Benefits of Starting a Study Group

If you get easily bored or exhausted when studying alone, the alternative is for you to join a study group. Aside from improving your study habits, there are other benefits you can get when you join a group.

Prevent procrastination.

Procrastination is an easy trap to fall into if you study alone at your student housing. Waterloo has a lot of sights and sounds to offer to students, so if you get easily distracted and you’re the type to delay everything to the last minute, joining a study group can help.

You’ll be forced to study at a set time, and be held accountable by the members of your group. So aside from learning about the topic, you also get to improve your time management skills.

Absorb information quickly.

If you didn’t understand something in class, chances are somebody from your group can explain it for you. You can review the material, exchange ideas, and disagree with one another, which makes you learn faster and gain a better understanding of the topic.

Make learning fun.

Studying on your own can become monotonous and boring. Having people around you while studying is a great way to liven things up, and also makes the entire process more enjoyable.

Learn new study habits.

The reason why you’re struggling could be because you’re stuck in your old ways. By joining a study group, you can observe your group mates, see their methods, and incorporate them into your own regimen.

For example, you may have noticed that some of your classmates use color-coding and mindmapping while studying. If you’re a visual learner, these techniques could be very effective.

Get a fresh perspective.

Solo learning brings just one perspective to the table, while a study group gives you the chance to delve deeper into a topic, share ideas, have debates, and most importantly, learn from each other.

Compare class notes.

Note taking can be challenging, especially if your professor talks too fast. With a study group, you can compare notes with other members to fill in the gaps and to see if you missed something during the lecture.

Refine your people skills.

Attending a class can sometimes feel like a one-way street. The professor does all the talking, while you sit still and listen to what they have to say. A group study can improve your social skills because you get to interact with different personalities. By working with your peers, you learn to listen closely, ask questions, and accept different points of view.

At times, it can be difficult to ask a question in front of the class, but you might find it easier to do so within a smaller audience. Developing these soft skills will help once you enter the corporate world.

Gain a support system.

It can be hard to reach out to friends and family who are not going through the same thing as you. But with a study group, you have an instant support system to provide you with motivation and morale support.

Every university student should try to join a study group to see if a group environment can help make them a better student.