It looks good, it gives you a chance to regroup, and it allows you to meet your nurses without the pressure of patient care. Don't be afraid to ask questions at clinical. You can't learn if you don't ask. Be assertive at clinicals. Get involved as soon as possible.
Fundraisers can help raise money for striping and pinning.
You may want to help a charity for needy families over the holidays. Sigma Theta Tau is the international honor society for nursing. New members are invited to join in summer following the junior year, so keep those grades up. The induction ceremony is in Fall Semester. Striping is the ceremony, usually held Spring Semester, that marks the transition from being a junior to becoming a senior in the nursing program.