How do you make friends outside of medical school?

[BeastInfection]

I actually like my classmates a lot, and have fun with them. That said, I need friends outside of school. I'm starting to feel too much like I'm in a bubble here. I'm also in a great city, and too many times I've found myself wanting to go out and explore, or hit a few bars or restaurants that I heard about, and it seems like everyone on campus is staying in and studying. I guess I'd just like to add some diversity to my social life.

My question is, how did those of you who do have non-med friends in your current city find them? I moved here after living in the opposite side of the country for my entire life, so really don't know anyone other than my classmates.

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[NearnstPotentia]

I actually like my classmates a lot, and have fun with them. That said, I need friends outside of school. I'm starting to feel too much like I'm in a bubble here. I'm also in a great city, and too many times I've found myself wanting to go out and explore, or hit a few bars or restaurants that I heard about, and it seems like everyone on campus is staying in and studying. I guess I'd just like to add some diversity to my social life.

My question is, how did those of you who do have non-med friends in your current city find them? I moved here after living in the opposite side of the country for my entire life, so really don't know anyone other than my classmates.

Just randomly talk to people in your age group. Even if you fail 90% of the time, if you approach enough people you will eventually make a friend. I say shoot for 10-20 approaches per day.

Works for me

edit: Incidentally, this approach also works for finding a date/roll in the hay

 

[BeastInfection]

Just randomly talk to people in your age group. Even if you fail 90% of the time, if you approach enough people you will eventually make a friend. I say shoot for 10-20 approaches per day.

Works for me

edit: Incidentally, this approach also works for finding a date/roll in the hay

Hah, that's kind of what I'm worried about with this approach. Living in a large city with a large gay population, is this kind of tactic usually construed as hitting on the other person? Not that it would be a big deal, but doesn't seem like a way to make platonic friends.

Also, what kind of context/setting do you usually do this in?

 

[VenusinFurs]

I made a bunch of friends who are involved in health professions but not in med school by joining this health professions LGBT/ally group. I go out to bars and things with them.

 

[DrYoda]

Going to parties on the ugrad campus and intramural/rec league sports.

 

[VenusinFurs]

Hah, that's kind of what I'm worried about with this approach. Living in a large city with a large gay population, is this kind of tactic usually construed as hitting on the other person? Not that it would be a big deal, but doesn't seem like a way to make platonic friends.

Also, what kind of context/setting do you usually do this in?

Walk up to someone in the bar and say "Hello, my name is Steve, and you look interesting. I love vaginas."

 

[noles]

you came to the right place (the internet) on learning how to make friends

 

[NearnstPotentia]

Hah, that's kind of what I'm worried about with this approach. Living in a large city with a large gay population, is this kind of tactic usually construed as hitting on the other person? Not that it would be a big deal, but doesn't seem like a way to make platonic friends.

Also, what kind of context/setting do you usually do this in?

Well whatever you decide to do. Just never stop trying.

 

[da8s0859q]

Walk up to someone in the bar and say "Hello, my name is Steve, and you look interesting. I love vaginas."

 

[mrwesticles]

Dude, it's rough. You'll discover that it's harder and harder to even relate to people who aren't thinking medicine 24/7. Probably part of the reason you are having trouble is because you are speaking a whole new language by now.

It's not impossible, though. Everyone loves a doctor friend.

 

[Ironheme]

Join different clubs on campus. I joined some random ones I never even thought I had an interest in before (the poster was cool and the chick had a pretty good sales pitch). Am actually going to some pretty cool trips this way and meeting non-meds (honestly life saving, fellow med students can make me feel pretty stressed out with the whole 'I studied 12 hours today and memorized the whole weeks worth of lectures!')

 

[BeastInfection]

Thanks for the tips so far, everyone. Several suggestions to join campus clubs or parties. Problem is that my med school has its own campus, which is pretty far from the undergrad campus, so any club/interest group/party I attend would be one that is full of med students (maybe the occasional PhD candidate). So in other words, that's not an option.

I've gotten a few emails about meet-ups with students from other med schools in the area, but subbing wouldn't really solve the problem. I guess the best option would be NearnstPotentia's tactic, or just parasitizing my classmates who are from this area to try to infiltrate their social circle?

Wish there was an easier way...

 

[phltz]

I share a house with several non-med-students I found on craigslist. It took a lot of looking to find people I was a good fit with, but I finally did. I love that when I finally come home, I have cool people with entirely different stuff going on in their lives to hang out with.

 

[Morsetlis]

Make friends wherever you go with people that like you.

If they like you, it's already simple.

If they don't like you, trying to make friends with them is a challenge, one that usually isn't worth it.

You graduated from a college, didn't you? Well, the college near wherever you go to school for medicine also has people...

 

[Miss Alyssa]

I've met friends through the non-med organizations I volunteer with, through my church young adults ministry, and in the elective courses I take at a different university in town.

I have medschool friends that joined grad chapters of sororities/fraternities and have friends through that too.

There's also meetup.com. They have get togethers around specific interests. I plan on joining the Spanish language one in my city

 

[NearnstPotentia]

Make friends wherever you go with people that like you.

If they like you, it's already simple.

If they don't like you, trying to make friends with them is a challenge, one that usually isn't worth it.

You graduated from a college, didn't you? Well, the college near wherever you go to school for medicine also has people...

 

[NearnstPotentia]

Thanks for the tips so far, everyone. Several suggestions to join campus clubs or parties. Problem is that my med school has its own campus, which is pretty far from the undergrad campus, so any club/interest group/party I attend would be one that is full of med students (maybe the occasional PhD candidate). So in other words, that's not an option.

I've gotten a few emails about meet-ups with students from other med schools in the area, but subbing wouldn't really solve the problem. I guess the best option would be NearnstPotentia's tactic, or just parasitizing my classmates who are from this area to try to infiltrate their social circle?

Wish there was an easier way...

Join some service organizations (they usually have good people but you need to avoid the resume padding premed) like circle-K or the local red cross chapter at your uni. Then do what I told you and be an approach machine. This is what I did at the beginning.