For the last 8 years I've worked 2 wks of earlies, 2 wks lates, 2 more earlies, 2 more lates, 2 wks nights, then 2 wks 'flexible'.
Flexible being to cover sickness/holidays for the rest of the dept, so I rarely know in advance what shift I'll be working those weeks.
Earlies Mon - Thu 06.00 - 14.15, Fri 06.00 - 12.00
Lates Mon - Thu 13.30 - 21.45, Fri 11.15 - 17.15
Nights Mon - Thu 20.45 - 06.30
I get weekends off, but there's always so much overtime on that I've not actually had a day off since 15th September.
As for my social life, it's dead and buried. On earlies I'm usually in bed by 9.00 so nothing happening there, on lates I don't see anyone as all my friends are at work, and on nights I work, eat and sleep.
Midden, if you're asking because you may have a chance to work them, don't. Seriously. I hate the effect it's had on my social life, but not as much as the effect it's had on my health. I'm constantly knackered, I don't eat healthily or regularly, and I'm the least fit I've ever been.