It’s no surprise that studying for a test does not rank on the list of “Top Ten Things I Want To Do After I Just Spent All Day At School” for most students. However, responsible students know it must be done and fit study sessions into their busy schedule. In order to keep study sessions exciting, invite a few friends from class over for a study session. It’s easy to get distracted from calculations, facts and figures when surrounded by some of your favorite people, but here are a few ways to keep study sessions with friends both fun AND productive:
Figure Out Who: Not all of your friends will be as excited and motivated to hold a productive study session, so make a list of your friends and ask each one if they’d be serious about contributing to a study session. If they have a habit of skipping class or “forgetting” to do their homework, they may be a better candidate for hanging out at a party AFTER the study session rather than being a distraction during it. Make sure you don’t exclude anyone; an invitation from you to study may be the invitation your homework-hating friend needs to focus in on their studies.
Figure Out Where: Your house might be a good location, or if a friend has a quiet place to get together that may be a good option too. If, however, there are distractions like younger siblings, loud TV or video games, a library or other quiet place might be a better fit. Meeting at the library will help everyone to stay focused, quiet and on task.
Figure Out When: In order for everyone to get the most out of the study sessions, discuss a day and time and works for everyone. Fridays can be hard because everyone has the weekend on his or her brain. If a night during the middle of the week works with everyone’s schedules that may be more productive. If there is a lot of content to cover, it may be better to schedule more frequent meetings instead of a few very long ones, where it would be easy for everyone’s brain to get tired.
Figure Out How: If you show up to the study session with a list of problems you’re having with this weeks chapter and are looking for guidance and help, and your friends are under the assumption that this study session is more of a “do-your-own-homework” kind of deal, people may leave frustrated and defeated. Discuss with your friends beforehand what they expect to get from the study session and what their goals are. This way, everyone arrives prepared and ready to get the most out of the allotted study time.
Take A Break: At the beginning of the session, agree on when you will take a “brain break” and how long it will last. This will help you and your friends stay focused on the task at hand, knowing there is a break in the near future. Use this break to grab something to eat, or just chat about the day. Be careful not to bother those who want to keep working, and keep the breaks short; 5-10 minutes max.
Responsible students know how to incorporate their friends into their studies without becoming distracted. Follow these simple guidelines for a productive and fun study session with some of your best buds!