Monday, October 24, 2011

Don't Quit by Tammy VanVleck

Even though my journey has taken me a different path, I would like to give a shout out to all my friends in the Nursing Program (and all nursing students). As a former Nursing student I understand that one of the most challenging programs at CCC is the Nursing Program but it is rewarding for those who make it to the end. I would just like to encourage you to hang in there to the end. IT WILL BE WORTH IT WHEN YOU FINALLY ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS!!!

Think of it this way, you are half-way through the semester and some of you are almost ¾’s of the way to becoming angels. 

I wish you all the best of luck and leave you with this poem:
“The Don’t Quit Poem” ~ Author Unknown
“When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow—
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out—
The silver lining in the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
So stick to the fight when hardest hit—
It’s when things are worst you MUST NOT QUIT.”

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Where has the time gone?


Thank you to everyone who responded to my first ever blog. I hope it was helpful and informative. I enjoy your responses and interaction.

This week I’d like to focus on something none of us, whether we are older students, younger students or somewhere in between, don’t have enough of. We are already into the middle of the semester and it seems like we just started. Soon it will be time to register for the spring semester. Let’s not go there yet though.

Here are some tips on managing your time that have worked for me: organize, organize, organize. If you can organize your time then you can maximize what you can or need to accomplish. The best school tool I found I have is the daily planner that was available at the beginning of the semester [if you didn’t get yours, go to the Commons, Student Life, show your school ID and get one!]. This was one of the first things I looked for when returning from summer break. With this I can write out my schedule of classes, work, and homework that needs to be completed. I can see the days off that are coming up, college events are written in, and I have all the information I need to be organized. If I can see my schedule in front of me I can figure out where to fit in time for extra studying, projects that need to be done, work, and time for my family. All of these are important to our success.

Something else that has helped me manage my time is using campus resources such as the library, learning centers, and computer labs. I found if I can accomplish some or most of my work on campus then I can maximize my time at home with my family. It’s hard when trying to focus on too many things at once, which being a full-time student sometimes almost feels like a requirement. However, if you can divide your time wisely it will lead to less stress and a more enjoyable experience at home and at school. If you are able to spend time on campus to do your work, use places like the library or the new learning center. I don’t recommend the Commons for studying, but it is a great place to relax and give your brain a rest – which brings me to my next point.

It is important to schedule yourself some down time. It is hard to do when you have projects due or major exams to study for, but your brain needs a break. I’ve found I shut down after studying for too long and it’s not effective studying anyway. Allow yourself some time for things you enjoy, and then come back to studying or the project you are working on. Be sure to set a time limit, it will help avoid procrastination. One last suggestion is squeeze in a little study time in places you wouldn’t think of: when you are cooking supper and have to wait a few minutes for the food to cook, pull out your study sheet and look it over while you’re waiting. If you are waiting to go to class you can do the same. Every time you do this you are exposing your mind to the material you need to learn and you feel more prepared.

I hope these tips on time management are helpful. If you have any other suggestions please share them with our fellow students. Time is something we can’t ever get back. Making the most of what we have is so important to our success and to enjoying a little less stress in our lives to help to accomplish all that we need to accomplish.

Tammy