The Tools of Organization: Study Partners/Study Groups

     Once you have gotten your class and study schedules set, it is important to become familiar with your classmates.  Make note of anyone that you have multiple classes with, and at some point in the first 2 weeks of classes strike up a conversation with them.  Start off with a little small talk, tell them who you are, where you come from, what your planned major is (if you haven't chosen a major, let them know what class subjects you are most interested in), and let them tell you these same things about themselves.  It is very important to make friends and aquaintances with the people you have class with, especially if you are both pursuing the same or similar majors.  This can be beneficial to you in several ways.

     Find study partners early on.

     

     You want to find study partners early on, as other students will be doing the same.  If you wait to long, everyone will have already chosen partners and groups, and it can be difficult to get into a group once it already has several members.  Start a conversation with several of the people you share the most classes with and ask them if they would like to study together sometime, and unless they are completely rude (and you wouldn't want a study partner like that anyway) they will say yes.  Make sure you follow up with them in a few days, perhaps letting them know your study schedule and invite them to join you when it is convenient for them.  It is always beneficial to study with someone, because you won't want to look bad in front of them (and keep them as a study partner), it will force you to keep up with your class material and ultimately make you a better overall student.  Another benefit of finding potential partners early on is that you will have a higher number of students to choose from, so that if one partner doesn't fit well for you, you won't have to be stuck with that person, which brings me to the next topic...

Test the waters.

     You will gain much more benefit from trying out a few different study groups to find the one that suits you and your schedule best.  As the hype surrounding the beggining of classes fades away, you will notice some students begin to show up to class less, stop showing up to the study group or show up comletely unprepared, and generally just start slacking off.  This is not the kind of group you need to be part of.  If you begin to see this in your study partner, you should consider trying to join up with another group that will be more beneficial to you.  You can try to talk to your partner beforehand and convince them that this is too important to risk failing out just because they want to sleep in or they just enjoy not having anyone to tell them what to do anymore, but don't spend too much time with this.  It sounds cold, I know, but you cannot risk your own future trying for weeks to make another person "see the light", because it should be evident from the first time you bring it up to them whether they will try to improve or not.  If you cannot get through to them after an attempt or two, move on and find another partner or group.  

Choose a group/partner that shares your interests.

     You will be spending a lot of time with your partner and group, so choose a group that you get along well with that also is diligent about studying.  Don't sacrifice the benefit of good study partners just because you enjoy hanging out with another group more.  While you want to get along with the people of your group, it is best to find a balance between people you have a lot in common with, and people you can study well with.  If you can find the best of both worlds, that will most likely be the most beneficial group for you to study with, and you will find that you become fast friends with most of the members of your study group.  This will allow you to have a support system that can help you get through the toughest of times.

Choose people that will keep you encouraged.

     You will undoubtedly go through times when you are exhausted and don't feel like studying.  Having partners that will always encourage you to keep going will add a whole new level of value to your study group.  If ther is one thing I can tell you for sure about college, it is that there will be times that you struggle with a subject or professor.  It might feel like you can't get the hang of a professor's teaching style (or lack thereof), or that the topic being discussed is just beyond you or something you will never fully grasp.  This is where having a good study group with partners that care about you can save you academically and emotionally.  Sometimes it is as simple as knowing that others are going through the same thing and share your troubles with the topic or professor, that alone can go a long way in helping you to at least get through the tough topics and survive rather than give up and hope you can make up the points you lost there somewhere down the road on a subject you are more comfortable with.  Another great thing about a good study group is that they may be able to explain the topic in a different way than the professor that clicks with you, then suddenly that impossible topic seems much simpler and much more doable.  This can also work in the reverse; one or more of your partners may not understand something that you grasp easily, and you will have the opportunity to attempt to explain or teach it to them.  This not only helps your partners understand the topic more clearly, but it also helps you to master the topic yourself.  Groups can certainly be helpful in many ways!