Hi Alex,
It is common and sometimes it just doesn't work out. You can never convenience everyone and frankly speaking you can't control what they think.
If you think your friends and family are simply mad because they don't understand what you are going through, then why don't you invite them to your studies, or your work field. Invite them over and play some accounting games, share some questions (the math ones) and see if they can answer? If you have friends who are also studying, even if it is a different field, study together. Also, talk to your friends and family about your career situation, talk it out so they can now see that it is important to take the test for job advancement. (I think everyone agreed that money and job advancement is important, right?) I showed my parents how much I earn now, and how much I will earn later. I also told them getting a better ranking will make me easier to find a boyfriend / girlfriend, etc.
Lastly, I must say, you need to learn time management. Yes, you must study hard, but you must also allow your friends and family a time slot to hang out with you. It can be 5 pm to 8 pm, or one day a week. Make this clear to them so they know when they can approach you, and you must work hard to make that time frame and keep your promise. When you hang out, don't keep mentioning you need to study, PLAY and RELAX.
If none of those works, maybe it's not a very good friend. A true friend will help you regardless (or try their best).
STAY STRONG.
New York - NYC
Passed CPA Exam (11/2014)
In search for a position in NYC that will fulfills the license requirement.