Have you lost your friends/family because of school?

[bagface]

I knew this would be hard before I started this journey years ago. I've been going to school part time for a few years, the past year included having A&P I AND A&P II. Through this process I have a three year old, I work full time, and I have a husband (who has been the BIGGEST help through all of this). I'm nearing the 30 year old mark, prior to going back to school I was very social with friends and my parents/sister.

Two years after starting school and my parents have stopped inviting me over to their house for family gatherings. They don't call and ask how I'm doing, they don't email, (I email them twice a week with pictures of their grandson), they don't invite me on day trips like they did. I'm an adult.. I know this shouldn't hurt my feelings.. but I can't say it doesn't sting. I confronted my mother about it not long ago and she was offended. She said "I just always assume you're busy with school. You don't have time for us anymore." Here I thought going to school while working full time and raising a three year old didn't need an explanation.. apparently it does! I tried to explain the same thing to my sister when she threw a hissy fit because I couldn't go over to her house and spend 6 hours with her and her in-laws while she had her 32nd birthday. This isn't like business school.. this is NURSING school, we will be handling peoples lives, we cant just memorize how the body works, we have to understand it (and all that goes wrong with it, and how to treat it).

Saying all of that, I notice now I've also lost some really close friends. Friends I've had in my life for close to 20 years. Going through school I've made some really great NEW friends, but I loved my old friends. They knew my past, they understood me, there was no invitation needed to come over and play video games or have a good meal. That was our life.

As I go through this process I have to wonder, will I ever get those friends or family back? Does it eventually get better? How do you explain this phenomenon that is nursing school to your inner circle?

[Peacelove889]

I recently had to make some changes with certain friends and cut out negative and unsupportive friends. They don't seem to understand how difficult Nursing is. My next semester, I finally start the Nursing after fighting so hard to get there. It's going to take me an extra 2 1/2 years but it's well worth it. :) I had to get rid of some of my friends because they would always get on me for me all the work I have to do plus I do Work Study too. I just wasn't having it anymore because it's not fair to me and this is my future. I have to do what's right for me not what they want. Some had to go and accept that I my course loads were going to be heavier and that my semesters will be busier and busier from here on out.

This is my passion and it means everything to me, if people don't want to support me and be like this to me then they can leave my life. I try the best that I can and that's all anyone can ask. The medical field is tough and a lot of my friends don't understand that. I have close friends who support me and have many friends on campus who support me too so it's not a loss to me. I'm sorry you're feeling like that. I know how you feel because it started happening early this semester and I try my best with them.