College Study Tip #5: Form a Study Group
Studying with others helps facilitate the learning process. Plus, it’s fun! So here are some tips to make your study group more effective.
This post is part of a 10-week series on study tips for college students. (Most of these tips apply equally well to high school students!) Look for one top tip delivered to your inbox weekly on Thursdays in March through May. You can find all the past tips here.
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Studying alone has its merits. After all, you can do it whenever and wherever. Plus, you’re the solo director of lone study sessions. But studying in a group has its place too.
Group study sessions allow all participants to bring their thoughts and insights to the table. That can enrich your own thoughts by inspiring you to think about course concepts and ideas in new ways.
Plus, you can test each other on the material when you're prepping for exams. And, let’s face it, studying in a group is much more fun!
If you decide group study sessions are for you, make the most of them by following some best practices.
Make Flashcards
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Flashcards are test-prep 101. If you’re studying for an exam where you need to memorize core concepts, assign study partners to write the name of each concept on the front of a blank notecard. Then write the description on the back.
Test each other by taking turns holding the flashcards. You can make the activity fun by turning it into a game: The study group member with the most correct answers wins!
Of course, to make this as fair as possible, you’ll need to divvy up the cards so everyone has unique flashcards (and none that they created themselves). This way, no group member has an unfair advantage from already having seen the answers on the back of a card.
Play Games
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Using flashcards isn’t the only way to gamify study sessions. And you can turn just about any course topic into a game.
Try one or more of these ideas at your next study session:
Quiz Teams. Prep some test questions in advance. Then, at your study session, divide your group into two teams and take turns quizzing each other. The team with the most correct answers wins.
Whiteboards. Instead of dividing into teams, have everyone take turns quizzing and answering. Start by having everyone prep some test questions. Then start the game with the first player asking the rest of your study group one of their pre-prepped questions. Everyone else writes the answer on a personal whiteboard to show the group. You can award points to the fastest response or to every correct answer. Then move on to the next player, who asks a new question (no repeats). Keep going until you’ve exhausted everyone’s unique questions.
Race to the Board. If you’re studying in a room with chalkboards or whiteboards, use them to gamify your study session. Prep some questions in advance of your study session, and then divide into teams (as many as makes sense for your group). Take turns posing questions or problems (such as math problems) to the other teams, who race to the board to answer them. The first to write the correct answer or solve the math equation wins that round.
Kahoot. Create your own game show-style study session by using the Kahoot app. Use your teacher’s pre-made Kahoot (if they have one), a ready-made Kahoot template on your course topic, or create your own using your class notes. There’s a small cost involved, but it can be worth it if it helps you prep for exams.
Experiment with Study Locations
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When you’re studying on your own, it helps to know how you study best. For example, some students need absolute silence, while others find that music helps.
Unfortunately, when studying in a group, things are trickier since you need to consider everyone’s personal preferences.
So, when looking for the ideal study location, consider appeasing those needing fewer distractions. For example, studying in the library might make more sense for your group than studying amidst the busyness of a dining hall or dorm.
Then, those who need some distraction to focus can bring earbuds to play music in a single ear (which no one else will hear), while keeping the other ear open to hear their fellow group members.
Additionally, explore several places to study around campus. That way, you can figure out what works best for everyone as a group. Plus, you can change the location if you need a different choice.
Choose Your Study Partners Wisely
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Studying in a group brings the added benefit of an opportunity to socialize with your fellow classmates. And though many might argue college should focus on academics, I’m of the belief that being social is also a crucial aspect of the college experience.
After all, many students make their best college memories while socializing and find friends for life during their college years. And if you really want to focus on benefits, socializing — whether with professors, alumni, or peers — is where future job networking begins.
However, while it’s true that group study sessions have many benefits for learning, the social aspect, while fun, can also be a drawback. When socializing starts interfering with getting work done, your group study session is no longer helping.
So ensure you choose your fellow study partners wisely. Pick classmates you enjoy hanging out with. But also make sure they’re the type who will help you get work done and not overly distract the group from studying.
Another consideration: Try to include a mix of abilities among group members. Those who are stronger in a subject can increase their own learning by occasionally playing “teacher.” And those who are weaker in a subject benefit from interacting with more skilled peers.
The Bottom Line
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Study groups are an ideal way to prep for exams. In addition to the benefits mentioned above, they can also help keep group members accountable. Since they come with a built-in schedule for getting together, they ensure you’ve penciled in a time to get your studying done.
So join a study group in progress or reach out to classmates you think would be a good fit. Then set up your first meeting to decide on your group's goals and a study schedule.
For example, some study groups meet once or multiple times per week, and others meet solely before exams. Figure out what works best for you, and then build a group that supports your needs.
And have fun! Not to the point of distraction, of course. But you will learn better the more you enjoy it because your learning will be hooked to positive emotions and memories.
So gather with some of your favorite classmates and make it a party. Late-night slice, anyone?
Want More?
Read more on how to form a study group from Best Colleges and the University of British Columbia.
If you’re looking for a convenient way to organize and keep track of your study sessions, check out the study session page templates in my Ultimate College Planner. You can get it for 50% off using promo code SAVE50.
If you’d rather not get the whole planner and just want the study session pages, drop me an email. As a special thank you for being a subscriber, I’ll send you those pages for free.
What’s New?
I took most of April off from writing to focus on grading for my classes and my position as coordinator of my university’s writing center. (Hello, end of the semester crunch!)
However, I have some new pieces coming soon that I’m super excited to share. Specifically for Bezzy, I’ll be tackling a topic I’m passionate about but have been hesitant until now to speak on in my professional writing — combating weight stigma with type 2 diabetes.
I’m also looking forward to the summer break. (Aren’t we all this time of year? 😉) For many, summer means travel, so look out for study abroad and other travel planners coming soon!
What am I Loving Right Now?
Summer movie season! OK, it might not quite be summer yet, but I just saw Dungeons & Dragons with my family, and it made me really miss my old gaming days. This is the D&D movie we’ve all been waiting for! (Read: One that’s actually watchable. 🙂)
And I bought our tickets to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which probably counts as the official summer movie season opener. Anyone else Marvel fans?