Nursing school is a rewarding and exciting experience, but it can also be demanding. Students will be required to take classes in challenging subjects such as pharmacology and pathophysiology, all before they ever get a stethoscope in hand. Long hours of studying are often balanced with a part-time job or family life, which means it can be difficult to find time to socialize outside the home.
As students advance through their coursework, they will participate in practicums and internships where they must demonstrate their mastery of healthcare knowledge and patient care. They will also have to prepare for licensing and exams like the NCLEX-RN. All of these responsibilities and challenges can make it difficult to slow down long enough to enjoy the experience and make a few friends. However, getting to know your schoolmates is worth it in the end.
If you are studying to become a registered nurse (RN), the intensity of your program may cause you to put extracurricular activities on the backburner, but making friends with your fellow nursing school students has many benefits. While you will have other people to study with, you can also count on them to understand and support you throughout your educational career. The following guide will help you to reach out to other students to build a rapport with them.
Arrive Early
It always helps to arrive early to class, especially when you first start nursing school. This gives you time to find a parking spot, walk to the building and get comfortable in your seat. Plus, once your classes start, your instructors will dive straight into coursework. Since it will be impossible to talk with classmates during a lecture, use the few minutes before class to introduce yourself to other students.
Tell everyone a little bit about yourself and then listen to a few others. Ask follow-up questions to show you are interested in them. You may find that you share common ground with someone who sits next to you. Arriving early also allows you to socialize once you do break the ice. You can discuss what you were studying the night before or make plans to do something after class.
Join a Study Group
Since coursework is so rigorous, most nursing programs will offer free study groups for their students. The school may also encourage peer study groups or study sessions for certain classes, such as biology or anatomy and physiology. Since it depends on the size of your school and the types of programs, it is helpful to ask your academic advisor.
Study groups are commonly held in the weekday afternoons or evenings, but you may be able to find some that are in the mornings or on weekends. Try a few groups to find the one that is best for you. Select programs will offer online study group options. When you choose virtual study groups, you will meet through an online meeting room or a video chat. Even if you are a good student, the more often you are learning with the same people, the more likely you are to develop a rapport and make friends.
Hold a Social Event
If you are an excellent organizer or planner, consider holding a social event of your own. It could be in-person or you could hold a virtual event. Invite members of your class, study group or even your entire nursing program. Hold the event on video chat, a public park or, if allowed, on the site of your college or university.
Ideas include exam “trivia” sessions, nursing-themed shopping meetups and group trips to museums or state parks. Create friendly competition among classmates and get to know each other while shopping for new scrubs on sale. Forget about some of the stressors of class while learning about new and exciting subjects. If you enjoy yourselves, consider swapping out planning duties. Meet once a month at the organizer’s site of choice and give yourself a chance to meet a group of lifelong friends.
Be Patient
In the first few weeks of school, students may still be getting used to new subjects and routines. Give your fellow classmates some time to settle into their schedules before they begin to socialize and make friends. A meaningful relationship may be made during a lab, a study session or an internship. You may even find a friend who is in another year of nursing school or who is in a different set of classes.
Another way to make friends includes finding professional nursing associations in your area. Search online for accredited groups or ask your nursing school about the organizations they recommend. You could also consider forming a private study group of your own. This group may be virtual or in-person and could be made up of students from different universities or colleges.
Make Lasting Friendships in Nursing School
If you are interested in making friends with your fellow nursing students, there are many ways you can go about building a relationship. Try some of the ways above or use them as inspiration to come up with your own idea. Everyone has their own style of socializing and relating to others, so you will eventually find a person or a group that truly clicks with your personality.
As you focus on your classes and the excitement of being a future nurse, you may even develop a natural friendship. It does not necessarily have to be from your chemistry or statistics classes. Some lifelong nursing school friends report that they first met by seeing each other in the hallway every day, by parking in the same lot before class or working in the same part-time job while going to the same college. No matter how you find your comrades, the memories you make will be a part of your nursing story.
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