Hello! I am officially on summer break! I haven’t had a summer break since I started school three years ago. Even though it is “only” a six week break, not the whole summer, it seems a little surreal! I have no homework, clinical, tests, lecture, or skills lab to prepare for! However, I do plan to make sure I keep on track and work to be prepared for the start of fall semester. Today I’m talking about things to do to balance summer fun, work, and preparing to return to school in the fall.
Prepare for ATI/NCLEX
If you are close to graduating, it is a great idea to go ahead and start working on NCLEX review a few times a week. This fall I will take the Pharmacology ATI, which all the upperclassman have said is rough! I am planning on beginning to go through my pharmacology modules on ATI and take some of the practice quizzes and questions. I also have downloaded the RN mentor app from ATI, which allows me to practice questions from the convenience of my phone. Perfect if you are waiting in line while you are out or lounging by the pool.
If your a pre-nursing student and getting close to taking the TEAS (or whatever your entrance exam requirement is), summer is a great time to pick up a prep book and start studying. If you haven’t had microbiology or A&P yet for example, you could go ahead and study the areas you have had. If you are already accepted and preparing to start in the fall.
Clean and Organize
My room and house have seriously become a disaster area. My backpack has accumulated so papers I fear it is reaching max capacity. As students, we put things like cleaning on the back burner in order to be successful in our classes. Now is the time to get things clean, fresh, and organized so you are ready to take on the next semester!
Work or Volunteer
If you can find a job and have the credentials to work as a CNA or nurse extern during the summer, this would be great experience! Obviously things are a little different for me, I will be working as an LPN during the summer to make some money and keep my nursing skills in check! If you can’t work as one of these positions, I suggest looking into volunteering. I volunteered at the hospital before nursing school and it gave me some good experience on the flow of the hospital. I will be volunteering this summer as well, my school requires volunteer hours in order to graduate, so no better time to get those in than on break!
Have some summer fun!
The most important part of the summer I think is to have some fun and relax! Yes, keeping up with school and being prepared for the fall is important. It is also important to relax and unwind over the summer! Go on vacation, lounge by the pool, go kayaking down the river, curl up with a good book, do what makes you happy! As nursing students we were hard and deserve some fun! I am personally hoping to get in some pool time, bonfires and smores, hiking, and hopefully some beach time!
Happy Summer, friends!