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Take in this scenario: a student sprawled on their bedroom floor with textbooks, study guides, empty Starbucks cups, and lastly, a box of tissues in case an outburst of ugly crying arises because of all the stress brought on from studying. Does this image sound familiar to you? If you were hit with a flash of familiarity, you are not alone.
Kayce Keegan is no stranger to long study sessions. She was in nursing school for four years which requires a lot of studying in itself. Keegan also had to take the NCLEX, which is an intense exam that’s required for all nurses to receive their nursing license.
Because Keegan has experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of studying and has survived to tell the story, she was able to share tips and advice on how to successfully study for any test that comes your way.
The first tip that really saved Keegan’s GPA was making a list of the subjects she was the weakest in. After analyzing that list, she began to study it until it became second nature to her. “I would usually begin with the basic information that I was lacking knowledge in because the basics all lead to the more complex topics,” said Keegan.
The second tip Keegan shared was to set a goal for yourself. Know what you want to study during each study session and plan a time frame in which you want to have that subject fully committed to memory. “Using a planner is what really helped me. I was able to see what day I was wanting to have that subject studied and mark off everything that I had already completed.”
Lastly, don’t forget that you need some “me time.” When you’re not studying find a hobby, spend time with friends, or do anything else that makes you happy. Make sure that you are not consumed with stress all the time. “It’s okay to just let go and have fun for a little bit. It is needed for you to have a clear mind and to actually focus on your studies when it is time to study again,” said Keegan.
Studying is bitter sweet. It’s not always the first task on someone’s to do list, but it can pay off tremendously. Keegan is now a traveling nurse working out of Orlando, Florida. “Thinking about why I was studying and where I will be in the future kept me motivated,” Keegan stated. Sure, at times, you might feel distanced from the world and friends might not understand why you suddenly disappeared to study. It all will be worth it.
“I can remember many times my sister would jokingly make fun of me” Keegan recalls, “she’d ask me if my text books were my best friends because I’d go almost everywhere with them. But actually, those text books are what got me where I am today.”
