I am 24 years old (about to be 25 in October) and most of the other students in my nursing program are 18 or 19 and then a few are older women in their 40's. I attend a private college in Long Island, NY so I don't know how other nursing programs are.
I find it hard to relate to others and sit in class listening to giggling and teenage conversations about parties behind me.
I live with my boyfriend who thankfully is supporting me financially while I'm in school and not working.
The other 1% of students are in their 40's who are married and have children. I feel as though I can't relate to anyone and therefore can't really make friends with anyone. By friends I mean people to have for mutual support through nursing school.
I'm worrying about that too. I'm 22 going on 23 and on my second degree (I already have a degree in psychology). During my upgrading classes before applying to BSCN, I found I couldn't relate with anyone! Everyone was just right out of high school.. 17-19ish... with the odd person in their late 20s and early 30s. There seemed to be no one in between.. so it was just difficult to not have anyone to talk to about anything in the program. I'm really hoping it'll be different when I start my BSCN program on Wednesday...
Specializes in Psych, Hospice, Surgical unit, L&D/Postpartum.
I don't have any friends in nursing school. While everyone talks around me, I sit there quietly. I go to class to learn, not socialize.. call me mean, but I always have a hard time talking..I don't know what to say. I am 30 and a single mom to an 11 yr old girl. She's my life so I never made time to have friends. I am a big time introvert.
I graduated from my BSN program in the spring- also private, in LI!- and I made some really great friends there. I'm almost 25, and, believe it or not, I hit it off with a classmate almost 30 years older than me! A lot of the other students were around three or four years younger than me, but I got some amazing friends out of the younger bunch, too. I think if you just keep yourself open to other people you'll find those that you can connect with. And, without my fellow nursing friends- the camaraderie and support- I might not have made to graduation!
I recently graduated from a private college with an associate degree in nursing. I went thru 4 semesters with a group of about ten other students. I had to repeat my last semester, so I was with a completely new group of students for my last semester. The friendliness and attitude of the two classes couldnt have been more different! The first group of classmates were very competitive with each other, they were basically split down the middle with two groups not liking each other. It was hard to get along with anyone in that group. The second group I actually graduated with was a completely different story. They were all friendly, helpful, and they all loved one another! Who knows what the difference was? The second group was identical in ages, and group size. I guess it just depends on who happens to be in the class and the personalities of each one!
I just started today so I don't know how much this will help but I'm not sure if I'm going to be making a lot of good friends with my classmates. Most of the girls in my class already have their friends in the class and I only know a few people. Plus when I was talking to some of them, all they talked about was drinking and what party they were going to this weekend and how they are going to get a fake ID. I'm 20 and drinking and heavy partying isn't really my thing. I mean I don't judge people for doing it, its just something I'm not interested in. I'll probably have one or two friends in the class to make it through the next two and a half years but I don't know how many more.
I am 36. Married with children and by the end of tonight a pseudo grandma as my goddaughter is facing a c section tonight. I have made friends with 40 something's and professors, wit h the teenie boppers as well.act mature and like you take this seriously and we will get along. Throw a good joke in there and I may join you for drinks, providing you are legal. Otherwise it's juice for you. LOL
Specializes in Postpartum/Nursery about to enter NICU I.
I was one of the older students in class when I was in school. I graduated in 09 at the age of 36. I found that once I got into clinical I meshed very well with my group and we purposely tried to schedule ourselves together for the rest of school. I still talk with many of my friends from school, I am still very close to one in particular who I spend a lot of time with. I think you will find that nursing school will be a bonding experience and never under estimate the younger or the older crowd. :)
I graduated last year at the age of 43. Still have a way to go since my program was a VN program. In my previous and current field, I get along with everyone and have made many life long friends, however, nursing school was a totally different environment.
Like some of you on this post, I found that I had nothing in common with other nursing students. Not because of my age as much as my life experiences. My life differed so much from everyone else, that I just couldn't wait until it was over.
We had a wide range of ages and a lot of guys. I have worked this year to finish a psych degree and complete my GE's through Bachelor level so that I could focus only on nursing courses this time around.
Not sure which school I will end up, but apps are in and I do hope this time around, I may find a warmer more loving environment.
My cohort is very friendly and like many others, full of different age groups, life experiences and personalities.
Sure there are a few people that cause me to occasionally roll my eyes but I love each and every one of them! I think putting myself out there and trying to get to know others who are different than me is going to help me later on as a nurse. We aren't going to have patients like ourselves who we have to converse with right? (just something to think about!)
I'm 30 years old and my program bestie is 47. I say age is just a number and even if we lived different lives, and enjoy different activities, we DO have nursing school in common and that's enough for me! :)
Yes! We have a big age difference. I am not sure who is the oldest, but we do have some 20 year olds. I get a long with all age groups. Yes, not everyone has the same things going on, but we are all in nursing school, so can relate to each other with those challenges. There are 2 girls I am close with. We have dubbed ourselves the three stooges I am 36, one is 34 and one is 21. Until this semester we had every class, clinical and lab together! We are different ages, and the 21 yo has no kids like me and the other girl, but we love her just the same!
I like my classmates. Everyone is nice and friendly and helpful, they are great. They really are. :) But, I am not too trusting right now. It is still too soon, and still too early for me to get personal. My class has 40+ students right now and the semester just started this week. Who is gonna be here a month from now, 2 months, 3 months etc. Who is gonna pass Fundamentals and enter Med-Surg 1 in January? Who is gonna make it into Med-Surg 1, and pass? I've been down this street before, and I'm not doing it again. At least, not right now. I am polite, friendly, helpful and get along with them all really well so far, but that doesn't mean I have to get close. After Med-Surg 1, I will then see who is still here to be friends with?
I feel the same way. I'm 25, and a sophomore in the nursing program. There are a few people who are probably 30-ish, and one who I'd put at about 40-something, but everyone else is basically fresh out of high school. I had some of my pre-reqs with most of them, and I still don't really have any sort of connection with anyone. Hopefully since my clinicals group is small this semester, that might change.
I am 36, one is 34 and one is 21. Until this semester we had every class, clinical and lab together! We are different ages, and the 21 yo has no kids like me and the other girl, but we love her just the same!
Megatron89
13 Posts
I'm worrying about that too. I'm 22 going on 23 and on my second degree (I already have a degree in psychology). During my upgrading classes before applying to BSCN, I found I couldn't relate with anyone! Everyone was just right out of high school.. 17-19ish... with the odd person in their late 20s and early 30s. There seemed to be no one in between.. so it was just difficult to not have anyone to talk to about anything in the program. I'm really hoping it'll be different when I start my BSCN program on Wednesday...