Can i have a social life while in nursing school

[NursingStudent-Tati]

:redbeatheHi im new to this site..i think it is a really good idea...it answers alot of questions that im pretty sure everyone has, and it is inspiring :) well im starting the nursing program at miami dade college medical campus now in about 3 weeks..i am excited but at the same time i am very nervous..i am 20 yrs old, i dont have any kids, or a husband, just a serious boyfriend of 3 years and i do not work and never have while in school..i know nursing school will be very difficult and time consuming, but i am wondering if i will have anytime at all for my family and bf at least once a week..like maybe saturday nights? I am afraid of not having any time for myself whatsover, of studying all the time i dont want to burn out....sometimes you need down time in order to keep ur sanity and destress..does anyone have any advice for me? Oh yes one more thing, I remember some of my A&P but somethings i can not remember at all..or they are very fuzzy..i am sure this happens to alot of ppl, that over time u forget certain things..anatomy was soo detailed..when i took my first anatomy course i went through out with back pain, i was taking pain killers, goin to therapy, and i even lost some sleep because of it, i believe i pulled a muscle or something ..thankfully i am doing alot better and i thank god :wink2:..but this really affected my studying, i had a hard time concentrating because of the pain and lack of sleep, i ended up getting an A in the lab and a B in the lecture, and at the time i was taking microbiology as well.. and i knew i could have gotten an A if it weren't for all the problems i had been having..my point is i think the information would be a lot fresher in my mind if it weren't for those obstacles, and this worries me for when i start the nursing program..Any advice? thankyou:)

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

You had better carefully schedule and limit socialization, at least until you see if you can handle the demands of a rigorious nursing program. I used to 'take off' the night or day after an exam, and occasional Sundays. The amount of work is usually voluminous, and demands attention. Time management is the key of success and you have to prioritize. Between class lectures, labs, clinicals and assignments, even occasional group projects can really require careful attention. Sometimes, you have assignments for all them that are due.

I am not saying that all work and no play is the motto, but don't allow yourself to get distracted, either. The pace will be fast. Good luck!

[iwanna]

I had a minimal social life.I guess it depends on the person's stamina. I require much rest, so I did not have much of a social life. However, there were two courses that I can remember that allowed for more of a social life. These were the courses that did not require pre-clinical preparation the day before. For OB there were no pre-clinicals. Also, for pediatrics because we did ours at a site 17 miles from school. Funny, I got my best grades inthose classes due to getting plenty of rest. Also, my social life was a bit more active during those classes. But, I also had two school-aged children, so most of my spare time other than studying was spent with them.

[luckylucyrn]

I didn't see much of a change in my social life, I just kept up with all my classes during the week, did all my reading before class, and studied sat/sun afternoons if needed. I had Friday/Saturday nights with no problem. And I worked during school as well. It helped that my husband was in medical school. We just studied NEAR each other and that counted as time together during the week!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

If we want something badly enough, sometimes we must make sacrifices in order to turn our dreams into realities. If I want to get through a nursing program badly enough, I'm going to sacrifice the things that are inconsequential in the long run, such as a social life. After all, it is only a couple of years out of your life.

[vashtee, RN]

No kids and no job? I think you will be fine. Your social life probably won't be what it HAS been, but if you organize your study time, you should still be able to spare some time for your family.

[CHATSDALE]

when i was in nursing school i forgot there was such a thing as the opposite sex...you will have time depending on how many hours you are taking and the severity of the class

terminology is one thing - my first AP near killed me..as you get in the habit of studying and learn to pace yourself your will do ok but rmember as stated in other posts rmember what is important..yo will have the rest of your life to get out and enjoy yourself

[rnmomtobe2010]

It all depends on how much you can handle... Good Luck....

[NursingStudent-Tati]

Thankyou for all ur replys :) it makes me feel a lil better lol :) i especially want to thank luckylucy, i liked your reply the best..:) well im really glad i ran into this site :) have a good day everyone.

[nursegreen]

During the semester, my social life was slim to none. I tried to give myself a few hours of free time a week depending on what was due or how many tests. There were many times when I had one to three tests a week, and a test every week. If you can keep yourself well organized and not wait till the last minute to get things done, then I think you can handle at least one night a week. Nursing is a very demanding program whether you are married and have kids or not. Just stay focused, organized, and study hard!!! Good luck!!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

If you don't have to work, you're social life shouldn't suffer much if you keep your priorities right and are disciplined.

Good luck!

[Wsmith16, ADN, BSN]

No social life here. Especially, since I am taking accelerated nursing classes in the summer. I have a test every week so it's hard to have a social life.