Throughout my high-school career, I was in an Allied Health program. Throughout this program, I got an introduction as to what some courses in nursing school could be like. I took classes such as Dynamics of Healthcare, Anatomy & Physiology, and Medical Terminology, among several others. Naturally, as a student who enjoyed these medicine-based classes, as well as a patient who has experienced nursing care first-hand, I knew that nursing was the career for me. (“Senioritis,” is “inflammation of the seniors,” right?)
I would be lying if I told you I remember what professors and instructors said about the nursing programs at different schools when I was visiting as a junior or a senior in high school. However, as a student ambassador here at Rutgers—Camden, I’ve attended many open-house events and sat in on the presentations held for prospective nursing students. Even as a current nursing student, those can be quite intimidating! They are correct when they say it is a difficult major, and not to take it lightly. Right out of the gate, nursing courses are difficult.
The best advice I could give to my freshman self would be to pay attention to and learn the material in the foundational nursing classes. As a second-semester sophomore, we’re finally starting to apply a lot of what we’ve learned. It all comes back at one point or another. Time management is SO important, as well as balancing school with self-care. There has to be a light at the end of the tunnel when you’re grinding through assignment after assignment.
Another thing that really helps is working in groups. I definitely learn material in my own way, which is different to how person A, B, and C handle it. However, getting together with classmates who are learning the same things and talking through it is huge. There may be a part of the chapter you really struggled with that a friend got and they can explain it to you. Or, you may have understood a concept and are able to explain it to someone who didn’t. Working together allows you to talk through what you’re learning. And the farther along I’ve come, the more I’ve seen that to be true. When we were still on campus, a few of my friends and I had a table in the nursing building every day, and would just go through everything we could. I’ve been warned from upperclassmen that it only gets more difficult, so getting in those habits early will make a huge difference.
The way I’ve taught myself to look at college (especially on the days where it feels beyond overwhelming) is in eights. In eight semesters’ time, you will have graduated and will be preparing to take the NCLEX exam. Currently, I’m in my fourth semester, so in another month, I’ll be 4/8, or halfway there. It can be very tough at times to look at it this way, especially when you’re not ahead of the game or feel like you should’ve pushed yourself harder. But focus on the good, and take it one semester at a time! We got this! 💪
Written by Katherine C., a Rutgers—Camden Undergraduate Student and Raptor Ambassador.