Study Time

If you ever get to college or are in college or have been to college, you know how fun, distracting, and useful study groups are. A bunch of guys (and girls (maybe (if you have a social life))) get together and, for the most part, try to study together for some upcoming midterm. Yet, at the same time, you have "friendship dynamics" going on that are distracting that by the end, you feel you might have done better by just studying alone. Let me say this one thing: study groups are great but are most effective when everyone is working on different things.

Does this sound contradictory? Maybe, so it would seem but let me explain thoroughly what I mean. When everyone is working together on the same subject, you either want to lag behind to wait for the slower people to catch up (which is the best case scenario, it means you're smart) or you are rushing, trying to catch up (bad). I don't find this to be the best work environment and I really don't like having to work a pace other than my own (yes, I'm self-centered). With people working on all different subjects, you aren't pressured at what pace you're working at. Rather, you're pressured just to do some type of work. You feel that you have to get something done or you would just be setting a bad example. Work with the peer pressure to get your own work done.

There is one problem though, if you study with a group that you have awesome "dynamics" with, you might just end up goofing off and seriously wasting time. The moral now is, pick your study groups effectively and wisely. Don't look for people who are just distracting. Being a freshman now, working with seniors is pretty good unless they decide to goof off too.