Anyone that has gone through higher education can say the same thing: College is tough, especially when it comes to nursing school. Whether you are a wide-eyed nursing student or a veteran nurse who is balancing their education and career, we have gathered the best tips and tricks that’ll help you get through nursing school and beyond.

Cramming is great, but breaks are also important

With a big test coming up, you might feel the need to cram your brain with the information you would need to ace it. However, while cramming is great, it isn’t always the best option. When you’re cramming, you need to remember that it’s important to take a break and relax in order to retain the information.

When you’re fatigued, your body doesn’t perform as well. This loss is not limited to your mental capacities. Have you ever felt physically exhausted after a long study session? Mental exhaustion can work a real number on your body, and especially on your ability to retain information. In other words, even if you keep cramming, you will only retain a little bit of information due to exhaustion.

In other words, if you need a break, take it.

Learn what works for you and use it

The tried-and-true statement that says “everyone is unique” goes beyond physical appearances and behavior; it also applies to studying and learning styles. So, it’s crucial for you to figure out exactly how your brain works in order to understand the information more efficiently. For instance, some people learn better by reading up on the subject, while others can retain information better by taking notes.

In other words, some of us are visual learners, others are verbal learners, while some of us are kinesthetic learners. It’s important to understand your category of learning and use it to your advantage.

Reward yourself for a job well done

It’s difficult to concentrate on a goal when the rewards are just a “good grade.” While most of us might think that a good grade on a test is a great reward, it’s not so for some people. In other words, while they want to pass and graduate like everyone else, a good grade on a test is not incentive enough to spend hours studying.

If this is your case, then you might need to establish some rewards for after you finish studying. For example, if you reach a study goal in one night, you could reward yourself with a few hours of Netflix, or maybe even getting your favorite food. For others, a good reward might be going out with their friends after acing the test.

A good study session consists of finding your own learning style and then striking the perfect balance between studying, taking a rest, and rewarding yourself. Nevertheless, everyone is unique, and a study strategy that works for some might not work for you. However, with the tips in this guide, we hope that you can take the first steps towards finding a setup that works for you!