Ice-breaker advice?

[Apollo85]

Ok all, I need help! OK mb not need it but I could certainly use it!

I'm about to start NS in a few weeks and I am crazy excited. Not that I've been working towards it for a while but because it's my second career/degree after my first career choice didn't pan out. It's a new beginning that I am extremely grateful to have. One of the reasons is that I'll get to meet and make new friends (hopefully) that will last beyond NS. It's important to me b/c after I graduated from my first school I stopped hearing from my classmates. The other is b/c I've been unemployed for almost 2 yrs. and that nursing isn't/wasn't as badly effected by the economy. Nursing certainly looks like a brighter future and I hope it holds true. But I need help. I'm a guy and gender-wise, my last school was say.....90% guys and 10% girls. I want to know for my first week how to make a good impression and befriend classmates who are mostly girls. I'm kinda shy in group setting and I automatically feign disinterest when I get nervous or get put in a situation where I don't know anyone but everyone else knows someone.

What do you like to talk about, what should I say to get them interested in talking to me, how do I approach a group, etc. Often by the first week people start talking to each other very casually while I take a while to warm up. I just wanted to know what tips people have so that when it's crunch time, I have a few people I can set up a study group with or call to answer questions.

I'd also like to hear stories about first day of NS involving your friends (your first impressions, if you ended up being friends after NS, how you came to be friends, etc. All the good stuff):typing

[JBGC4]

Well, you all have something in common and that in Nursing School. Start there as an ice breaker. Then, go from there!!

[9livesRN, BSN, RN]

be yourself, just be your self

join a study group

be there, be active

and enjoy!!!

[JohnnyTICU]

Get in with a group of people, start a weekly study group, it will pass you through!

[shannahan]

You can start by striking up a conversation with whoever you are sitting next two. That will warm you up. A couple of ice breakers: What did you do before nursing school? What made you decide to go into nursing? Do you know what area of nursing you want to go into?

Once you start getting assignments then it's easy - you can talk about the work/quizzes, etc.

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

Your post reminded me of a good friend of mine at school who is a guy. lol He had lots of acquaintances though I am always shocked how he knows everyone, but he is a very relaxed mellow guy that doesn't really put himself out there on a deeper level unless questioned if that makes sense.

Although we had never talked much before we knew each other from a class we had the previous semester and we both liked to sit in the front so we sat next to each other. Anyway, he was always nice to me and I would talk to him and got him to come out of his shell, we meet up to study and it seemed to work out well, I didn't know anyone in the class really and as I made friends with others in class I sort of brought him in as well. Now we have like 4-5 of us that really like each other and get along really well and their seems to be no qualms between any of us. It's funny because I sort of befriended everyone individually and then brought us together in our circle LOL.

They are an awesome group of people that I couldn't imagine not having around in school and we all are doing pretty good but have sort of agreed we won't let each other not pass.

Anyway, be yourself and let it happen, I would suggest not being to self absorbed. Their are 3 guys in my glass, I like 2 of them and would consider one of them a friend, the one I talked about before, one guy though is a total douche and isn't liked by many. He just has this vibe like he is smarter then everyone and like everything is totally uninteresting. He goes very back and forth though, I about died the day he was actually talking to me lol I was like WHO IS THIS PERSON. Of course it didn't last long. Anyway, it's really hard to describe but their is just something about him.

Be yourself, open yourself up to meet people, don't get involved in any pettiness but if someone wants to vent to you let them. Make sure those you get close to you can trust and it might just take meshing well with one person and then them bringing people together lol

Best of luck to you!

[thinwildmercury]

sit next to people who you think you can be friends with. show up a little early and just turn to the person next you, smile and say "hello" and go from there. not everyone will be receptive but just a simple introduction can make you feel so much more comfortable in class. good luck