For many, summer officially comes to an end when Labor Day Weekend hits. Cooler temperatures, the start of football, and fall fashion drift into people’s lives and people’s minds. And, of course, it’s time for class. It’s time to sharpen the pencils, get out your old pharmacology book, and head across the quad for your 8:30 lesson with that professor who scares everyone. We’re here to ease the transition back to the daily grind of academia with 10 tips to make nursing school more enjoyable this semester.

Whether you’re a senior away at a four-year school or just getting underway at a community college across town, these tips will help you move to the head of the class . . . and have a little fun along the way.

1. Take a music or art class. If at all possible, take a cultural class that will give you a break from the pressure of figuring out dosages and laboring over care plans. A music or art class will provide stimulation, stress relief, and maybe even a new hobby.
2. Get an early start to the day. Don’t roll out of bed 20 minutes before your first class. Get up. Get some coffee. Go for an early-morning run. Do something. Your mind will be much clearer if you kick off the day in an active way.
3. Study your notes after each class. We know, we know, you’ve heard this before, right? But isn’t it a great idea? If you take a half hour after each class and just look over what you’ve learned, it has a much better chance of staying with you.
4. Find a study sanctuary. Whether or not you decide to implement No. 3, this is still a great idea. Whether it’s a quiet room in your house, a study hall near your dorm, or an empty park bench down the street, find a comfortable spot. Eventually, the familiar surroundings will help you focus on the material in front of you.
5. Find friends to study with in class. There’s safety in numbers. We all want to know we aren’t in it alone and this is a great way to discover that reality. Find some friends that have different strengths than you, so you can teach and learn at the same time.
6. Buy some new shoes. Confused? What do new shoes have to do with going back to school? Well, nothing really. But isn’t it nice to look good, to feel good, and to have some confidence? New shoes can always make you feel a bit better.
7. Don’t cram before the test. We all do it, and yes, we all probably succeed now and then when we do it. But is it really worth the stress? All-night study sessions, numerous pots of coffee, and hair-pulling anxiety is not a good prescription for your mental or physical state.
8. Get involved. Join a club at your school. Volunteer some time to help young students. Write some articles for StressedOutNurses.com. Whatever you do, just get your name out there, find a niche, and make some new friends. School will be much more enjoyable.
9. Go somewhere on campus that you’ve never been. Dare to explore. Go outside the nursing building and see what other people on campus are doing. You might be missing some beautiful architecture, a great little spot to eat, or a chance to meet a professor who could change your life.
10. Don’t forget to have a little fun. Yes, nursing is serious. And yes, school is difficult. But that doesn’t mean you can’t live it up a little bit. Go out with some friends from class on a Friday night. Take up a new sport. Let your hair down a little bit. After all, how many times will you be going back to school?

Editor’s note: Already thinking ahead to the next step? Read what one nurse had to say about the 10 things she wishes she had known before becoming a nurse here.