Not enjoying the social aspect of pharmacy school

[Starsintheskye]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey,

I am not really enjoying the social aspect of pharmacy school. Many students gossip about really stupid things for hours on end...It gives me anxiety when people don't have anything else to talk about except for each other. I don't have many friends in my class, a few here and there, but not too many close ones. At times I don't feel a need to build friendships, and at times I do.. but I try to focus on school. However, when I see that my peers are immature then it gets very discouraging. We're going into so much debt for a somewhat lackluster experience...

Has anybody else felt dissatisfied with their pharmacy school? I have a lot of thoughts/feelings about dropping out now.

 

[rederza]

.

 

[confettiflyer]

Hey,

I am not really enjoying the social aspect of pharmacy school. Many students gossip about really stupid things for hours on end...It gives me anxiety when people don't have anything else to talk about except for each other. I don't have many friends in my class, a few here and there, but not too many close ones. At times I don't feel a need to build friendships, and at times I do.. but I try to focus on school. However, when I see that my peers are immature then it gets very discouraging. We're going into so much debt for a somewhat lackluster experience...

Has anybody else felt dissatisfied with their pharmacy school? I have a lot of thoughts/feelings about dropping out now.

You don't sound like a lot of fun to be around.

 

[zelman]

Anyone else hope the first two posters are in the same school and talking about each other?

Anyway, this is indeed a problem at most pharmacy schools. You might want to try to fill social needs with a neighboring group. Other majors at a larger university or students of neighboring schools if you're not. Or just stick to Internet forums like this one and give up on real humans altogether. Whatever will keep you sane enough to get through P4.

 

[Trent Steele]

A new school can be a lot to handle but you need to put yourself out there and become more social. Join some clubs and intramural a to start. Your life will get a lot easier and school will be more enjoyable when you do. Everyone needs friends. You can't get through 3 years of class without a social circle.

Not to mention that you need to work that social muscle now in school in order to be successful in the future. The quiet reserved pharmacist won't get very far in the work world either.

I personally thought the social aspect at my school was my favorite thing about it when it started clicking. Eventually we had as much fun as I did in undergrad. Go to/host a party usually the whole class gets invited anyways. PM me if you have questions I was also disillusioned with school at first and even thought about transferring! What a mistake that would have been!

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Dissatisfied with your education or your social life? You're not paying >$100k to be part of a social club, you're there to get a PharmD.

What is your school-life balance like?

 

[BMBiology]

^^ everybody needs friends (to save notes for you).

Seriously, you need to get a circle of friends. I got my first internship from a friend.

Be friendly...just smile and say hi

Be helpful...share your notes

Be social...go to club events and health fairs.

 

[BMBiology]

Always put things in perspective...4 years from now or even a year from now, the gossip and the high school BS is not going to mean a thing. There are bigger and better things in life.

I always made an effort to get to know people in different groups mainly because I like a diverse group of friends but it can also be really useful. Also remember to hook them up when you can. Different groups can hook you up big time in return. That is why it is important to be friendly with everyone.

 

[zelman]

...Many students gossip about really stupid things for hours on end...It gives me anxiety when people don't have anything else to talk about except for each other...

...I personally thought the social aspect at my school was my favorite thing about it when it started clicking. Eventually we had as much fun as I did in undergrad...

I think they might be talking about you, Trent.

 

[ExpressMaiL]

Consider making friends with individuals who are outside your program/school completely. That way you don't have to hear questions about interactions all day long.

 

[Sparda29]

I loved this part of pharmacy school. Reminded me of high school.

 

[PolarPop]

Make friends with people in the upper classes. They are way more relaxed than uptight first year students

 

[Mad Jack]

You're not in school to have fun. Just go to class and stop caring.

 

[Starsintheskye]

Consider making friends with individuals who are outside your program/school completely. That way you don't have to hear questions about interactions all day long.

Yeah I am actually going to join an organization outside of my university to get that relief.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

I couldn't stand my classmates...professors...ancillary staff at the school...really, anybody. Actually, I take that back, I liked the lady at the cafe that rang me out every day when I bought my daily pepperoni roll. She was okay.

I literally speak to none of them. I graduated and they will never hear from me again.

They told me pharmacy was a small world and the contacts you make in school will be invaluable. Nah, not really. Its a pretty big pharmacy world. I got more out of SDN (including my current job) than my school. I am grateful I could just move 5 hours away and get a nice, fresh start. None of my Morgantown baggage follows me.

 

[confettiflyer]

I kept my inner circle to about 7 people, but it was fun roaming the streets of the city drinking with various groups of people...or talk trash about the latest *******ery that this or that person did.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed with the maturity of my class (let alone pharmacy school in general) when we enrolled. The social aspect of being a young professional living on student loans truly is what you make of it.

Remember, most* of your classmates are 2-4 years removed from high school, will probably allude to a C they received during undergrad as the toughest struggle of their life thus far, and haven't had any real responsibility up until this point. You'll be surprised how many of them are humbled after 4 years. Some never get it, but you probably won't have more than a working relationship with them anyway.

Just attempt to surround yourself with people who share like-ideals, and the social satisfaction will follow.

*Yes, I'm generalizing

 

[El Trombopag]

If gossip is enough to make you want to quit, I really doubt your commitment to sparkle motion.

 

[Sugoi Travis]

Just search for the people who hate the gossip and immaturity as much as you do. I'm sure there's at least a few people in your class who are in the same situation.

 

[BestDoctorEver]

Get thru your 4 year and don't worry much about what others do...

 

[KARM12]

Put a group of students in the same exact classes for 3 yrs - bound to be some gossip and clicks. In the end, who cares, you won't see many of them once you graduate. Just worry about your own grades and success. It will be fine in the end. Gossip wouldn't make me quit...there will still be gossip in the work place too. That is just human nature...ignore it.

 

[xiphoid2010]

Don't worry about others, focus on yourself.

My path: partied the first year to get to know people, met a like minded classmate who eventually became my wife. So second to 4th year we had each other, didn't really need anyone else. 2 pharmacist income also made building a family easy.

 

[marscole]

I would recommend you meeting people outside pharmacy. If you have a smartphone, try weechat (shake shake, and you will find people that surround you), or LINE to chat with random people, or meetup dot com to meet people that have common interest like you beside pharmacy.

Meet other professions like MD, RN, CPA, lawyer, mechanic, artist, designer... plus a few really closed pharmacists. You will definitely need them after you graduate from RX school...

Good luck and have fun in RX school... 😉

 

[spacecowgirl]

I loved this part of pharmacy school. Reminded me of high school.

I couldn't stand my classmates...professors...ancillary staff at the school...really, anybody.

Neither of these things are at all surprising

I didn't care much for the social aspect either. I'd been there, done that with undergrad and was in a different place in life than most of my classmates.

I just hung out and studied with other older students/nontrads. As mentioned upthread, socializing is like the least important thing in pharmacy school. That and most of your P1 classes. Just get through it.

 

[Sparda29]

Neither of these things are at all surprising

I didn't care much for the social aspect either. I'd been there, done that with undergrad and was in a different place in life than most of my classmates.

I just hung out and studied with other older students/nontrads. As mentioned upthread, socializing is like the least important thing in pharmacy school. That and most of your P1 classes. Just get through it.

It's somewhat important. One of the directors I've worked with was pretty young, like 30 years old. He told me about how he fasttracked to DOP after doing a PGY2 and got a assistant director right away and 2 years of that and he got a DOP job. He pretty much brought in his best friends from pharmacy school for his assistant directors and managers, these guys were all staff pharmacists who didn't do a residency.