No Social Life

[ST_NURSE_MLD]

Have any of you lost connection with any of your friends?

When I started Level 1 Nursing classes I didn't have much time for my family much less friends. I fear that through the course of my education I will lose a close friend. Honestly, my husband and I both have lost a close couple/set of friends.

Here I sit typing away waiting for classes to start on August 25th. Considering finances and daily chores, I am bound to this house while my husband works 16 or 18 hours per day. Right now, I couldn't afford to go out to lunch with a friend even if invited.

Any suggestions?

[leslieRN2B]

Its funny how things change when you start to nursing school. None of the friends I had prior to nursing school would care to hear me talk about what is going on at school or happend at clinicals. Not that I have completely dumped my old friends, but I find it better for me to focus more on my group of friends from nursing school. They know what I am going through and can encourage me like no one else can. Nursing school is definately one of those things that you just have to be there to understand it. My before NS friends do encourge me, but how can they possibly understand how freaked out I would get before check offs in Clincal Skills? Or how difficult that last Med/Surg test was? Maybe it is just me, but I get so focused on things and it is all I want to talk about and they frankly don't want to hear about it.

[Mariannsi]

It's funny, but most of my friends now are nurses who I went to school with back in 1999. I didn't have a life then and surely won't have one now. But I will make time for my family. I've learned that prioritizing and effective time management are precious. Truth - my textbooks will be my best friends!

[TeresaRN2b]

Ok, I lost my social life 3 kids ago. Believe it or not I am looking forward to school to get a social life. I mean to at least have an adult conversation once a day.

Teresa

[ST_NURSE_MLD]

Is it unrealistic to "think" that after nursing school when I'm back at work that things will get back to normal. For example, at one time I was working 40 hours per week, going to classes at night, had one Tennis lesson per week, spearfishing and spending the weekends w/family and friends. Will I be able to have my previous lifestyle back?

[essarge]

Social life????? Hmmmm....seem to remember that somewhere in the distant past! LOL! I've basically become a "hermit" since starting school. Too broke to go out (except on Wednesday nights for 20 cent wings and dollar drafts when I'm not working full time). Do manage to get to mass every now and again (God will forgive me for studying/working).

My "social life" consists of meeting my co-workers in the smoking area (yes, I have that habit and am NOT willing to give that up) during work hours and talking about the social life that no one seems to have.

Hopefully when I graduate, I can figure out some type of life that I can enjoy other than work!!! LOL!

[palesarah]

the sad truth of nursing school for me was, I had to sacrifice my friendships to get through. There was not enough time in the day, week, month, etc to keep up with my old bunch of friends. I went to nursing school (ADN program) 6 months out of university (BA in Studio Art... how useful ). While I was a university art student, I had all the time in the world for friendships. For that brief period of time when I was not in school, I had more time. Then I started school again, and slowly, over the 3 years it took me to complete the ADN prgram while working 30 hours a week, people dropped off the map. The biggest blow was the loss of the girl I considered to be like a sister- she was my maid of honor in my wedding (my first year of nursing classes) but the summer before the last year- she moved, called and left me a message but didn't leave her new number (she was flaky), then I moved a few weeks later... I tried a couple times to get back in touch, sent a Christmas card to her parents' house etc, and eventually assumed she had moved out of state. After graduation I re-established ties with another close university friend and found out the other girl was still in the area. That was painful, but it's a part of life.

Now that I'm out of school, things are slowly adjusting. It will never be like it used to be- I'm several years older, married, a homeowner. I don't want to go back to the party life I enjoyed years ago. I'm working off-shifts right now and have not settled into my schedule yet. But I make time to visit with a couple old friends, keep in touch with school friends, and am making new friends.

I'll say one thing for nursing school- it helped me break out of my shell. I USED to be so shy! LOL

[ST_NURSE_MLD]

palesarah,

Thanks for the insite. Sounds like you are finding your way!!