Making Friends in Nursing School? It’s Easier Than You Think
If you are considering nursing or are already in nursing school, you know it will be quite the task. What’s even more daunting is the thought of being on your own with all these challenges.
Having friends in nursing school can make a big difference. But how do you make friends in your nursing program? No worries. In this article, you will learn tips to establish these relationships, the advantages of having friends in nursing school, and the challenges of finding new friends.
How to Form Friendships in Your Nursing Program
It’s not always easy to make friends in an environment that can be competitive at times. You have to remember that your classmates probably have the same feelings as you. They don’t know either what to expect and how to approach other people. Why don’t you make the first move?
Introduce yourself in the first few days of school. This is a time in which you can get a feel for different people in your class. The beginning of the program is an excellent time to approach people and strike up conversations randomly.
Start with the people sitting next to you, in front of you or behind you.
You don’t have to start a conversation yet, but a simple introduction leaves a friendly impression on your peers and lays the basis for starting conversations later.
Come to class a few minutes early. There are always students that arrive to class early. This is a great time to start a conversation and to get to know your classmates better. You can ask questions about homework assignments or the upcoming lecture.
Try to ask open-ended questions, so your peers have to expand on their answers. With a closed-ended question, they can simply answer with “yes” or “no.”
Start your questions with “what,” “when,” “where,” or “how.” That way, the person has to elaborate on their answer.
Find more opportunities to talk to your classmates: expose yourself to many situations where you have to talk to other students. Interacting with peers is a skill; it comes more naturally to some, and others have to practice. Treat it like you were practicing any skill; you have to repeat it multiple times to master it.
The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become. There are plenty of opportunities in nursing school to talk to classmates and strike up conversations.
- In class during group projects
- In clinicals
- When joining a study group
- Waiting in line for skills check-off
- Before class starts
- After class
- During class breaks
As you can see, you have to learn to recognize these opportunities. Once you find them, you need to make it a habit to talk to people. It might feel awkward at first, but the more you do it, the easier it gets – just like any habit or skill.
Talk to one person at a time: set a realistic goal so that you can achieve that goal even if you are an introvert. Start with one person. That’s it—one person. Approach one student in your class and ask him or her a simple question.
Ask questions that relate to nursing school. Try to bring up a subject that is relatable for that person. For example, you could talk about assignments, upcoming tests, or your expectations for clinicals. Anything that is nursing school-related will work.
Doing this every day will make you get used to talking to other people and making you more comfortable. Soon you won’t be scared anymore to talk to any of your classmates.
Reach out for help and offer help: Ask for help if you are not sure about an assignment. Asking someone for help shows that you have confidence in that person solving your problem; that’s a compliment. Most students are glad to help and feel flattered that you asked them.
You can also offer your help to others if you have a good understanding of a specific topic. Students that struggle will be glad you take the time to make them understand the subject better.
Give everyone a chance. Even if someone does not look like you would typically befriend, at least talk to someone a couple of times before you make a final decision. Talk to peers that you usually wouldn’t talk to. Remember that everyone feels awkward and doesn’t quite know what to say. Don’t count too much on first impressions. It takes time to get to know people.
Give it time. It will take some time to form new friendships. With each semester, your classroom seating will change, your clinical group will change, students will leave the program, and others will join along the way. All these circumstances will change the group dynamic in your class and allow opportunities to bond with other peers.
Content shared from RNlessons website
Bend, Oregon, Our New Home!
In a recent article with the Bend Bulletin, our School President Joanna Russell shared how we are enrolling for February 24, 2025 at our newest…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
RN to BSN – Career Upgrade!
Here at Sumner College we offer a program for current Registered Nurses, to further their education in a flexible schooling style and get a Bachelors…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | August 2024
Congratulations Hanna, for being the August 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner College! Hanna was inspired to pursue a career as a Practical Nursing…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Sumner College Student of the Month | September 2024
Congratulations Kristina, for being the September 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Kristina completed the LPN program from Sumner College and recently returned to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Niche Award!
