📝📚 HOW I STUDIED & STAY ORGANIZED IN NURSING SCHOOL (4.0 GPA)

Amanda from beautifulnursing.com shares her strategies for achieving a 4.0 GPA in nursing school. She emphasizes the importance of organization and studying effectively, offering a glimpse into her nursing school experience. Key points include sitting in the front row for better focus, using Microsoft PowerPoint's outline view for note-taking, and maintaining an organized system for lectures and study materials. She also suggests creating digital flashcards for on-the-go review and condensing study materials into manageable summaries for each exam.

Amanda discusses her study techniques and time management strategies for nursing school. She explains how she used Word documents to compile study materials for different exams and suggests creating digital flashcards for efficient learning. She also shares her method of condensing extensive notes into a single page summary for each disorder and medication, which she could study more effectively. Additionally, she talks about using an iPad for organization and studying, as well as tracking her grades in real-time using an Excel spreadsheet to stay on top of her academic performance.

In this section, Amanda talks about balancing her nursing school workload with her personal life. She describes her daily routine, which includes attending classes, studying in the computer lab, and practicing skills in the skills lab. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, such as taking breaks to recharge and spending quality time with her daughter. Amanda also shares her study habits, such as using Quizlet flashcards during her commute and working out to relieve stress. She advises on creating a conducive study environment and managing social media distractions for better focus.

Amanda provides strategies for managing the extensive reading load in nursing school. She suggests focusing on the first and last paragraphs of chapters and key terms to filter out unnecessary information. She also discusses the importance of understanding one's learning style and adapting study methods accordingly, whether it's auditory, visual, or tactile. Amanda shares her unique technique of teaching concepts back to her teddy bear as a way to reinforce learning and clarifies the practicality of different learning styles in nursing education.

Amanda offers organizational tips for nursing students, focusing on the use of a planner with monthly and weekly views. She shares her method of color-coding and highlighting different types of academic activities, such as exams, assignments, and clinicals. She also emphasizes the importance of setting alarms for all academic commitments and maintaining a separate clinical bag for easy access to necessary documents. Additionally, she provides a link to a downloadable clinical checklist on her website and encourages using her planner hacks to stay organized and on track.

Amanda concludes by addressing the mental health challenges of nursing school and the importance of self-care. She candidly discusses her own use of antidepressants and the necessity of mental health support. She encourages students to seek help when needed and to use tools like medication trackers to manage their mental health. Amanda's message is one of understanding and support, reminding students that there is no shame in taking care of their mental health while navigating the demanding environment of nursing school.