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Nursing school is a challenging, competitive environment. With skyrocketing tuition and student loan repayments over the years and courses developing by the moment to adjust to research, nursing students have to make sure they’ve got their A-game ready. As soon as you walk in the door, it’s showtime. Of course, by the time you graduate, you’ll be a completely different person, but as for now, you need to make sure that you’re ready for it all and equipped to deal with any curveball hurled your way to make sure that you walk onstage, beaming with pride when that glorious day finally comes. Here are some key points that will help you along the way.

• Use Mnemonics

Mnemonics are essentially gold for the on-the-go healthcare worker. When you’re flitting between several patients, you won’t exactly have time to stroke your memory and coax out similarities between the patients’ symptoms and half the ailments in the world. So to make the process quicker, nursing students use mnemonics, which are patterns or keywords that hold the crux of a diagnosis or procedure. Mnemonics such as MOAN (morphine, oxygen, aspirin, and nitrates) —which is used to treat someone experiencing a heart attack— or TRAP (tremor, rigidity, akinesia/ataxia, postural instability) —to identify Parkinson’s disease— are frequently used on the field. So save yourself some time, and work smarter, not harder.

• Start Planning For Post-Graduation

While many nursing graduates go into the field full-time, many nursing students enroll in full-time master’s programs, while others opt for part-time classes. Another rapidly growing branch-off is an online education, where nursing students can enroll for in-demand degrees such as single specialization courses or even dual nurse practitioner programs online. This is a decision that many like to put off until their final year, but getting started early will benefit you greatly. The world of education is expanding, and so is its demand. Although you need just an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) to get started, it is an undeniable truth that having extra courses, certificates, and especially a higher degree than the rest of the work field will benefit you. As you progress through the semesters, you will be able to filter through the options, but as of now, keep your choices plentiful and start sorting through your aims.

• Know Your Learning Style

Experts across the globe identify three styles of productive learning: audio, visual, and tactile learning. Each of these styles benefits a different mindset, personality, and person. So let’s take a look at how each learner processes information.

Audio Learning: These people process auditory information better than other mediums. They like to discuss matters with people, gather opinions to build their argument, and ask questions to comprehend the topic better. They also like to use analogies and engage in storytelling to get their point across.

Visual Learning: Visual learners take auditory or readable information and convert it to images and pictures to remember specific points. One could say that the “memory palace” concept arises from this particular branch of learners. These people prefer to study away from crowds and in a safe space. Videos and visual guides can serve as a goldmine for such learners.

Tactile Learning: These learners tend to involve themselves heavily in the learning process. Using charts, models, drawings, maps, and diagrams to figure out concepts, tactile learners tend to learn best through experience and practical learning. Getting involved in internships in hospitals and clinics will greatly benefit nursing students who relate to this type.

To figure out which type you are, you’ll need to partake in some introspection and self-examination. What has been your easiest learning experience? Which has been your highest achieving learning experience? Which of these did you prefer? What learning style did you employ then? If you haven’t tried all of these learning methods, you can test yourself on certain topics by employing each technique and comparing the results.

• Maximize Clinical Experiences

Nursing students must complete clinical rotations to gain hands-on experience in real-life situations. The clinical experience is not just a part of the curriculum but is also a vital step toward becoming a registered nurse. All nursing schools have their own set of clinical requirements that must be fulfilled to graduate and completed before graduation, but the number of clinical hours required will differ from school to school, with most requiring around 700 hours to take home an ADN. However, aside from what you’re required to do, try to get as much clinical experience as possible to get used to life in the field. You’ll learn advanced information and nuggets about how to sweep through the chaos of the ER or build up the spirit needed to not buckle during the nerve-wracking rotations in neurology.

• Complete Practice Questions

The best way to understand and apply the information you’ve learned is to apply it to practice questions based on your coursework. Many students make the mistake of assuming that they will be able to use the classroom knowledge when they enter a career in nursing, but in reality, there is a big difference between processing theoretical information and operating efficiently in a real-life scenario. Make sure you go through the resources available in your school or online, especially the practice questions on each topic. For example, if you’re taking a nursing course on heart failure, you can purchase an online study guide that will contain questions based on these topics or go to the library or archive and find out if they have past papers available.

• Take Care Of Yourself

Many students quickly forget that nursing school is rigorous, and around 92% tend to continue working in their field of study, so it’s important to pace yourself before you burn out. Make sure you have time for yourself, whether reading a book or watching your favorite TV show. If possible, it would also be wise to take some time off during the summer. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with your studies, try to take a step back and talk with someone—whether a friend or your professor—to figure out a plan of action. Besides mental health, also take care of your physical health. While it is globally difficult for students to maintain a healthy lifestyle while fully fulfilling the demands of their fields, try to eat at least two full meals a day, keep yourself hydrated, and get some casual exercise in now and then –after all, it simply won’t do to have the nurses keeling over from an unhealthy lifestyle.

Conclusion

If you’re determined to reach your goals, don’t lose hope when times get rough—in fact, look at it as an opportunity to prove yourself. You need resilience and grit to help you climb the nursing ladder and not be dissuaded by failure. There is a future beyond college, but it will only materialize if you work hard. So take your time, make sure that you understand what is being taught in class, and take care of yourself during this journey.