Effective Study Group?

Hey everyone! I just started nursing school last week and am pumped! My instructors are wonderful, classmates great, and of course, I like the subject matter. :)

My question is - anyone have advice for how to study in a study group? I've always studied on my own. While I plan to continue doing this (cus it works for me) I also know that I have benefitted in the past from working with other people. But I'm not sure what to do at a study group - ask each other questions? quick one another? just silently study together until someone needs help?

Please let me know how your study group has worked, or does work, and any general advice on studying!

Thank you!

Jessica

[amyb2684]

Well, make sure you have a study group!! It is important (I think); however, this does not mean that you have to study with them everytime they study. You can let them know from the beginning that you normally study on your own. As for what we do, we get together and work independently and do the whole discussing thing also. We get blueprints (outlines, whatever you want to call them) and we start making a study guide. The girls in my group and I are about the same in the matter of we want to make our own study guide, not use somebody elses. We all have a different style of doing things. The purpose of doing it together is because we help motivate each other and keep each other on track. I tend to want to do other things, especially when I am burnt out on studying. Also, if we have a questions or dont understand something, one person might have a better grasp on it so we explain it to each other. The last thing we do before a test is go through the blueprint and compare what we put in our reviews and discuss possible test questions. That really helps because something that I might have not thought was important stuck out to somebody else. Talking about it with other people also helps it stick. We have about 6 people who study in our group. It is mainly just 3 of us, but we welcome the others when they feel they need it. Some only come for the talking outload sessions.

Now for the negatives of a study group. Location must provide a good study environment. Young kids are a negative, husbands interfere, and for me home does to. I can always find something I 'should' be doing (laundry). Also, some days it is hard to stop talking sometimes and stay on track. I have to discipline myself and stop at times. Somebody needs to keep everybody on track. Hope this helps and good luck!!

[DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP]

Pick and choose carefully!

Personally, I prefer to study alone but that is just my personality.

Also, beware of drama queens and energy vampires.

Best of Luck!