Have anxiety issues over making friends

Nursing Students General Students

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I have one week until classes start for me. I know that many new nursing students start to feel anxious around this time. I am not so worried about the work, clinicals or anything like that. I'm actually excited about diving my nose into the books again. I thrive when I'm super busy in academia and I love it. (Most of the time. :lol2:)

The one thing I am having anxious thoughts and a sick feeling to my stomach about is making friends. I am going into this program with no established friends or study groups. I do recognize a few faces here and there because many of my fellow new nursing students were in the pre-req classes with me.

Don't misunderstand me. I do have friends! Many of them are back in my hometown. I have been living in the current city I live now for 4 years and only have 2-3 established friendships. I did have more but I ended those due to drama and I do not want drama in my life.

I tend to be very quiet and reserved around others, especially women. This is because I am a geek through and through. I love sci fi stuff, gory b-rated horror movies, anything that involves dragons and swords, computer related stuff (I build my own). I'm 24 and still watch some Anime. My main hobby is gaming (board and video). I like anything relating to zombies. My fiance is just like me. We spend our weekends together playing either a video game or an MMO video game (like world of warcraft). I also tend to have a weird way of looking at things and I am known to be loud when you know me well. (I never do it in a professional setting though!) I am not ashamed to like or do these things. However, I have tried to make friends in the past only to have us part ways eventually because of the lack of interest in each other's hobbies. (I can only stand talk about shoes or manicures for so long! :uhoh3:)

I have yet to meet anyone in my nursing school who I feel like I can bond with. I know that your friends don't necessarily need to like the same things as you. However, I feel that a lot of my interests are instant turn-offs in the friends department. Incidentally, I have MANY friends online in the games that I play. :clown:

In nursing school, the topics of almost everybody's conversations will be related to classes. However, I do know that sometimes you just want to take a break and chit chat about other things. I do REALLY well in a good study group. I like being able to shoot ideas off other people.

I'm just worried that even if I do get into a good study group then that is maybe all it will ever be. Maybe I want to get invited out for drinks after a test every once in a while ya know? :D I want to be able to look forward to seeing certain people in class. Someone that I can shoot the s**t with, know what I mean?

You're 24, an adult and in college. It's not like high school where you "need" friends to fit in and have a group to hang out with in between classes. I personally could care less if I make friends....yes I have made a few but not to where we talk on the phone or hang out outside of school. I'm there for ME and only ME! Friends, just as in high school is a distraction IMO. Get a puppy! Actually, a cat, they're easier for a nursing student to take care of. ;)

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Don't worry....nursing school is intense and you will bond with a lot of people! It's a case of everyone being there for a common goal and helping each other make it! Just remember, they are as nervous as you are about getting through it and working together is a real fact! :redbeathe

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Well, Krazykchan, you sound like a perfect person to build a stable long-term set of relationships in a virtual world such as Second Life, especially if you like WoW.

:)

I have a stable set and they're definitely not from Second Life. I'm not big into that either. Why waste time talking to people in a virtual world if you can't destroy enemies and level up at the same time? :D

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You're 24, an adult and in college. It's not like high school where you "need" friends to fit in and have a group to hang out with in between classes. I personally could care less if I make friends....yes I have made a few but not to where we talk on the phone or hang out outside of school. I'm there for ME and only ME! Friends, just as in high school is a distraction IMO. Get a puppy! Actually, a cat, they're easier for a nursing student to take care of. ;)

I have 2 cats.

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Specializes in Women's Services.

I always made strong bonds with the people in my clinical groups. Our clinicals were from 7:00 a.m. til 3:45 p.m. We preplanned together and helped each other out during the day. Try to be there for fellow classmates when they need help and hopefully they will be there for you when you need help. Good luck with school. It's hard but I loved it.

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I'm quiet too (but once you know me... BACK UP!!!)

Anyhoo, I noticed something interesting.

Students may not really start to talk to each other... until they are together in clinical.

Clinicals can be scary and you're all in it together!

It can create a bond.

If you aren't really talking, at first, wait for clinicals to begin.

Good luck!

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I think you may be surprised at the diversity of your nursing school and your study groups, if you give it all a chance. We had a huge range of ages of students (young 20s to 60s) in my class, and tons of variety of background experience. So many fascinating people. I don't think anyone ever talked about a manicure in our study group! :) Not sure how I ended up with the wonderful people I did, except that we sat near each other in our classes. By the end of our time together, we'd formed a really solid, smart, funny group of 6 people who met a lot to study. It started with just two of us quizzing each other in a student lounge area before a test, and before long, people were asking to join in. You'll find one smart, like minded person to study with, and it'll grow from there. It won't matter if they're sci-fi fans (like me). And we all went out to celebrate together after tests, or to lunch together. Our whole class was pretty tight by the end. Best wishes!

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I wouldn't play wow when i start NS, that game required you to keep on playing to be competitive. I think it would be awesome to have someone in my study group who plays wow so we have something to talk about :yeah:

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I wouldn't play wow when i start NS, that game required you to keep on playing to be competitive. I think it would be awesome to have someone in my study group who plays wow so we have something to talk about :yeah:

I stated in a previous comment that I haven't played that game in years. It's just one that everyone knows so I used that as an example. I'm mingling in FF14 at the moment. :yeah:

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nice, i love FF, FF8 is the best ever :bow:

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