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Confession: I've always wanted to be a part of a study group.
While I lived on campus I briefly studied with fellow law students on a weekly basis, but my interest waned. I decided that studying with other people didn't help me to actually learn. Now, as I enter my third year of studies, I am pretty sure that I'd actually learn better.
Why the change in heart? I've finally worked out some of the benefits of working as a group.
- You can divide up the readings and make less work for yourself. Readings are a drag. Any law student who tells you they do all the assigned readings each week is lying to you. Okay, maybe a few of them are telling the truth, but the fact remains that most law students don't manage to get all the readings done. If you're part of a study group you can split the readings and make your own life much easier.
- You have others to bounce ideas off. Ever been confused about a concept but been too nervous to bring it up in a tutorial? There are so many occasions where I know I would feel more comfortable with legal principles if I had been able to bounce ideas off some others in an informal setting. Yes, you can talk about it all after class with some friends but I know I'd prefer to forget entirely about class the second I leave that room!
- No longer will you be unsure if your answers are wrong! While every study group has different objectives, answering tutorial questions and past exams can be a great way to boost your confidence. If you work with another to answer any set questions, not only will you feel more comfortable when it comes to answering in class but you will be able to sit back and relax in class, without having to try and jot down answers!
- If you miss a class you have contacts who will willingly help you out! Have you ever missed a class and been unsure what you should do? Yes, you probably have a few friends in the class but they might not be so willing to hand over their notes. A study group, however, is based on working together and sharing your knowledge. While you might not get an automatic yes, chances are someone from a study group will lend a hand.
Now that I know there are numerous benefits to working with other people I've decided I must work with others in the coming semester! I'm sure I will soon be wondering why I had not come to the conclusion sooner.
Do you have any experience in study groups? Do they work for you?
Do you have any experience in study groups? Do they work for you?
My friends have formed a seasonal study group that usually only meets (in that capacity) around exam time. Personally, I reckon it's definitely done some good for me. I'd have dropped a grade band in Torts 1 if we hadn't been working together in the days and weeks leading up to the exam. I find it much easier to engage with study when there are other people to work with, subjects I do without friends seem to have far less hours devoted to them.
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