Exciting news! Sumner Nursing College was recently ranked by Niche, listed as #1 in Best Value Colleges in Oregon, #1 in Best Value Colleges in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Check Out Our New Campus!
Welcome to our new campus in Bend, Oregon! We are excited to be welcoming the first BSN cohort February 24th, 2025. Stay tuned as we…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Upcoming Info Sessions
On the fence or have questions about starting your education at Sumner College? Check out our upcoming BSN Info Sessions! Available for on-campus in Portland…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
All About TEAS
If you're considering enrolling at Sumner College (or other nursing schools!) you will be required to take the TEAS Exam. This stands for Test of…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Nursing School Study Tips
Nursing school is known to be extremely difficult, but there are ways to make it easier on yourself! NursingWorld.org suggests a few different things to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
$5,000 Education Award Available!
Exciting news! DiversityNursing.com is offering a $5,000 education award, with easy entry and no essays, why not enter for a chance to win $5,000 to…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Member Bend Chamber of Commerce
Sumner College is proud to share we are new members of the Bend Area Chamber of Commerce. Coming soon our official ribbon cutting and social…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Spirit Week!
Happy Spirit Week! Stop by the Lobby or Front Desk throughout the week to say hi and show some school spirit! Monday: Meal Prep and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH: JULY 2024
Congratulations Kinsey, for being the July 2024 Student of the Month at Sumner! Kinsey is pursuing her BSN degree and has wanted to be a…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Virtual Tour: SIM Lab 202
Welcome to Sumner College! Before you head in to our Portland Campus take a virtual tour where you can see our Simulation Lab, Hospital Simulator,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
SUMNER COLLEGE STUDENT OF THE MONTH: JUNE 2024
Congratulations to LPN student, Logan, for June 2024! Logan is able to pursue his degree thanks to his great support system, and school life balance,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
New Campus Alert!
We are extremely excited to announce the opening of our new additional campus location in Bend, Oregon! Conveniently located just around the corner from Bend's…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
The Heart of Healthcare
Nursing can be described as both an art and science; a heart and a mind. At its heart, lies a fundamental respect for human dignity…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Labor Day Weekend
Happy Labor Day! We will be closed Monday to enjoy a long weekend!…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Upcoming Class Start Dates
Join us on one of our upcoming start dates for RN's looking to achieve a BSN completion!…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
What is an RN-BSN Program?
RN to BSN Degree- What is it? The RN-BSN degree is designed for nurses that earned their Registered Nurse licensure and would like to continue…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
There’s Still Time!
There's still time to enroll for the September 3 class start date! All three programs are starting fresh this fall; BSN, RN to BSN, and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Tips for Great Admission Essays
Writing an admission essay may feel like a daunting task to accomplish, much less three, as we require here at Sumner. While they are short…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Is Nursing for Me?
Have you ever wondered whether nursing is the right profession for you? Take our personality exam to see if you have the characteristics of a…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Join the Nursing Workforce
When deciding what career to go into, one often will research the career to find out information like: average income, durability in the economy, and…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Celebrating 50 years!! Everyday NW’s Ally Osborne visits with Joanna Russell
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Sumner College in Northeast Portland is celebrating 50 years of helping people level up and reach for their career goals in…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Why choose to complete a BSN?
Sumner College is proud to offer multiple different nursing programs, suitable for all stages of life. However, completing the Bachelors of Science in Nursing is…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Our Application Process
As you find yourself getting ready to make the jump for the new term here at Sumner College, you may have questions about our application…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
BSN Info Sessions – August
This month's BSN group information meetings are scheduled for August 1, 6, 8, 15 at 12p.m on campus, 8338 NE Alderwood Road, Portland, OR 97220…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
BSN Info Sessions – July
In preparation for the September classes, please plan to attend either of these informative hour long presentations to learn more about the program, the requirements…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn
Meet The RN Advocating For Disabled Candidates
Applying for a new job can be overwhelming and stressful. For candidates with disabilities, the hiring process can be a disheartening experience. According to the CDC,…
Share at FacebookShare at TwitterShare at PinterestShare at LinkedIn