Social life of a nursing major?

Bobmo88 · May 25, 2012

I haven't started nursing school yet but I would say that you should get used to saying no to your friends. I didn't have my priorities straight while I was taking pre-requisites and hung out with friends more than I studied so my grades were mediocre. This mediocre pre-req GPA was something that delayed me from getting into nursing school sooner. Focus on doing well in your pre-reqs so you have the best shot of getting into nursing school the first time around. There are always times like winter break or summer (if you don't plan on taking classes) to catch up with friends and hang out. I'm sure people in nursing school will say that you should spend all of your free time studying, some programs (like the one I start in the Fall) will even have summer sessions so your friends will have to understand that you will be absent a lot. I'm telling all of my friends that we need to hang out this summer before my life ends for 3 years haha. It will be worth it to be disciplined while you're in school. You will have plenty of time to party, hang out with friends, and go to concerts/sporting events once your done with school and have started your career.

Stephalump · May 25, 2012

"Great" social life is probably pushing it. If you have nothing to do but go to school, you can definitely use some time management tricks to make time to go out and have fun, but I wouldn't recommend pledging to any sororities, if you know what I mean. Nursing isn't a "normal" major where you put in a couple hours a day until finals time and cram it all in. Lives are on the line..mucho preparation required.

ItalianBellaGirl · May 25, 2012

Hey there! Okay, I will say that I am a Second Semester Nursing Student in Daytona Beach and I will tell you that my first semester in the fall of last year, i focused on keeping friends and having a social life as well as studying. but due to that, and a crappy professor, i wasn't able to pass one of the classes and ending up retaking the class over spring term. I put everything I had into it the second time around and was able to make an A! So yes, while I may have not been as social, I was determined to make my grades and that 78 average.

Now that doesn't mean I spend every moment of my life in books and studying; I also have a boyfriend and a family and a few friends I was able to hang out with, just not all the time...

hope this is helpful!!

Shorty11, BSN, RN · May 25, 2012

First question... Are you or will you be working while in school? I am going to start my second semester of nursing classes in the fall (finished prereqs fall 2011). As one poster put it, "great" is probably pushing it. I am fortune to not have to work while I am in nursing school and this allows me more time more social time/activities than someone who is working and going to school. I have no kids and I'm not married, but i have a boyfriend of 2 1/2 years. I am able to go to sporting events, hang out with my friends, etc., I wouldn't say weekly, but several times a month I am able to free up some time to hangout. My friends and boyfriend are very understanding of the time I need to put into school. During prereqs I had more time than I do now for friends, it gets even more time consuming once actual nursing classes and clinicals start, but it's a sacrifice you have to be willing to make to make good grades (and to become a nurse!) Nursing isn't the kind of major in which you will be able to be "miss popularity", but I don't think you have to totally sacrifice all social activities. I love nursing school, the sacrifice to me is well worth is.. And it gets so much better once you are done with prereqs and get to the "good stuff.".. That's when all the time I had to tell my friends "I'm sorry I can't go tonight." became worth it. I finished my first semester of nursing classes with 4 A's. (intro to nursing, health assess, health assess clinical, and Pathophysiology)

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · May 25, 2012

I have 3 children and their activities take up a lot of my time outside of school. I work part time graveyards, also. I do manage to have a small social life, but don't really get to do much while school is in session. I live it up on the breaks between fall and spring. I also am blessed to be able to study at work and I study at my kids games and practices. So...a well rounded social life may not be possible. But you can maintain relationships with flexible and understanding people.

FitMommyRN · May 26, 2012

I still manage to have a social life. Maybe I'm the exception. I usually found that I had one full day of fun and frivolity a week last semester (first semester of nursing courses) and I got an A. However, I also found fundamentals to be relatively easy so perhaps that had something to do with it. We're only a few weeks into med-surg this summer but I've definitely spent some fun free time and got an A on our first exam (the one that "everybody usually fails"). I was poolside at the bbq, but I had my flash cards lol.

I have a kid. We have a small group of friends with whom we're always doing stuff. I've had to turn down parties and shows, of course, but I haven't had to sequester myself like I had anticipated. This summer we planned to go to 6 shows and after the exam and clinical calendar was posted, I've had to narrow it down to two for me. The husband will be going to all of them.

In my opinion, you have to have balance. If you're constantly stressed, studying, and flipping out with no outlet, you're gonna snap. If you plan, organize, and follow your weekly study schedule, you can still have a social life. Don't think of studying as huge blocks of hours of time -- study 30 minutes here, 50 minutes there, an hour in the morning before you go to lecture, during down time in clinical, review the powerpoints every single night before bed (even if you've just stumbled in from the bar), record the lectures (I listen to them constantly in the car, while cleaning/doing laundry, at the gym; I reward myself with music for the full day after each exam before the new lecture is recorded the next day). By doing all of this, all along, I'm able to have guilt-free social time. Don't get me wrong, the three or so days leading up to an exam are full on review/study marathon. I'm just talking about your normal, non exam containing week.

Look into supplemental texts. I don't read the textbooks. I tried. My heart almost stopped several times from how boring and over detailed they were. I bought a supplemental fundamentals study guide that narrowed 50 page chapters down into 20 page NEED TO KNOW chapters. I also got a med-surg one for this summer that is worth it's weight in gold.

Study smart and you'll have plenty of time for fun. Just do not, DO NOT EVER, let yourself get behind. That's when the true nursing school quarantine hits, with full on panic mode and weeping in the fetal position for hours on end. And NO social life.

♑ Capricorn ♑ · May 26, 2012

I'm not depending on much of a social life. I don't think it will be totally non-existent though. I am anticipating of what is to come since I do start RN school this Fall. I have a feeling "social life" will more likely mean to me a "head on the pillow sleeping". Ha!