Social Butterfly or stay to self?????

Kuriin, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

I tend to love socializing with my friends, but, I've noticed my life has definitely gone down the tubes in nursing school. It's good to learn the material on your own and then study with other people to get different perspectives on it. Hell, even try and teach it! That's the one true way of really knowing that you understand material. :-)

christina731 · Oct 18, 2013

Hello This is my first semester taking real nursing classes and graduate 2015. I go to a medium size private school. I've noticed that people are "clicky." Just wondering how did you or how are you getting through school. Are you interacting and working with other students as needed or are you a social Butterfly? I am outgoing but I've found myself staying to myself/studying by myself because of people being 'catty" Look foward to your responses

I am in an ADN program at a large, public state college. There are over 100 people in my cohort alone. There are people who are "clicky" and I try to avoid them. I have people that I associate with and I will work with others in groups as needed. Although I have people who I would consider friends in school, I'm not there to socialize, I'm there to learn. I tend to study better by myself because if I study with groups I get irritated if the conversation strays away from learning.

confused06 · Oct 18, 2013

Well I was friendly with most but mainly was around people that I considered friends in the program which I turned to if I needed help or to split study guide or practice skills with....but I studied better by myself because of my learning style. I think it depends on your style of learning. Sometime I thought nursing school was kind of high school all over again..very clicky and immature...but yet again I was in ADN program at community college with ppl in different age groups ...and since I was a second degree student who went to a university prior ppl tended to be whine a little too much at times.

chrisrn24 · Oct 18, 2013

By all means you can think people are catty but be sure to be friendly and polite. You don't have to be friends with these people but take the effort to learn names and such. Later on down the road you may need their help - and if you're known as Aloof Alice no one may be willing to help.

SquishyRN, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

By all means you can think people are catty but be sure to be friendly and polite. You don't have to be friends with these people but take the effort to learn names and such. Later on down the road you may need their help - and if you're known as Aloof Alice no one may be willing to help.

Yup. This is part of networking. You will all be in the same profession and (for the most part) in the same area, so it's important to have amicable relationships with people.

rubato, ASN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

We have our cliches also. I am polite to those people, but don't reach out to befriend them. I am very social with everyone else. We go out after tests, meet up outside of school hours to work on skills and just generally like each other. But, when it comes to studying, I am a loner.

krisiepoo · Oct 18, 2013

I think you can find a small group of people who aren't cliquey and catty... My group is horrible like that but I've managed to become friends with a few people and value that alot. I think you'll find people you like when you break into clinical groups.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2013

Cliques (the word many folks are struggling to find :) ) are part of the human experience, but it doesn't mean you are missing any big boat if you don't find yourself in one. I agree c krispiepoo about clinicals.

The other thing to consider is whether you have always been part of close groups and you miss your old ones, or whether you're really OK with being on your own some/more/a lot. Part of going to college is learning about yourself, too. See what works and doesn't; you have plenty of time.

The year is young.

See if this rings any bells.

Dranger · Oct 18, 2013

Nursing school by definition is catty and cliquy. Lots of type A people in one cohort....wooooweee look out. Luckily as a male I avoided a lot of the BS.

Be friendly but carefully choose your partners and friends.

caughtbuckinoff · Oct 18, 2013

Do what makes you happy. If you like to socialize, do it. If you prefer not to, then keep to yourself. There really are no loners in our class, everyone has a group or people that you'll see them studying with. We have about 28 students and while there are some people that grow closer together than others, but there is no one that would make you feel left out if you tried to engage them. There are usually certain people that study together but before a big test, you'll find four or so little "cliques" sharing a group study room and we all welcome one another with no questions asked.

Open minds and open hearts make the happiest people. Go into every journey with a good attitude and you'll find your way. :)

meeks123 · Oct 18, 2013

Remember that this is school and you are there to pass. Study however you've studied in the past because it brought you this far. I always studied alone and I continued to study alone throughout Nursing school, there's nothing wrong with that. As to socializing, do whatever makes you comfortable, you'll be fine :)