Quotes that Kept me Motivated in College

*Nothing is impossible, the word itself says I'm possible. - Audrey Hepburn

*Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase. -Martin Luther King Jr.

*Every successful person in this world has jumped. -Steve Harvey

*Be happy. Be bright. Be you. -Anonymous

Bible Verses that Helped me Through College

Psalm 23
- This lets me know that God is always on my side.
Philippians 4:13
- This helps me to stay encouraged.
Romans 8:13
- This verse helps me when I feel overwhelmed with school, if I failed a class, or people I cared about not supporting me.
Hebrews 11
-  This is a reminder for me when I doubt my faith or question God's timing.

5 Things I didn't Know About Nursing School

1. Nursing school is intense.
I did not know how intense and time-consuming this major was until I heard experiences from nursing students and nurses. In 3 words... it is hard.

2. Nursing school will be your main focus.
It's going to be hard to do other things outside of nursing school. For instance, working a full-time job or spending time with your family. I don't think this is completely true, but it seems like nursing school comes first and everything else follows.

3. It will be very hard to keep a job (you will be broke).
Like I stated before is that the program is not easy and most of your time will be spent in class, clinicals and studying. There may be room for some work. The school I currently attend told us if we decided to work not to work more than 15 hours per week.

4. There are different types of nursing careers.
There are CNAs, LPNs, RNs or NPs. The highest paid is the nurse practitioner(NP) which requires a masters degree or a doctorate degree. The least paid is a CNA which requires a certificate of completion.

5. Every question is correct, but you have to choose the "best" answer.
The exams will be similar to NCLEX style questions. This is where some students have problems on exams because it is all about critical thinking and being able to know how to apply certain skills in the medical workplace.

How to Prepare for Nursing School

1. Do your research on the career.

You want to make sure this is something you want to do and invest your time looking up information about nursing. Look at the pros and cons of being a nurse. Nursing can be a rewarding career, but there are times when it will get very hard.

2. Research the program/school you want to attend.

There are two types of programs you can start with: there is the Associates in Nursing (ASN) or the Bachelors in Nursing (BSN). After you have decided on a program then the next step is to talk to an advisor or research what type of classes that is required to take before entering the program. Some schools only require the entrance exam and the science core classes (A&P, Micro...) taken while your attending the program.

3. Good grades are important.

Good grades are very important because most nursing programs are competitive and limited access. Depending on the school they will most likely choose the person with the higher GPA. For example, I wanted to attend a BSN program that was very competitive. I had a 3.57 GPA and was told by my advisor that it was good but not really high enough. The average people who entered the program had a GPA higher than 3.65. So, I decided to stick with an ASN program and later on transfer to a BSN program.

4. Study for your entrance exam.

Take the time to study a few months before the test. Do not wait 3-4 months after you have finished your prerequisites to study for the test. You want to study close to the time you have finished your prereqs or while your still taking your classes. It's good to study the teas or hesi while things are still fresh in your mind. Do not wait until the last minute to study for the exam either because there's a chance that your test results might not look so pretty.

5. Time management.

Start now and start making it a habit.

6. Saving money.

Nursing school is time-consuming and there may not be much room to work. So, while your taking your prereqs start saving. Also try to apply for grants and scholarship.