Do Nursing Students Have a Life?

batgirlRN · Feb 15, 2015

I'm in my first semester, and I make time to have a life. I hang out with my family and friends and I make time to study. If you want to have a life you have to schedule it in.

Bbett, MSN, NP · Feb 15, 2015

It really depends on what you mean by "have a life"

I'm a full time nursing student and I take an extra class each semester to get my BSN done faster. I also work between 25-40 hours a week depending on how busy I am. I make time to hang out with my boyfriend/friends/ family. I would consider this a good, well rounded, life.

You will have to say no to a lot of friends that don't understand you can't go to the bar, or go shopping, or whatever it is you can't afford to do, so

Life is different yes, but I still consider it a good life!

Nienna Celebrindal · Feb 15, 2015

It really depends on a variety of things. I think you spend more time studying in a quarter system than a semester. If you work or have a family that changes things. Also depends on how you learn. I agree with PP life is different and a lot of it is how you look at it. I work, go to school full time on a quarter system and have 2 children and a husband. I don't really have free time, and I definitely feel stressed. Nor do I feel I spend enough time with my family but I still do spend good quality time with them. Its just different and different can feel bad. It sucks when I have to leave them or miss something because I have homework, school or work. Especially when my kids complain. I really don't have time for hanging out with my friends: family

You definitely will have added stress and a lot less time for things and people you want to spend time with. It does feel like school takes over.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Feb 15, 2015

No. Nope. Nada. No life. Especially if you have to work and have a family. Then it's no life and no sleep. But then it's over and you have a career. Anything good in life is going to have to be earned.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2015

IMO, anyone who says it's not possible to have a life while in nursing school is either A) exaggerating B) lying or C) has no time management skills. Nursing school was college for me and there was nothing that my non-nursing major friends did that I didn't do with them (provided it was something I wanted to do).

OnlinePersona, LPN · Feb 15, 2015

i have no life right now in school. i see my classmates more than i see anyone else in my life.

I work 40 hours a week, go to school for roughly 30 hours a week and the rest of the time im trying to find time to read my textbook or sleep....or get to work/clinicals on time

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Feb 15, 2015

IMO, anyone who says it's not possible to have a life while in nursing school is either A) exaggerating B) lying or C) has no time management skills. Nursing school was college for me and there was nothing that my non-nursing major friends did that I didn't do with them (provided it was something I wanted to do).

Well I wasn't exaggerating, lying, or have poor time management skills (how else did I work at a hospital day shift with 10 patients and no aide and still get the job done?). I worked full time, I had a home to maintain, a baby to care for, a husband to tend to, and oh, I graduated top of my class....I guess if I just wanted to get the grades to pass and take the boards then maybe I could of had a life, but I didn't want to do that because in the end what I neglected to learn could cost a patient their life. There are a lot of people who don't have time for a social life in college and it doesn't fault them in any way.

proud nurse, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2015

I think it depends on where you are in life as a student. It would've been very different as a single person with no kids vs. married with 2.

Libby1987 · Feb 15, 2015

I had a lot of fun in nursing school (traditional BSN) and much of it was with my nursing classmates. But I went to school before having kids or needing to pay rent. They were my college years. I lived at home and worked for spending money.Graduated at 22. Not remotely close to a working parent.

I don't know how you can ask that question without giving specifics re your situation.

4boysmama · Feb 15, 2015

I worked full time, I had a home to maintain, a baby to care for, a husband to tend to, and oh, I graduated top of my class.

All of this IS a life!

OP, what do you mean by "a life"? if you mean being able to do family/marriage/ork; then yes. it's possible. If you mean being able to do whatever you darned well please, whenever you feel like it...then, no, probably not.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Feb 15, 2015

Well I wasn't exaggerating, lying, or have poor time management skills (how else did I work at a hospital day shift with 10 patients and no aide and still get the job done?). I worked full time, I had a home to maintain, a baby to care for, a husband to tend to, and oh, I graduated top of my class....I guess if I just wanted to get the grades to pass and take the boards then maybe I could of had a life, but I didn't want to do that because in the end what I neglected to learn could cost a patient their life. There are a lot of people who don't have time for a social life in college and it doesn't fault them in any way.

Well working full-time, taking care of baby, being in a marriage and maintaining a home is all life outside of nursing school. Clearly nursing school wasn't the only thing you did with your life if you had time for all of the above.