Mean/Competitive nursing school classmates

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I am a RN who just graduated nursing school in May. I went to a very competitive nursing program and could never understand why some of the students were so mean and conniving. Looking back , I did make some good friends, but most of the students pretended to be your friend in hopes of getting study material, but not many true loyal friendships were made. Is this normal?

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

unfortunately- yes.

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Wow, this hasn't been my experience so far. I will be going into my 2nd semester this fall for lpn and my program is very competitive. I find most people to be nice and helpful. I have a few really close friends. I've only met a few people with really horrible attitudes and I steer clear of them.

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Wow... I am so sorry your experience was like that. I found just the opposite in my program. I have met people and we are the best of friends, they are like my second family. Even people that aren't in my specific class are willing to help. "We are all in this together" is said a lot! There are some that are cut throat yes, but the majority aren't.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.
I am a RN who just graduated nursing school in May. I went to a very competitive nursing program and could never understand why some of the students were so mean and conniving. Looking back , I did make some good friends, but most of the students pretended to be your friend in hopes of getting study material, but not many true loyal friendships were made. Is this normal?

LOL, that's LIFE! You'll see it in the real world now that you're out of school too. Unfortunate, but true.

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I hope that is not the case for nursing school! I think it depends on who you surround yourself with if life ends up that way! That is by no means my life now. From the sounds of it, at the nursing school I am hoping to get into, people seem to help each other out. It isn't as competitive as some of the other schools around me. I guess, now that I am 36, I have learned who to be around and who to avoid. Unfortunately, It was kind of like that at a preschool I worked at and then I left after competing 1 year, because I don't want to be around people like that. However, at other jobs I have had, it was the complete opposite and people generally are kind and want to be helpful.

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Specializes in Med/surg, Onc.

I haven't had that at all. We're competitive but I've made some of the best friends I could ever hope for. It's a small group of just 4 of us that have stuck together from the beginning. I'm sure from the outside people think we're difficult because we don't open our group up to others, but that's because we got burned early on by people. So it's us and we like the way we study.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

you may never see them again so do not worry. If they are as shallow as you say, you will probably be their boss some day and then have the unfortunate task of trying to manage those manipulative people. Remember, this is YOUR career. What they do is not your concern. Be the best you can be. Stay proud.

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I am in an extremely competitive program in NJ. The reason I thought most people were so competitive was because some of our most imp. classes were graded on a curve relative to how the rest of the class did. Just do the best you can do... or your neighbor.

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Yes that's how it was in my class. Maybe a good half. The rest of our bunch were great. Very unfortunate, because it put a terrible taste in my mouth. They were nosy about grades, and unhelpful during clinicals. And it's silly,

Because when you are out, grades don't matter and your attitude is what gets your hired. And all that think for your self crap, gets you in hot water with your coworkers. Unhelpful people get tagged very fast in our unit.

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Where is it written that all your classmates have to share roses and unicorns with you? I can promise you that you should have no such expectation anywhere in life. You will make some friends, a lot of the people you meet and work with will be colleagues but not friends, some people you will loathe but learn to deal with, and some people you will never see again. Welcome to being a grown-up.

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Where is it written that all your classmates have to share roses and unicorns with you? I can promise you that you should have no such expectation anywhere in life. You will make some friends a lot of the people you meet and work with will be colleagues but not friends, some people you will loathe but learn to deal with, and some people you will never see again. Welcome to being a grown-up.[/quote']

Verily.

I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks this way. I don't wake up in the morning hoping to make new friends everywhere I go. I'm friendly enough, but I keep to myself if I can. I do get the backlash from people who think I'm some kind of antisocial jerk, but such is life. I find it's easier for me to make good grades and focus on my schooling this way anyway. I have made two friends in nursing school (prereqs, actually) and we three are not members of the class Facebook page, the monthly student's night-out, or any study group. That gives us an "unfriendly B" label but I'm fine with that. To each their own, including those of us who don't make everyone in our class our new BFFs.

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