What is something that you stumbled on or struggle with while studying to become a registered nurse and how has it impacted your career and life?

I knew early in my nursing career that I preferred nursing care of infants and children. I almost quick nursing school several times because all the basic clinicals were with adult patients. It was incrediably sad for me to work in long term care setting and adult ICU. Finally, during my last year I got to work in a PICU and PEDS ED (where I excelled clinically and academically). It was worth all the struggles and anxiety. Not sure if it was my unhappiness with adult patients that led to my average grades. I should have discussed this with my academic advisors. Perhaps my average grades were misinterpreted as an average student nurse that didn't qualify me for a NICU rotation request as senior practicum.
There is always a demand to do your best!
I found my love of neonatal ICU patients once I graduated.
As a side note: I became an ARMY nurse after graduation.

Prioritizing and reading peoples body language has definitely impacted my career. You can learn alot about patients or their families by just watching facial reactions or body language. It helps by letting you anticipate their needs. Prioritizing has helped me quickly critically think and know how one thing can and would affect another if not done in the appropriate manner it also helps when you are trying to time manage tasks or patients.