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After each lecture or study session, I record a quick voice note summarizing key points in my own words— like I ' m teaching a patient or explaining it to a friend. Then, I replay the recordings during my commute, workouts, or while doing chores. It helps reinforce the material passively and boosts retention through repetition and auditory learning. It’ s like flashcards for your ears!
Additionally, I make it a rule to never end a study session without doing 5-10 practice questions on that topic. I use NCLEXstyle questions to get familiar with how questions are framed. If I get something wrong, I don’ t just memorize the answer— I write down why I got it wrong and what concept I missed. It turns every mistake into a learning opportunity and builds exam confidence fast.
I find that mnemonics and acronyms work very well. Word association is another great way to remember things.
Discovering your learning styles will also help tremendously. In addition to the things I stated above, repetition works for me. The week leading up to an exam, I write down questions in my weak areas 5-10 times each. I do this daily until the test.
- Erika Edwards, nursing student, ECPI College of Nursing, Virginia Beach, VA
- Amanda Williams, nursing student, Montefiore School of Nursing, Mount Vernon, NY
I use AI to help me study by uploading all my class materials, notes, and slides. It can instantly turn everything into practice questions, quizzes, and summaries. It feels like having a personal tutor available 24 / 7 and it makes learning so much easier and more organized.
- Payton Jernstad, nursing student, Waubonsee Community
College, Aurora, IL
Turn on your push notifications! Receiving a daily reminder to do some practice questions has made a significant improvement in my ability to retain and recall the knowledge that I ' m gaining from my nursing program. This has been especially true during summer and other holiday breaks. Consistency is key.
- Tegan Shibley-Styer, nursing student, Portland Community College, Portland, OR
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