New nurse with a quarter-life crisis.

[lauralbell]

I am a May 2012 grad, living the dream. I have a job in a medical ICU. I am working nights and loving it. I have a loving fiancee, buying a house, and I am generally a happy healthy person.

However, on my nights off...I am just incredibly bored and feeling unfulfilled. My fiancee also works nights, but on opposite days, so I am always home alone. I think I got so used to the studying that I had to do all through school that I just don't know what to do with myself.

Has anyone else experienced this?? Any advice or suggestions for new hobbies to fill my time??

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Start taking more classes online to complete your MSN, to certify in something you want to, to do something you always wanted to do. Start designing jewelry or something that you can sell on ebay!! LOL!!

It is tough when you live your life on the night shift all the time. Nights are long when you are the only one up.

If you are doing 12 hour shifts, maybe it would be best to do five 8 hour shifts. That way, you have only 2 nights to be up and alone.

[Soliloquy, MSN, APRN, NP]

Have you thought about volunteer activities other than nursing related activities? I'm interested in being a Childcare volunteer but because I'm in nursing school 5-6 days a week, i dn't ave the time. You can also use that time to read or do some minor traveling. I'm basically telling you all the things I can't wait to do upon graduating and getting a job but...those are some ideas.

Bike riding? Sight seeing? Join a few social groups? You can even volunteer your time as a nurse in a school or in a clinic or...rent a lot of movies and watch 'em. You can also get certified in different things so that you can advance yourself and be more knowledgeable. That'll be fun too...

[Lil guppy]

Join a gym that is open twenty four hours.

[runner25]

1) get a pet

2) start tracking your finances/make a budget

3) train for a running event

4) volunteer for something

5) read books, watch movies or TV shoes

6) travel

7) start a blog

8) do some activities in your city like exploring downtown

9) practice an instrument

10) cook some dishes

11) get certified in wilderness medicine

12) mentor someone in your old college

13) get to know your family more

14) buy a sewing machine and learn how to quilt

15) trace your genealogy

16) search all the festivals in your area - sometimes there are luminarias/lights during the November/December/January season

17) go to a farmers market or a food co-op

18) take up photography

19) visit museums or local attractions that tourists would do

20) find some local friends who may relate to being lonely

I would definitely encourage you to do something you liked to do when you were younger but did not have time to do in nursing school. For me, I think that will be reading more current books, exercising more, or doing something that doesn't actually involve people when I am not working. :)