Upon arriving to college, I didn't plan on doing anything but studying away the days until graduation. I already had an idea of how hard it was going to be to pass the basic science courses required for pre-med students, and I didn't want to take any chances. I'd convinced myself it was okay not to have friends or to do things on the weekend as long as I was getting my work done.
Make Friends With Classmates
After a while, I began to realize that if I had to share classes with other people, then why not share the burden with them? We could all struggle together.
I made friends with people in my classes by sitting with them and going to the supplemental instruction sessions held three times a week for biology and chemistry. My social life may not be as large as non-pre meds, but at least I get to be with people who are going through the same exams and completing the same assignments as I am.
Everyone is looking for a friend and study buddy, so it just comes down to who wants to initiate the conversation. Most peoples' social lives include going out on the weekend, partying, playing video games, watching movies together, shopping, and eating out. But I found ways to incorporate academics into those elements to make the best of both worlds and not end up too far behind.
I order take out with my friends when we’re studying, so that we can study and eat dinner together at the dining hall. Sometimes we study all Saturday morning and afternoon, so that we can do something fun at night without worrying about all the work we could be getting done instead. I formed formal study groups with some of my friends, so that we could spend time together while also getting help in our classes by a tutor.
Making Small Sacrifices for the Bigger Picture
There are plenty of opportunities to include other people as long as you’re a little open and willing to invite them into your social circle. There were also quite a few times where I wanted to study by myself and that was completely okay.
The thing about a social life is that if you let it overtake your academics, you'll feel the drawbacks of it one day. It’ll happen when you have a huge test in two days and every time you try to study with your friends, they keep distracting you and fool around. Trust me, sometimes you have to take the road alone. Not to say that you should avoid a social life—but setting aside time for yourself and your own personal studying is key for a happy, successful college career. Sounded like I was going to say marriage, right? Yea, I can help you get your academics and social life together, but you’re on your own for that one, buddy.
Kick back and relax—being pre-med seems to consume your life, but it's so worth it. Even if you don’t have a social life, at least you still have your chemistry, biology, and physics stuffed brain that can last you a little longer than a friend. When you have your degree and are a badass boss, you are not going to think about all the friends you could've had. Plus, you’ll always have a friend in chemistry because that’s where bonds are made (no pun intended).