Making Friends in Nursing School

Nursing Students General Students

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Are any of you making good friends in nursing school? Most of my class is either way older than me with family's and kids or way younger, so that I don't have much in common with them. There are only a few around my age group that I seem to have some things in common with but they aren't in my clinical group, so I don't really see them that much. I was hoping to make some good friends in NS but it's not working out the way I thought it would. Anybody experience this? If you made good friends while in NS, do you still keep in touch with them? Did you find that you made good friends after graduation on the job? This really sucks and it's only the end of my first semester. I hope it gets better.

Specializes in ER/Ortho.

I just finished the first semester of my program, and I have made so many wonderful friends. We have done karoke nights, and study groups, and been through great times, and not so great times. It's amazing how close you can get in situations like these. I am kind of sad right now because one of my closest friends will not be coming back next semester. She made a 69 in lecture, and they dismissed her from the program. I will miss her a lot.

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I am 15 years older than most people in my class. I have made a couple of real close buddies, one my age and one a lot younger. And, I like to hang out and talk to many of the others...I like to share books, websites, cookies and motrin(lol) with others/ I want them all to succeed. I guess that we just can all relate to each other- since we have this one big thing in common. No one on the outside really knows what we are going though. I am fairly shy and introverted; but we just are all naturally getting closer through proximity if nothing else. I feel good being part of a cohesive group of students that are all working toward the same goal. Sure, we do have a bit of drama, a bit of gossip here and there, that is human nature. Won't it be that way in the hospital too? I agree with an earlier post where someone put "you can never have enough friends". Getting your degree is your first priority. But making a new friend or two is a great bonus in my opinion; be helpful and kind and it will come back to you.

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Specializes in ED.

Ive have a 2 very good friends that I met in Nursing school. We are from different walks of life but it is definitely an enjoyable journey.

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we started getting closer the 2nd year and with clinicals. we are all so close now, the whole class really. We all go out as this huge group to bars, or lunch. We have many "groups" but everyone comes together and we are a unified group.

I also felt like yoou in the beginning, but I think the more time you spend together the closer you become. Compaining to eachother or helping eachother out really works too if all else fails hehe

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That is so unfortunate that your friend made a 69. It scares me because I know how competitive the program is and I can't imagine not passing. Is lecture that difficult? How areyou doing overall in your classes? I feel so badly for your friend.

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I agree with the others; give it time. On a side note, I'm 47 years old and I've become friends with many others ranging from my age to one who's become the most wonderful friend and she's 25. Only a couple of years older than my child. So, what I'm trying to say I guess is that people are people no matter what the age.

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Specializes in CTICU.

One of my very best friends is from nursing school - it's been 12 years since we graduated now. We don't see each other a lot, but I could call her anytime, and we have a great time when we do see each other. I had a lot of "friends" in school, but we lost touch after finishing and moving in different directions.

Now that I'm in grad school, I have people that we swap lecture notes between us, or study together, or work on group projects together. Most of us are working, or have other family commitments though, so we don't hang out beyond the classroom.

Start by just saying hello to the people in your classes... sit next to different people and chat to them.

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I've always been an introvert. After getting my acceptance letter in the mail, I vowed then to really begin reaching out to people; actually initiating friendship, instead of just being open to it. I'll be seeing this same group of people for the next two years, and working closely with them, so it only makes sense to try to become comfortable in their presence. This is a wonderful forum. Thank you all so much for your input. :D

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There are no friends in nursing school,be very careful,your closest friend can turn into your worst enemy in crisis time.

Why would you even want to do that?

You just met these people,let it stay that way.

Hang out with your friends outside school.

Trust me,done that and learned my lesson.

This can happen in any setting...get a group of people, and you have all types.

The sad thing is, people who have been hurt often don't trust others, then perpetuate the pain by hurting others (not being friendly or nice) before they get hurt. Happiness is truly determined by our state of mind (sadly too often determined by others, not by our own choice), and the people who are able to make friends easily tend to bring out the best in others because they are happy about themselves and the world around them.

Try to develop yourself as a person, count the blessings of your current friends/family for support, forgive those people who have hurt you (don't let them keep you from the beautiful people out there), and remember that to be a real friend you're going to have to be able to overlook the little nuisances-we all have bad days and aren't always at our best.

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Hello Anewday, I know exactly how you feel. When I started nsg felt the same way but with time it chnages. There are a few things to remember:

1. First nsg class people are trying to know each other and if they did not know you before you can feel like an outsider.

2. It is all new so people may not be sure about how they feel about themself or others

3. Things start changing around sophomore year.

4. Be open to new friends

5. Try to meet someone you would never talk to (sounds crazy but you can learn so much)

6. Do not try too hard

I had it hard because people were married, had kids, and I am from a different country so I felt no connection with anyone and I would often say, "I have nothing in common with them". I would leave school right after class because I felt left out.

GOOD NEWS...it changes once you get into different clinical areas and you may have some of the the same students in your clinical rotations so a bond starts to form. I am a senior now and when I started hated my class. Now? I cannot see myself without my classmates or the trade the deep friendships I have made. The friendships are so strong that tomorrow I am having some of my classmates over for dinner.

It will be better I promise :) It is so good that most of us are trying to get jobs in the same hospitals. Good luck

Bumping to say that your advice was so true. Going into the third semester things have definitely changed. Many of us that really didn't connect before have begun to make connections. New friendships and aquaintances are forming every day. Time has definitely been the key. :heartbeat

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