You must be freaking out right now, you're trying to juggle school and your social life in the same hand and well... Your social life was just ripped right out from under your nose and you couldn't do anything about it. Nursing School.... The thing that you've been dreaming about for years, maybe since childhood. You want to help people. You want to be the first person to congratulate a family on a new baby, you want to see the smiles of the parents when you get to discharge their child, you want to change the world. BUT first, school. As an extrovert, wanting to be around people is a normal thing! But nursing school takes being an extrovert and changes it up a little bit...
4 things I'm learning as an extrovert in Nursing School.
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1. You'll think you're committing social suicide.
You don't get to go hang out with your friends for wing night unless you've completed a week's worth of homework. It will feel like their lives should stop until after you graduate because you no longer get to hang out as much unless its planned 5 years in advance. Your friends might not fully understand why you have to bring your 40 lb book to eat, or grab coffee, or even to church...But in order to stay on top, the books must be attached to you at almost all times. This is something you have to get used to, like everything else in Nursing School. Everything is an adjustment.
2. Get used to studying.
I never realized how much "room time" I'd get until Nursing School. I come home from class and go straight to my room to do homework, lots of it. Every night is about the same amount and every activity takes over an hour. Late nights with just you and your books... HOW EXCITING. Hours and hours of alone time are ahead of you. It's out of necessity, though.. and to be honest, you'll end up kinda liking those quiet hours because your brain just needs to rest. There will be days where that time is valued, most days actually. It is okay to be alone, it just takes adjusting...
3. Get used to your classmates.
I now know that I will be with the same 25 people for the rest of Nursing School. That's something to get used to. You see the same people every day. For an extrovert, that's actually hard. You will want to see other people, but if they aren't in your program class, good luck. You will get so used to your classmates that it becomes a little family. You will lean on these people, because they know exactly what is going on in your life... they're there too. Having friends outside of your Nursing class will take A LOT of effort. But that leads me to my next point...
4. Don't give up all your free time to study.
Family, friends, the Creamery down the road.... They all need to see you at some point. Especially the Creamery...Do one thing a week that allows you to get out and be social, even if that means going to Chick-fil-a or Starbucks to see friends for an hour between classes {WITHOUT THE BOOKS}. It will rejuvenate your spirit and allow you to conquer the rest of the week with a smile on your face. Your family and close friends are your support system through Nursing School. They will be the ones to go and hug and say 'Thank You' to when you graduate. So spend time with them, even if it's practicing your check-offs on them one time during the week. They are having to adjust too, they don't see you as much and knowing you are an extrovert, that might scare them a bit!
Nursing School is hard in every sense. But it is so worth it. The relationships that you may be putting on the shelf right now will multiply greatly when you finally graduate and are in the hospital or wherever you choose to use your gift. If Nursing is your calling, the Lord will equip you to sustain the quiet chaos of school. Don't give up on being a people person, just adjust to the quiet. 'Tis only a season.
Sincerely,
An Extrovert Nursing Student
