Dear First Semester Nursing Student,

Congratulations on your acceptance into the UA BSN program! This is a significant

achievement and you should be very proud. I'm sure you've heard a lot of scary stuff about

nursing school and unfortunately some of it is true, but one thing you should always remember

is that you are not going through it on your own. The College of Nursing is one of the most

supportive communities I've been a part of. It always surprised me just how much our faculty

are willing to do to help us to succeed. Any time you feel lost and are not sure how to best

continue, don’t hesitate to ask for help from them and your classmates.

There is so much to learn and it can be easy to become overwhelmed. One thing I

struggled with was time management. With so much going on, it was easy to let the things that

weren’t due soon be ignored. Procrastination sometimes felt like a treat, but every time I ended

up regretting it. I know it is not super fun, but I would firmly suggest planning your semester

out. Give yourself time to work on that project or paper a little bit each week. Not only will you

likely do better, but you will save yourself the huge amount of stress that comes from trying to

type like a maniac to try and make your deadline; trust me it’s not fun. Nursing school is a real

test of your ability to juggle multiple things at one time and waiting until the last moment

makes it even harder.

Start collecting and documenting all your achievements! Nursing school is so fast paced

that we often don’t take the time to truly appreciate each success. And because you’re always

consumed with what is due next, it makes it hard to remember what you have done. This

became apparent to me while preparing for job applications; I knew there was numerous things
I did during the program that I was proud of and would valuable to employers, but it was really

hard to remember. I suggest keeping a little journal or file on your computer, somewhere you

can easily collect certificates and write down things you did, so later one you can look back on

them.

I wish you the best of luck!! You are going to learn and experience so much in the next

two years. No matter how hard it is or stressed you become, remember that there is tons of

help and resources available. And remember that in the end, you will become a great nurse.

Best,

Becky Patty