Social Life while in School?

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I am helping with Nursing I orientation for RN this coming Friday and am in need of some creative ideas for social life/family during nursing school.

Trying to stay on a positive note.

Any ideas?

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Specializes in ICU, ED.

Alcohol

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Specializes in Hospice, Palliative Care.

Good day, sdasongbird:

Follow https://allnurses.com/pre-nursing-student/how-get-any-846733.html - get your syllabi as early as you can get it before the semester starts, map out your readings, paper assignments, study time, quiz/exam dates, etc. Chart out as much as you can do so in advance on your calendar; it doesn't hurt to be anal about it in terms of time to leave for x, time to leave from x, etc. so that you have a good of an idea as possible for any free time (which may or may not exist). Then based on any free time that exists, you can work out with family and friends as to what would work best. Maybe it is playing a game of Apples to Apples or other board games, maybe bowling, family/friend walking, movie night, etc.

Thank you.

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Friday night me and one of my school friends planned on having pizza and studying...We ended up drinking a little too much wine and played Wii ALL night. Sure we weren't very productive but we had so much fun. The best advice people gave to me before starting school was keep doing the things you love. If you're a runner, make sure you still get out there after class and burn off some steam. Shopping, dancing, swimming, etc, whatever it does that makes you happy DO IT. I got so into the mentality that I couldn't have a life first semester that if I wasn't in class or sleeping I was studying..and yeah I got great grades but I was miserable. I make sure to have fun every day, my boyfriend and I make dinner together and then go for a long walk before bed every night, I've started to go out with my friends more, etc. I study way less than I used to but I LOVE school and have a much better quality of life. First semester I had a 3.95 and this semester I finished with a 3.94. Do the things you love to do lol.

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I have yet to go through nursing school but I have been through a fairly rigorous graduate school program as well as held jobs that required 60+ hours per week of work. This is the strategy I plan to take with me through nursing school.

I usually see lots of discussions regarding planning school work. I suggest getting organized with your family/social life. For example, Sunday for me is worship and family day. I plan nothing on Sundays. One night per week will be a date night with my wife. Even though my kids are older now they still need "daddy time" so I will build those times into my schedule.

I tend to use recreational activities as a means to maintain my physical health. I used to train like an athlete but those days are long gone for me.

We all need down time. I get that. But I do think the temptation is to have much more "down time" than we really need. If you are exercising, eating right, and staying on top of school work then I think your stress will be lower. Lower stress also comes from staying on top of family life. Lower stress means not as much need of "down time".

There is the benefit of social media these days. Sending messages to friends can keep the relationships going while you are busy. In the past I have always made lists of friends I want to personally connect with during my down time. Usually it was those friends who are most important to me.

I guess in summary....plan both your study time and your social time. That has worked for me in the past.

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Your social life will be with your nursing students. I didn't believe the other threads on this topic when I was not a nursing student, but once I started school, I saw the reality. Yeah, you could go to that birthday party on Saturday, but the nagging feeling that you probably should be studying will eat at you. Should I watch that final episode of Walking Dead, it's just an hour...or could this be wisely used to do some NCLEX? It's these dilemmas that will gnaw at you cause then you beat yourself up when you don't do so well. My advice? Hunker down, pray for daylight, and once the semester is over AND you've made it through (cause the reality is, not everyone's gonna make it...), then you party like it's 1999.

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Specializes in hospice.

.... is an oxymoron.

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I heard the same thing too. I'm assuming that NS will keep you busy. maybe you could see your friends for a little bit once in awhile?

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