10 Study Tips for Student Nurses

Studying in nursing school is nothing like high school. You can't skim a chapter the night before and pass. Lectures bury you in detail until none of it makes sense, and you can't memorize all of it. You have to study smarter. Here are 10 tactics that work.

1. Take notes. If your instructor hands out an outline, build your studying around it instead of rereading 30 pages on autoimmune diseases. Good notes save you hours later.

2. Highlight what matters. Most instructors drop hints. When mine said "this is important" or "you'll see this again," that line showed up on the test. Highlight it. Color cues make material easier to recall under pressure.

3. Record the lecture. If your program doesn't post audio, bring your own recorder. Replay the lecture and fill the gaps in the notes you took the first time.

4. Make flashcards. They're fast to make and small enough to study anywhere, in line or in the car, a few cards at a time.

5. Chew peppermint gum. Chewing while you study aids recall. Chew the same flavor during the test and it helps cue what you reviewed.

6. Read aloud. Hearing and seeing the words at once helps it stick.

7. Build rhymes and songs. It feels ridiculous, but it works. Silly songs got me through pharmacology and all those drug classes and side effects.

8. Find a study buddy. Quiz each other. You catch gaps you'd miss alone.

9. Set a study routine. Treat it like a bedtime routine that signals your brain it's time to work. Healthy snacks within reach, good light, all your materials in one spot.

10. Know when to stop. Rest matters as much as review. When your eyes start crossing, stop. I studied about two hours, then took a 20 to 30 minute break. Find the rhythm that works for you.