I Got In!
First of all, congratulations on being accepted! You should really be proud of yourself…you did it! Yay! But if you’re like me, you might be feeling a little more apprehension creeping up on you now. All your hard work for the past few years has lead up to this one moment, and now that it’s here, you might be experiencing a “now what?” feeling. Don’t worry! You’ve already gotten this far, so I have no doubt you’ll be able to handle whatever the SSU Nursing Program can throw at you :) But just in case you’re looking for some tips to alleviate some pre-program anxiety, just keep reading…
#1: Join the SSU Nursing Club. Sure, as an officer in the club I may be a little biased as to its importance, but still. Why join the club? Firstly, it’s a great way to meet members of other classes (such as myself). Although you’ll spend a majority of your time with your own class, the support and encouragement from the upper classes can be really beneficial. We meet on the last Monday of every month to discuss various upcoming events, philanthropy, internship opportunities, pretty much anything you can think of. Being involved with the club is a really great way to stay connected with all the SSU nursing students. Check out the SSU Nursing Club facebook group for more information, or visit the official NCSSU site!
#2: Participate in the mentor program. Sonoma State has a great mentoring program for the incoming sophomores (that’s you!). Basically, us juniors and seniors are paired up with one (or two) of you, and we make ourselves available to address any pre-program jitters or concerns. Whether you have questions about classes, clinicals, where to buy uniforms and stethoscopes, what the workload is like, or any other questions you might have, we’re here to help! Either the nursing department or your Mentor Program Coordinators (Ashley Cope and Allison Layton) will contact you regarding your interest in the program. Keep in mind it’s completely free! As a mentee myself, I can attest to the fact that the mentor program is really great…especially at the beginning of the year when I had a billion questions spinning around my head :D
#3: Try not to get overwhelmed. There are some things that you’ll need to do before the semester starts, such as getting a background check, looking into buying your books, registering for classes, and making a semester payment with ATI. Just slow down, think of what you need to get done, and do them! The nursing department will contact you with all this information, so don’t worry if you haven’t heard anything yet. Also, once you get set up with a mentor (see #1), you can always ask them about all these different “to-do’s.”
#4: Have a little fun this summer! The nursing program, while really awesome, is pretty demanding physically, academically, and emotionally. So before you find yourself sucked into the life of a nursing student, take some time to relax and chill! Appreciate the wealth of free time you have, because chances are, you might not have as much of it come fall :) Don’t get me wrong…I love the nursing program, but it is a lot of hard work…so enjoy your pre-nursing innocence while you can :D
You’re about to be official SSU Nursing students! How does it feel? :)