M1: making friends

[Fatalis]

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I am current M1 student. I have found that I am not that social and really do not care to make a lot of friends in med school as vast majority seem to booze a lot during O-week. I have made like 3 friends and I am content with this. Do you guys suggest I try to make more friends? My class seems like a high school class...cliques have already formed and I really do not want to jump into a few cliques. Anyone have any advice on this? Should I be concerned?

 

[Ilovewater]

If you're content with your situation, then it shouldn't matter. I'm the exact same way. I have 3 close friends and a bunch of acquaintances. I don't usually show up to post-exam events either since most of them involve drinking, and I don't drink. This is my second year, and I'm still happy and sane (most of the time). If that's how you normally are, then you don't need to push yourself to be really social unless that's what you want to do.

 

[Mithril]

Yep, I don't drink much either. Most of my class goes out drinking every Friday night. I mostly hang out with three or four other people in the class, but outside of class I still hangout with long-time high school friends for the most part. You aren't alone. Be yourself and don't get lured into things to which you have an extreme aversion.

 

[QuesoAndFromage]

someone else said this in a somewhat similar topic but if you think of medical school as professional training rather than "school" (in the sense of undergrad and before) its really not that big of a deal. Just do well, maintain some sort of social life and dont go insane or become a hermit

 

[Kevin Baker]

If you're content with things as is, good for you. But also remember to network effectively. You don't need to be bff with everyone but you're harming yourself if few of your classmates know you and vice versa.

 

[tryp]

I have the same issue. Honestly I don't really have any friends in my class. I don't drink and I go to bed early, which seriously limits my possibilities. I guess I am okay just hanging with my cat but I do get lonely sometimes.

But I've found that sometimes if I suggest a group activity, some people will go with me. My class goes for all you can eat sushi lunch sometimes, or to the movies, and I find that a quite tolerable source of social contact.

 

[NickNaylor]

someone else said this in a somewhat similar topic but if you think of medical school as professional training rather than "school" (in the sense of undergrad and before) its really not that big of a deal. Just do well, maintain some sort of social life and dont go insane or become a hermit

Exactly. I approach medical school in a completely different way than I did with college. I see medical school as more of a job: I'm close with a couple of people, but for the most part I don't really spend much time with people outside of class. Whereas the social dynamic was much more important to me in college, I see medical school more as a means to an end rather than an "experience," if that makes sense.

 

[MilkmanAl]

I see medical school as more of a job: I'm close with a couple of people, but for the most part I don't really spend much time with people outside of class. Whereas the social dynamic was much more important to me in college, I see medical school more as a means to an end rather than an "experience," if that makes sense.

That's sort of an unfortunate approach, in my opinion. You're missing out on so much by essentially cutting out everyone you aren't really close to and treating everything like pure business. That seems overly stuffy and stand-offish to me. on the other hand, if you're happy with your 3 friends, more power to you. Far be it from me to run your social life, but I would be extremely dissatisfied plodding through med school that way.

 

[FIREitUP]

That's sort of an unfortunate approach, in my opinion. You're missing out on so much by essentially cutting out everyone you aren't really close to and treating everything like pure business. That seems overly stuffy and stand-offish to me. on the other hand, if you're happy with your 3 friends, more power to you. Far be it from me to run your social life, but I would be extremely dissatisfied plodding through med school that way.

I can relate to the way both you and Aaron Eckhart approach medical school. In the end I feel like you need to balance the two (i.e., social interaction vs. it being a job).

 

[obgyny]

I'm the same way, I just have a few friends in the class and also not much of a drinker. I mostly hang out with my non-med school friends from college outside of class. It's nice to be able to forget about med school stress for a few hours. But at the same time, most of my close friends are in the medical field so they're very understanding.

I've always been the "fewer, but closer friends" type of person rather than hang out with bunches of friends, so I'm content with it.

 

[NickNaylor]

That's sort of an unfortunate approach, in my opinion. You're missing out on so much by essentially cutting out everyone you aren't really close to and treating everything like pure business. That seems overly stuffy and stand-offish to me. on the other hand, if you're happy with your 3 friends, more power to you. Far be it from me to run your social life, but I would be extremely dissatisfied plodding through med school that way.

I can see how it came across that way. I don't think I expressed myself well. I don't intentionally try and avoid social stuff with my class. With the exception of maybe a few people, I genuinely enjoy spending time with them and would have no problem doing anything with them outside of class. Unlike in undergrad, however, I don't make as much if an effort to actually spend time with them. That doesn't necessarily mean that I avoid them.

I also live with my girlfriend, though, so I think my situation might be different than most. Being at home is, in a way, like hanging out with friends.

 

[Fatalis]

ok thanks guys!

 

[Abby_Normal]

I agree that the med school social scene can seem a bit impenetrable at first to non-drinkers. For most of the fall, I felt pretty out of the social loop and was actually a bit worried about what that would mean for networking/group work. Now, one semester in I've started making friends and I don't feel isolated. The trick for me was meeting people through extracurriculars.