Are your friendships suffering?

[snwflknurse]

I was just wondering if this was happening to anyone else. I have a best friend who is not such a good friend anymore...we never have time to talk and I find myself kind of bored when I'm around her (maybe b/c I'm used to such a fast paced schedule). She complains about how hard her life is (works 2 days a week at a salon) and has a small baby. I have a 10 month old and go to school full time, and work part time. I guess it is just annoying to hear complaining about a 12 hour work week when I am so much more overcommitted, and I almost feel a little jealous at the same time that she has other friends now, even thought they aren't the type that would interest me. So, honestly, besides NIC and NOC, I have no extracurricular friends right now. And actually its okay with me. I would prefer to spend time with my husband or daughter. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had this happen their first semester of nursing school.

[EarthChild1130]

I have had the same best friend since I was 9, and we still chat on the phone weekly since she lives in another state, but we don't really have that much in common anymore...and it started way before nursing school...while she and all my other friends were starting families, I was having a hysterectomy and no children at age 23, and while I'm perfectly fine with that, there are moments when my friend calls to tell me what Little Johnny did (first step, first word, whatever), and I simply can't relate to it...and I really don't like that all my friends want to either pity me for this or else they want to press the adoption issue into the ground when my husband and I are perfectly fine with the way things are now...so we don't have much in common with friends who have progressed from couples to 'families'...O well...didn't mean to get off on a tangent there! lol

[lunakat]

I used to have quite a few friends before I started Nursing School. Now all I seem to have left is my bestfriend. We have become closer because we are both going into the nursing field. She will graduate LVN on 12/16. I wont graduate until 5/06. However we often call each other to complain school, share an experience, or ask help with an assignment. I am glad we are still friends. I don't know what I would do without her...

[live4today, RN]

i move around too much to establish long term friendships. i still have a sister/friend relationship with a few people, but that's it, and they are all long distance friends. i don't usually make close friendships with people i work with (for good reasons). :)

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

When I was in school, I sometimes would go out for coffee after my Friday night shift at midnight, and that was my only social outlet. It was a lonely and isolating time working and going to school and yes my friendships did suffer, mainly because I didn't have time to enjoy their company.

Life is stressful for everyone, and while your life may indeed be more stressful, a friend listens without judgement and validates the feelings. But as you said this "friend" isn't a good friend at all.

When we're busy nursing student's we sometimes put a chip on our shoulder that no one could possible have more busy and stressful lives than us. Mothers in particular are good at that. When I complained to my fellow nursing students about being tired I always got "well at least you don't have children". Some lives indeed are more stressful than others, but we all deserve to be listened to.

If this friendship isn't serving your soul let it go. :)