MY NURSING JOURNEY

How on earth?

10/2/2017 - 10/6/ 2017

Of them all, this has been my craziest week. 

 I was struggling, like really struggling; believe me when I tell you this. I just had so much to do in such a short amount of time. I had so much due within a short amount of time. I was literally drenching my strength off and in need of new revival.

I know you are wondering, "so what is this crazy week that you are whining and talking about made up of?" Well, I will answer your question and tell you this or rather let me just give you the frame or rather skeleton of how my week was.

Monday

- Microbiology test exam 1

Tuesday

- Health assessment lab vitals testing

taking the Temperature, Blood Pressure, Pulse rate and Respiration rate

- Contemporary nursing test exam 1

Wednesday

- Communications foundations informative speech due

- Health assessment test exam 2

Thursday

- Nothing due

- No test

Friday

- Microbiology lab test 1

That above, is the skeleton of how my week was.

I messed up once again and I feel so bad about it. I failed to study in advanced hence the struggle through my week. I feel as though I did not take responsibility of my actions the first time this happened. I feel as though I failed myself so bad. I now realize that once bitten, twice shy.

How could I do this again? Why? Why am I conforming to this rather unsettling behavior? Why did I not make this different?

Well, now I do realize that I was and could never be able to do it all at once. I couldn't get it all in my brain at once hence the roughness of my weak.

I feel so vulnerable at the end of it. I feel as though what I knew earlier on would soon change. I need to change my study habits. I need to not think that I am this supernatural being who can get it all and grasp it all overnight. I need to realize that.

You know what, some nights this week I was so deprived of sleep till I ended up wishing unimaginable things. I wished for book- osmosis to be true; the "tooth fairy-like scenario; the scenario whereby you can put your books under your pillow and wake up knowing it all. Life would have been so much simple, wouldn't it?

Unfortunately, that was not, is not and will never be the case!!![ cries out loud]

I must be honest, how I made it through that week was and is a miracle. I know I messed up but I still want to be grateful and want to appreciate myself for making those efforts.

I might have flunked my health assessment class by getting an 88% but I see no reason to despair no matter how bad I feel about it.

For my other tests, the contemporary nursing, I scored 100%; microbiology 100%; microbiology lab, the test score is not yet out. Wait, did I forget anything? I bet so not.

On Friday, after receiving my health assessment score, I felt so bad and so underperformed. Hundreds and millions of questions rushed through my mind. "How am I going to keep my 4.0 grade point average?" I found myself questioning myself repeatedly.

Having no answer, I took a stroll through you tube to find ways to study or rather ways to improve my study methods. As I went through the suggested videos, I came across this psychology lecture by Martin Lobdell [summary and link of speech posted in my website: ].

This was my light at the end of this tunnel I must tell you. I was so desperate to find answers and by His grace, He led me there and showed me my light. That moment felt like heaven had come down and spread its wings over me.

After listening to this specific message, I decided to revolutionize my study methods. I can briefly share the main points discussed in the lecture.

According to Lobdell, good and efficient studying entails:

/1. Take frequent breaks when studying

2. Create a study place

3. The more active you are, the more effective

4. Expand your notes immediately after the lecture session

5. Use the SQ3R method- survey, question, read, review and recite- when studying

6. Use mnemonics- acronyms, coined sayings, interacting images etc. /

Whatever I learned from Lobdell's lecture was so basic but still very easily ignored. After listening to his lecture, I discovered my weakness as being the practicality part of it. Discovering my weakness led me into trying to revolutionize my beliefs and modify my study methods. Now, I have a pathophysiology test on the 10/17/2017 and I want to put Lobdell's words to practice.

As my weekend strolls in, I want to make sure I make each second of the day accountable.

Before I pen off, I had one more realization this week. My realization was this; "my time is limited. Even the little time I get off will not be enough to catch up with all my friends, watch movie series and party all night long or rather take time off books. I will lose, keep and gain friends during my time studying nursing. I will change in ways I am yet to discover. I will learn how to keep my priorities in order; keeping first things first. I will cry, I will laugh, I will be busy all the time, I will feel overwhelmed but above all, I will grow and I will smile at the end of it all when I look back."