MS1 here.
A large fraction of my classmates are type-A gunners who are always on edge and take themselves extremely seriously all the time. Another large fraction is pretty much the exact opposite: they constantly party and drink, presumably trying to relive their college golden years. Last week, they had a big beer-drinking contest with different "obstacle courses"; they're pretty much playing the roles of Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn in Old School.
There's also endless gossiping and judging, especially within the female cliques. It's honestly sickening to overhear them making fun of other classmates... giggling because they think somebody looks ugly, said something stupid in a discussion session, etc.
The classmates I've enjoyed interacting with the most have generally been older, "non-traditional" students; many of them are level-headed and mature, and they're usually able to talk about things other than school and beer. I've had several chances to study with these folks, and that's been great. Unfortunately, they tend to socially distance themselves from the rest of the class, because they have enough stuff going on outside of school (spouses, kids, etc.).
Why does medical school have so many uptight try-hards and obnoxious party-goers, with so few people in between the two extremes? Is my school unique in this regard?
