Since this blog was intended to be a following of me in CRNA school, maybe I should blog about that, huh? Here are a few pointers for any one considering CRNA school or graduate school in general.
1. When people tell you that graduate school is hard, they probably aren't lying. I thought they were; I laughed at them. And now, I often find myself in tears because it IS hard. But, it is well worth it. Graduate school is not for the faint of heart, those who don't want a challenge, and those who do not work well under stress.
2. I didn't study as an undergrad but was sure that I could "wing it." HA!! My new stance on studying (and my test grades are directly correlated) is to get a tutor if available (these are people who passed the class with flying colors, let them lead you!), don't just fumble through your notes and read the books. What has been effective for me and 95% of my class (the other 5% is a guy who just sits in the corner...not sure how he is doing), is writing possible test questions from your notes. Ex: Red crayons are made from wax. What are red crayons made from? What color of crayons are made from wax? ETC. Don't laugh. It WORKS! On one test, I did this for every subject header, reviewed it once or so and to my own surprise, got a 100%! My husband then put up my grade on the fridge, it was GREAT!
3. School is great, advancing your career is great, but FAMILY is #1. I make time for my husband every day. Dinner is not interuptable. We also make time for something fun each week. Individuals in my class are experiencing increasing amounts of marital stress because they put school first. One guy looked at me baffled when I suggested he put down the book and take his wife on a date (*and I offered to babysit even!). When all is said and done, none of "this" is going to be worth it if you are alone during your graduation ceremony. I am going to CRNA school to improve the quality of life for my family. Definitely not because I like to study a lot.
4. Take time for yourself. Every day. Seriously. Or you WILL go crazy.
5. Your classmates are your allies. Divide up the work load. With a few friends, I divide up the notes to make practice questions with. It helps with your sanity and it works to your studying advantage. I have encountered an individual or two who just wants to get their grubby little hands on my test questions. In that instance, kindly reply that the file they are contained in is "too large to email, sorry."
6. Don't isolate yourself from your family or friends if you have moved away. Love Facebook! Don't get your feelings hurt if life moves on without you, because you are creating your own, great new life too.
7. Don't be nervous. Obviously if after a lengthy application process they picked YOU, you have got the goods!
8. Don't be discouraged if you don't get in right away. The "waiting list" is your friend. If you happen to get the latter letter, kindly write a respectful, formal thank you to the interview committee and hope for the best!
9. Good luck and feel free to message me with questions!
