Group vs. Individual Studying

Group vs. Individual Studying

When it comes to studying, there are about two options you have to choose from: studying with a group or studying by yourself. Both can have beneficial results, however, there can be different levels of distraction that come with the pair. There are a lot of mixed opinions about which is better and more effective. 

Ashley Smith, a Senior at SNU, gave her thoughts about the different studying environments. When asked about how effective studying in a group is for her she said that “seventy-five percent of the time I have found it to be effective because I either lead or co-lead a group when I get into that setting.” Even though sometimes groups can get off-topic she says that it is “still helpful because we need breaks and that also helps me to stay focused because then we can always come back to the topic.” 

When it comes to staying focused in an individual study session, Smith says that “having a plan helps me, especially having a bullet point list of objectives, outcomes, and goals to achieve.” 

On the question of studying in a group setting, Matt Blose, a Sophmore at SNU, said that it depends on the type of group. “If it is a group of close friends I feel that it is more effective than a group that is assigned by a professor at random.” He says that this is because “the people don’t know or care about each other.”

When it comes to individual studying, Blose prefers it because he feels like he can accomplish more by himself than in a group. Maintaining focus can be hard, but Blose says “I will turn on lo-fi beats, isolate myself and then I’ll just study.” 

Whether you are on “team group” or “team individual”, it is important to find what works best for you. If anything, finding motivation for studying can be hard. Try and create a reward system where you will get a snack when you finish a paper, or at least take a well deserved nap after you finish an assignment. All in all, happy studying!

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash