Week by Week

I know many people wonder how it is that you can work, have clinical twice a week, and go to all of your classes and still find the time to study for your exams and get assignments done. Well procrastination has to be the first things that absolutely has to go out the window. I learned that I have to prioritize my time with everything, and here are a few things that I do that help keep me organized and making it through each week.

First, get a planner! In my planner at the beginning of each semester I look at all of my syllabi and I write all of my assignments and exams in my planner, both in the calendar portion, and on the individual day. This helps so that I don’t have to keep looking for my syllabus to figure out when my next assignment is due or when my exam is.

Next, I do all of my written assignment’s weeks in advance and have them checked at the writing center. Getting as much written assignment out of the way allows you to not only stay on top of your work but gives you more time to focus on studying.

Then we have working. I work only once a week, but I work on Saturdays, one of my only days off, and I work a double as a server. This allows me to get off early and still have the means to pay my bills and serving jobs, or restaurant industry jobs are usually very flexible.

Then we have clinical, I make sure I study the morning of clinical, sometimes I get to the site early so that I can study. I never plan anything else on the day of clinical so that I am not late, and I am also often tired from the day. If a care plan is due from clinical, I write down all of my data and get it started that same night or day so that all is left to do is references. If you see the pattern, submitting assignments early helps save you a lot of extra time to study.

Finally, I plan events weeks in advance. I put them in my calendar in my phone to remind me.  I study for my exams usually before class, and right after class since I don’t work. It allows me to be prepared for the exam, get enough sleep at night and not feeling like I have to cram.

So far, these methods are helping me get through each week of nursing school. Of course, it’s not fool proof, but it works for me, and I’m hoping some of it will work for you as well.