Do you make friends with others in your nursing program?

macalania54 · Aug 29, 2012

Yeah, I definitely get this. I'm 20 and doing a 4 year BSN program. I'm coming into the third year and I still don't have any actual friends in the program. I'm thinking the main reason is because during our freshman year, a lot of the people in my class chose to live on the "nursing student" floors in some of the dorms, and I didn't live in those dorms, so I didn't have that opportunity for strong bonding. Plus, for the past few years we've just been doing gen eds and don't always have class together, so I didn't even really know who everyone in my class was till this past semester. There are a few people who I'mfriendly with, but all of my friends are outside of the nursing school. I've noticed that I've become relatively more friendly with people in my class the closer we get to our actual nursing classes and clinicals. I don't know how far along you are in your program, but maybe the further you progress in your program, the easier it'll be to connect to your classmates?

best of luck :)

bigsick_littlesick · Aug 29, 2012

I certainly have! One girl in class I am really close with and I love her to death. I'm 28 and she's 33. Somehow we've managed to be in the same clinical group throughout the entire course of the program. We have four other girls that are close as well, similar in age. However, age doesn't mean crap when it comes to friends, I say! :redbeathe I talk to nearly all of my classmates and I'm closer to some more than others, mostly because we were in clinicals together in previous semesters. It's such a unique bonding experience and I know that these friends are friends I will have for a lifetime. Of course there are some classmates that I absolutely do not trust or choose not to be associated with. Any way, open up, make small talk, you never know, it could be a good friend for life sitting right next to you!

Jennybrie · Aug 29, 2012

We have a range of ages in our class and most are friendly with everyone. There are a few groups that don't associate with others but it's a small class size (36) and most of us have been together since the beginning. It was difficult to make friends first semester and until clinicals started no one really made any good friends. After clinicals people started to realize the benefits of having nursing student friends. No one else understands what we go through and venting is a must throughout the program. The stress and anxiety everyone is put through makes it easier when you have an understanding ear to hear you. I never forced friendships but the few people I can call a friend in this program are the best friends I will ever have. You don't have to know everyone in your class but hopefully you will find someone that gets you and doesn't judge you. That person will also be there to support you and rejoice in your achievements. Be careful of those who pretend to know you for your study habits and just want to use you for their own gain. This may take some time but in the end you will know who to trust and the friendships you make will never die away. Good luck!!

TheAmazingMrsA · Aug 29, 2012

I completely understand how you feel. Though I haven't started NS yet (schools in my area start late September), I went through most of pre-req's being the oldest student at only 30 years old. It was super hard to make friends when you couldn't relate to the younger students nor the older students with families and kids.

After feeling super depressed that I hadn't made any friends through my classes, I began to get to know the younger students and realized that not all of them were what I had originally assumed. One in particular has become a close friend of mine, and we scheduled all our remaining pre-req's together once we realized how well we meshed. Even though she's nine years younger than myself, she's incredibly mature and thoughtful and I would have missed out on a great friendship if I would have just chalked her up to being like everyone else. I'm also very thankful that we were so fortunate as to get into NS together and even get the same clinical/lab rotation.

I guess my advice is to give every person a chance. There may be someone in your classes that is waiting to connect with someone too. Try and keep an open mind and consider that the giggly girls may not be that way when they're away from the others.

ErikaMarie · Aug 30, 2012

I don't think you need to relate to someone to be their friend... Especially when you should be able to relate to their nursing school frustrations & excitements. I try to make friends whenever I can. You don't have to be best friends, & you don't need to take part in people's drama, but for me, it's nice to have people there for support, people who understand what I'm going through. I'm middle of the road. 30, divorced single mom of a 24 month old & my friends there are younger, older, but most do have kids. Making friends is never negative.

Jenne543 · Sep 3, 2012

You are all in this together. They say nusing school is very competitive but never have that attitude. There are the people you will lean on when you have bad days. You can complain to your family or your boyfriend but they will not really understand how you feel but your peers will. There are days I don't know what I would do without them. They let me cry to them when I lost a patient. No one else understands how you feel when you lose your very first patient. They celebrate with you when you both do well on an exam. If I were you I would make friends with the older people they are at a time in their lives where they have learned to prioritize and have already formed study habbits. The young ones may not make it. I think it takes someone very special to make it through a nursing program at the age of 18 because of the amount of work it requires. I know at 18 there was no way I was mature enough or disciplined enough to go through this.

smtha620 · Sep 3, 2012

I completely understand. I am always the oldest in my class. I am 50 and it's very hard to relate to some of my classmates. I feel like I am always behind the curve and slow even though my grades are very good. Good luck to you - hang in there and let us know how it turns out.

Turtle in scrubs · Sep 3, 2012

I felt that way at first. Different ages and experiences. Lots of giggling hormonal peers and a few older,married with kids. But when things got going it was all about the work and there was common ground. A small study group formed which helped me get through school. It was an unexpected mix of people. A couple of them have become dear friends, but most have all gone our separate ways only to follow each other on facebook. I couldn't have predicted which ones would have become my good friends.

You may want to start with the older students. Of course this won't apply to all of them, but to generalize, they are more dedicated and it all won't come as easy to them. They probably won't distinguish between you and the other giggly kids until they get to know you, but will appreciate and enjoy your company once they do. For me making friends was all about getting through the coursework, but I ended up having a lot of laughs along the way. Turned out those giggling girls weren't all that bad after all... once I got to know them. But I had to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there a bit.

Good luck! Hope things start to click for you before long :)

studentnurse9806 · Sep 3, 2012

I have no friends in nursing school.... and I am a senior. I am friendly with people in my class and clinical but i really feel like i have nothing to talk to them about and cannot relate. idk maybe i am just antisocial lol it is a bit hard not going to lie. I just feel like everyone already knew each other from freshman year and lived on campus while i commute. In addition similar to what another poster said, they are always talking about parties on campus and so forth which i do not attend. They also seem like they all come from affluent families , driving brand new beamers that mommy and daddy paid for. Me, not so much. I have a boyfriend and spend most of my time with him when I am not in school. He is supportive, but talking to him about nursing is like talking to a wall:banghead:

Journee2 · Sep 3, 2012

I'm pretty much a laid back, quiet until I get to know you kind of person but I have made friends with three amazing girls in my program and I am so grateful I have because we keep each other grounded, on top of things, and we're in the same Skills Lab and Clinical groups (for this Term, crossing our fingers for next Term) so we buddy up with each other often. They see the silly, sarcastic, fun side of my that the rest of the class doesn't get to see. If I had not become friends with them I probably would continue to just stick to myself, keep quiet, but rock out A's on all my exams

sjbrk · Sep 3, 2012

I'm with you! I'm 20 as are most of the people in my class, but I feel much older. I guess I've lived a lot of life in 20 years or something, but I have little to nothing in common with them. Also, I'm on my own, dont live on campus, and work to get thru school -- unlike most of them who have rich parents and don't have to work.

Although there are some very friendly people in my class, I'd say about half of them *know* they are better than the rest of us, and it shows in their attitude. I had one girl tell me that since I was working there's no way I'd pass the classes. That type of attitude doesn't make me want to get to know anyone, either.

Either way, I try to be friendly and not let anyone else bother me. Im there for school. If I make friends along the way, yippee! But its not my priority.