biggest exam of your class. Now, no one is saying that you can’t meet for a quick lunch because you do have to eat after all, but try to leave it there and ACTUALLY go back to studying.

So what are the consequences if you don’t balance your first semester you ask? YOU WILL BE FIGHTING TO BRING YOUR CUMULATIVE GPA UP FOR THE REST OF YOUR COLLEGE CAREER! Cumulative GPA matters for nurses when getting hired because, after all, we all had to pass the NCLEX.

Find a Group of Non-Nursing Friends

For me personally that came in the form of joining a sorority my second semester on campus. I’m not saying that’s what you should do, but find a group of people who are similar to you but can take your mind far away from nursing when you need it! Nursing friends can be AMAZING and you should have them too, but your other major friends will be the ones who can keep you from thinking about that crazy professor you have for pharm because they won’t be thinking about it too.

Keep in Touch with your Family

I know this one sounds SO obvious, but hear me out. During nursing school, we tend to wind up feeling isolated from people. Our schedules are so different from our other friends, we don’t sleep at normal hours, we spend our “class” days at the hospital, etc. As nurses and students, we tend to just keep chugging along, always with our eyes on that next exam we need to study for. But listen, take a 10 minute break and just CALL YOUR MOM OR DAD. They love you, and believe it or not, they want to hear about all of these things you’re going through! Not only does it make them feel better, but they usually know how to make you feel better than anyone else. A 10 minute phone call with my mom on a stressful day could end up making all of the difference in my mental health.

If you don’t know how to do something, do not pretend that you do….please

I cannot STRESS THIS ENOUGH. As a nursing student, you are going to be learning about a lot of really high thinking concepts. Not only will you have to learn about these concepts in theory, but they will expect you to practice these concepts on REAL HUMAN PATIENTS. So, with that being said, if a professor asks you if you know how to do something (suction a trach, change bed sheets with a patient in the bed, etc.) and you don’t know how to do it, just tell them that. Professors will be happy to show you how to do something a first time because these things are not just everyday things that we do on the regular. Now, if you tell a professor you know how to do something, they WILL expect for you to demonstrate it for them. Not only could you endanger the patient by trying, but you will also look like a lying idiot to the person who assigns you a grade. Moral of the story? JUST ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT. We’re students, not heros.

Final Tip?

Just remember that nursing school, like all other things in life, is temporary. You will eventually graduate (even when you think you’re failing). You will eventually get those coveted letters after your name. You will be an RN, and that is something that no one can ever take from you! Now go kick some ass and study for that exam!

To hear my full nursing school story, check out my YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWI-bAVu2ZE