Do you keep your personal life private while in nursing school?

[Kadambari]

Do you keep your personal wherabouts to yourself--such as if you have a family, if you work, etc?

I've learned to not reveal much to myself because there seems to be other students who get quite bitter or jealous that someone else

a. doesn't have to work

b. doesn't have any children

c. gets financial aid

I became friends with a woman during my pre requisite classes. We really clicked and I felt like I had known her my whole life. I opened up and told her everything, about my financial status, who was helping me pay school, etc. And she became very jealous by telling me that if she has to work full time, then so should I. It was ridiculous.

I've encountered other students like this before, so I have made it a habit to keep my personal life very private to avoid any hostility from other students who may have more responsibility than I do

[ComeTogether, LPN]

I don't keep my life private. It's an open book. In my opinion if I get financial aid, which I have, why should my friend be jealous? If they applied for it, and did not get aid, most likely it was a fault in documentation, or they make to much money.

This I a bit off topic, but that's not always the case. I dont get FA and I promise you I don't make too much money. Well, according to the government I do. We make 40 combined and I get no assistance. Loans only. Makes me mad but what are ya gonna do. Just saying..... Happy schooling :)

"No day but today"

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

To those of you that are quite friendly and open with your school peers/classmates, I have a 2 concerns. As you read here on AN, you'll see many posts from newly-employed newbies expressing their extreme disappointment that their NEW peers/coworkers are not as open and chummy as they were accustomed while they were in school.

They then perceive this as the staff being UNFRIENDLY and ALOOF and unsupportive when in reality it just probably is that the staff are just quietly keeping to themselves. There's not much opportunity for on-the-job leisure time (as you've no doubt read about the super busy and overwhelming work environment). And there's often not much in common between a 22 y/o newbie and a 30 - 40 + y/o- ish experienced nurse who probably has a whole lot MORE on her mind than being interested that a boyfriend is going to the shore for Labor Day weekend and you've got to work (and prob Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years too). (Just FYI - I did very recently read a post from someone here lamenting this!)

My other concern is that you be careful and know your school 'friends' very, very, well, esp if you party-hardy. In this day of electronic immediacy, you don't want to jeopardize your current academic and future professional career because some 'mean girl friend' decides to blab about your personal details. Sadly, it DOES happen.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound like your mothers, but I am a nurse who could be working with some of you. And I just want to give you all a heads-up, personally and professionally.

Oh I've already seen some of this. My class has a private facebook page. Last semester, one classmate, M, was having issues with an instructor. M vented on the FB page. L screenprinted it and took it to said instructor. Lots of drama ensued. L just did this to cause problems. L also was smoking pot every morning before class and sleeping with a married classmate. Oh the tangled webs we weave. I share a lot, but not THAT much. I keep complaints about class strictly between my good friends, I never post that crap on FB, and I never share anything that would cause me problems. Not that I really do anything that would, my life is mostly work and school.

[peanutsauce]

I kept my personal life private for the most part. However, I did meet quite a few close friends who had similar backgrounds as me, and opened up to them about my life in general. Those friendships will truly last a lifetime.

I wouldn't keep your personal life so private from school that it hinders in making friends. You will need that support system! Nursing school is challenging, and those challenges are best understood by others going through the same thing... And if you have family/financial issues thrown in to the mix as well, it's nice to be able to talk to someone whom you trust who might understand a little more than the next person.

[Stephalump]

Oh I've already seen some of this. My class has a private facebook page. Last semester, one classmate, M, was having issues with an instructor. M vented on the FB page. L screenprinted it and took it to said instructor. Lots of drama ensued. L just did this to cause problems. L also was smoking pot every morning before class and sleeping with a married classmate. Oh the tangled webs we weave. I share a lot, but not THAT much. I keep complaints about class strictly between my good friends, I never post that crap on FB, and I never share anything that would cause me problems. Not that I really do anything that would, my life is mostly work and school.

Uh, that is a whole other level of "sharing." when I say I'm a open book, I mean I talk about my kids and husband and life and past. Not that I share "myself" with married students or my morning wake and bake habit lol!

I have a few off limits things. I won't talk badly about other students to classmates (negativity spreads like cancer), I won't bad mouth the professors to other students unless it's about something very specific and I'm needing some info (once again, cancer), and then all of the "should be" obvious stuff like sleeping with classmates.

[Scrubs_girl]

I keep my private life private as well. For the same reason. Financial aid, no bills, no kids and my living situation (family)

People don't usually like to hear that and I don't wanna make enemies because of our differences.

I do have a good amount of loans, but nobody ever seems to take that into account.

[AnAppleGirl]

It sounds like you got burned, but that shouldn't stop you from getting to know people. You never know, you might find a friendship soul mate in school. You can learn from this and maybe not reveal so much about yourself until you know someone longer.

I am still working on my pre reqs and have made all kinds of friends. One that I have stayed pretty close to, and others that are good for a chat in the hall when passing or a phone call or email when I have a school question. Friends in school have made it much more enjoyable, but I am still very private. They usually know stuff about my kids because I can't help but brag, but any financial or other personal stuff I save for the friends I have had for years.

[Bobmo88]

I just started nursing school and we had to introduce ourselves to each other on the first day of class. It was interesting to hear about others' background. I don't mind sharing my personal life with others, especially my fellow nursing classmates because we're going to be spending a lot of time with each other for the next 3 years (including summers!) I do not have kids, I live at home with my parents and am not eligible for financial aid but I do have to work to pay for school. Everyone's situation is different so I respect that.

[libby11]

Nursing school is rough and it almost always impacts your life outside of nursing schools (and often negatively). It's everyone's choice to share or not to share. I like to tell bits and pieces here and there to my peers and more to those I've bonded with at nursing school. My mom taught me very young that LIFE IS NOT FAIR. I'm very glad she taught me that. I do find myself jealous of the people who don't work or work part time--but their struggles are different than mine. Some of them have children or are mid-divorce, some have an hour commute--things that I don't have to deal with.

In my opinion, sometimes, even at nursing school (think 8 hour clinical lab time); you need to break away from nursing talk and gossip, complain, ask advice, problem solve, and laugh!

[FLmed]

Not really. One of my classmates and I have become really good friends, we actually took a mini-vacation together over the summer and we'll probably go out of town to celebrate graduating in December. Quite frankly, I don't care what anyone else thinks of me or if they get jealous about something in my life, like the fact that my grandparents pay all of my tuition.

! The people in my entire nursing class were so awesome. I made some lifetime friendships. I'm so sorry to the original poster who had issues like this.

[JDsGirl]

I have learned it is best to keep my private life private at work.