Several weeks ago, we here at StressedOutNurses.com asked professors from around the country to nominate students for a $500 scholarship. The guidelines we laid out were simple: We want to hear about your students who have a handle on stress—even in the most chaotic situations. And the nominations poured in. And poured in some more. We waded through piles of excellent submissions before selecting Erin Nestor, a third-semester nursing student at Northwest Shoals Community College in Phil Campbell, AL, as our winner.

How did Nestor, 26, react when she found out she won?

“I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “Whenever [professor Stephanie Oliver] told me, it just made me feel really good. Somebody is thinking about me. And somebody cares about me enough to do this.”

Oliver’s essay (insert link) about Nestor was straight from the heart, talking about the struggles she faces as a student. Although Nestor is extremely dedicated and even more excited about becoming a nurse, she battles test anxiety.

“I’ve been a struggler my whole life,” Nestor says. “I’m not one of those people who read things and get it. I’m a very visual learner and I need to be hands-on.”

Nestor says she has always struggled with test-taking, even in high school. She always studies hard and knows the information, but the anxiety rears its ugly head when she sits down for the exam. Part of it, she says, is the nature of the questions at nursing school.

“It’s totally different from regular college,” she says. “It’s not just knowing a definition. It’s like here’s a situation and all four of your options are right. I always picked the second best answer.”

But, like the essay told us (insert link), Nestor worked at it. She went for extra help. She used computer programs. She read books on how to take tests. She joined study groups.

“I’m still having trouble,” she says. “It’s hard. It’s not something you can just learn in a year.”

Assistance from her professors, such as Oliver, has proven to be invaluable. Despite the struggles, she’s on course to graduate next May.

“Going and getting help [has helped me the most],” Nestor says. “Not being afraid to ask for help and feeling comfortable with my professors [has been important].”

She also makes study guides for herself, taking some of the complex nursing language and putting it into her own words. That way, it’s much easier to remember key points. But what’s the one piece of advice Nestor would pass on to other students who struggle on tests?

“Don’t give up,” she says. “If you make a couple bad grades here and there, go find out what you did wrong. Find a group and don’t be afraid to ask for help, but the main thing is don’t give up.”

Editor’s note: Make sure to check back with StressedOutNurses.com on Monday when we’ll feature a candid Q&A with Nestor about her love of nursing. And don’t forget, we always have contests going on at StressedOutNurses.com. Check it out and see for yourself! And don’t forget about our weekly competition on our free e-newsletter. If you don’t get it, sign up today!