A few of the good friends I’ve made in university are much more opinionated than my friends from high school, and I have noticed a very similar change with myself.

Having a strong voice on an issue is a good thing, so long as you have the humility to realize your own position is not necessarily superior or more correct. It often amazes me how narrow-minded some really strong-willed individuals can be – as if being right is more important than seeking truth.

I’ve come to realize that I’m often wrong, and I’m okay with that. It means I always have more to learn, and that the world is much bigger than my set of eyes normally sees. In the end I just want to know the truth so I can make the best decisions possible.

I’m sure you are finding group situations with other medical students quite interesting… are you finding more “head butting” in group projects compared to your previous experiences?

As to this post.. perhaps there is a perceptual bias as well? The most vocal are also the most remembered, or perhaps the makeup of your class is different than mine There is definitely a segment of my classmates who are more reserved and prefer to reflect and gather information before committing to a stance. It likely corresponds to Myers-Briggs intraversion/extraversion as well.