Study Groups and Time Management

Amazingly, this semester is nearly over. Next week is Thanksgiving, and after that there are just a couple more weeks of school. Naturally, I am excited for the upcoming holidays and the chance to spend time with my family, and have a brief break from school. However, the reality is that this point in the semester means that I have lots of work - papers, projects, and tests. Just this week I've already turned in a poster for my Literacy class and an eight page paper in my Christian Faith class. These assignments were not particularly difficult, but it was a little tough to fit into my busy schedule, which also includes writing for the campus newspaper and working a part-time job.

With this busy schedule it is especially tough to stay up to date on my reading for classes or to put in substantial study time for tests. I had a challenging test on Monday of this week, also in Christian Faith, and a few days before the test I realized that I probably had not been studying enough for that class. Our professor also prides himself on the difficulty of his tests, so I knew that I should be adequately prepared for this test. Fortunately, a study group from my class was going to meet the night before the test, and this seemed like a great opportunity to prepare myself for the exam.

Before meeting with the study group, I was motivated to do some independent studying. There is a certain amount of accountability that comes with studying with a group. I did not want to come to the group and feel like I had nothing to contribute or not understand what was being discussed. So I knew that I should study on my own before actually attending the group study session. In addition, this group was a great way to collaborate with others and share ideas. There were some concepts that I did not completely understand, but was able to learn more from my peers. I was also able to contribute and share my thoughts on the concepts that I felt confident about.

With such a busy schedule it can be very difficult to fit in all of the reading and studying necessary for all of one's classes. One very effective way to study well is to study with a group of peers. This is something that I've learned to do this semester, and hopefully I can continue this practice next semester and later in the future.

(Action #3 Take Your Education Seriously)