Friend with BAD senioritis

[nicholonious]

Hi, I need help from anyone who has good advice. I have talked to various friends of mine about a roomate/close friend that seems to be catching senioritis.

I thought of it as nothing at first, but this last quarter, he's been taking afternoon naps covering 1/4 to 1/2 the day, coming in late to work and sometimes lecture, and playing online poker late into the night (as late as 5am). It doesn't affect his grades per se, but this is the guy that I take the same classes with, work at the same lab, and shares the same goal (med school) as me.

Does anyone know a way to encourage him to stray away from this pattern? Maybe I don't have a right to confront him about his lifestyle and habits?

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[Alexander99]

Hi, I need help from anyone who has good advice. I have talked to various friends of mine about a roomate/close friend that seems to be catching senioritis.

I thought of it as nothing at first, but this last quarter, he's been taking afternoon naps covering 1/4 to 1/2 the day, coming in late to work and sometimes lecture, and playing online poker late into the night (as late as 5am). It doesn't affect his grades per se, but this is the guy that I take the same classes with, work at the same lab, and shares the same goal (med school) as me.

Does anyone know a way to encourage him to stray away from this pattern? Maybe I don't have a right to confront him about his lifestyle and habits?

If his grades aren't slipping, what's the problem?

 

[exmike]

yeah if he's in med school already and still passing, he's just enjoying his last few months of laziness before his life is over for the next 7 years minimum!

 

[felipe5]

yeah if he's in med school already and still passing, he's just enjoying his last few months of laziness before his life is over for the next 7 years minimum!

Definitely agree......if you can pull it off, half-assing everything is the way to go for the last semester of senior year. As homer simpson would say, "it's the american way"

 

[nicholonious]

If his grades aren't slipping, what's the problem?

Nothing about grades, but his habits are more of the problem. Undergraduate classes are definately easier and less demanding than med school classes, I'm worried that over time his habits are perpetually taking over priorities. Also, if he becomes a doctor, I doubt sleeping in and play online poker for hours fits into the hectic schedule of residency...but thats way in the future.

Also, to put it in a closer perspective, we're both taking kaplan to prepare for august MCATs. We also both agreed to be strong study buddies in the process. Nowadays I don't know if hes serious about that anymore and I'd rather get an idea what can be done to help him out.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

So he hasn't taken the MCAT or been accepted to a medical school yet and he's already starting to slack?

 

[nicholonious]

yes, on the nose.

I think we're both going that 'masters' or 'post-bacc' route.

 

[Fumoffu]

Hi, I need help from anyone who has good advice. I have talked to various friends of mine about a roomate/close friend that seems to be catching senioritis.

I thought of it as nothing at first, but this last quarter, he's been taking afternoon naps covering 1/4 to 1/2 the day, coming in late to work and sometimes lecture, and playing online poker late into the night (as late as 5am). It doesn't affect his grades per se, but this is the guy that I take the same classes with, work at the same lab, and shares the same goal (med school) as me.

Does anyone know a way to encourage him to stray away from this pattern? Maybe I don't have a right to confront him about his lifestyle and habits?

Sounds a LOT like my schedule except I'm not even working this semester any more!

 

[Alexander99]

Nothing about grades, but his habits are more of the problem. Undergraduate classes are definately easier and less demanding than med school classes, I'm worried that over time his habits are perpetually taking over priorities. Also, if he becomes a doctor, I doubt sleeping in and play online poker for hours fits into the hectic schedule of residency...but thats way in the future.

Also, to put it in a closer perspective, we're both taking kaplan to prepare for august MCATs. We also both agreed to be strong study buddies in the process. Nowadays I don't know if hes serious about that anymore and I'd rather get an idea what can be done to help him out.

Well, unless you want to be accused of becoming his mother, I wouldn't worry about it. As for sleeping in and playing online poker once he's a doctor, you're right about that--he'll miss tee time that way.

 

[BklynWill]

Have you noticed other changes in his attitude, behavior, outlook on life? I don't want to mention the big D word but a sudden dibilitating change in behavior does warrant concern. Good thing you're keeping an eye out for him.

 

[(nicedream)]

My diagnosis is vaginitis. Apply some vagisil and call me in the morning.

 

[SailCrazy]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. It sounds pretty common.

If you're concerned about your study-budy agreement, you might ask him about that *only*. Something light like - "Hey, you're not going to keep playing poker through all of our MCAT study time, are ya?"

As far as how a couple of weeks of laziness at the end of your senior year relates to your performance as a practicing physician - are you kidding?!? I'm afraid that you're not.

 

[TRUE]

I think this thread is pretty funny. Your description of your friend sounds like it could be describing me. What exactly is the problem? His "habits"? He's going to become an awful doctor for playing poker all night?

That being said, he's not going to do very well on the MCAT if he doesn't study (unless he's genius-levels). However, I don't think you have a right to speak up. What you do have a right to do, however, is find yourself a new study buddy if you think it's affecting you (which it seems to be since you're on here worrying about it instead of studying or doing something more productive).

 

[jlee9531]

sounds like a few people i knew. how they were so gungho about going to med school...but in the end they got lazy and got Ws and Fs. were apathetic about the mcats. and some even filled out and paid for primaries only to get lazy and decide not to fill out secondaries.

now they are just strugglin just to get by. keep a close eye on the guy if he is your friend and you do genuinely care about the kid...lots of people end up not wanting to do medicine...so dont harp him on that too much unless he says he really wants it...if not...watch out for the online gambling. same people i know got into that and lost $$.