Study groups?I dont know how

Agrippa · Aug 15, 2009

Yea, I think study groups are overrated. Too much time spent on jibber jabber and the group only progresses as far as the slowest person in the group.

The only time I like to do a study group is like after we all study on our own and then we collectively go over last minute review at the end.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Aug 15, 2009

Here is another person that doesnt like study groups. I just dont think enough ever gets done. And I actually get MORE distracted at the library.

CuriousMe · Aug 15, 2009

We study by ourselves first, then meet together to study. We generally either go over flash cards that we've all made ahead of time, or go through NCLEX questions on whatever topic we're studying. What I get out of study groups is, it's the only way I find out what I didn't know, I didn't know :)

SaraFL · Aug 15, 2009

I'm the same way. It's not like you need a group of people to read the pages, but it is helpful to drill each other before an exam. And I've found that having each person explain a concept to the group, as if they've never heard it before, is helpful.

yalienne · Aug 15, 2009

I say stick to what you are good at. Study by yourself if that's what worked for you in the past. However, you might need a study group to practice the clinical stuff. Study groups have never worked for me in the past. I always studied by myself. I think I might try it for the clinical stuff so I dont talk to myself.

Trauma Columnist · Aug 15, 2009

Agree to stick to what works for you.

Personally, I'm way too chatty to study in a group - lol.

Zoe*aka*studentnurse · Aug 15, 2009

hi

I'm not a huge fan of study groups, but they have helped me. I study by myself, and my study group usually meets once a week to go over lab books ect - so its good if your stuck on something.

YOu'll find what works for you, and then stick with it. Good luck,

Zoe

Silas · Aug 16, 2009

Save your study groups for special classes, you can usually tackle material yourself

I never ever ever study in groups or with more than myself because I feel like I know what I need to do and where I need to concentrate. I don't want to be "held down" working in tandem with someone else for what is a personal task. That being said, pathophysiology is a very large course and prompted me to start using groups when I just could not get the results I wanted working alone.

I did not stop studying alone- in fact I started studying harder. The group dynamic involved us talking through the notes, asking each other to clarify, and most importantly: asking each other test questions. It worked a lot better to have someone asking me the signs/symptoms of kidney stones than memorizing charts in a book. Or even when someone does not understand a concept, having to actually explain things makes you much more versed than before. I remember the details of the heart probably more than anything else in anatomy, for example, because I taught my friend that chapter when he needed help.

When you need a group, make sure you all have a plan. We would all agree to look over certain chapters and write out a few questions to quiz each other. This way you are still studying, just getting supplemental knowledge from other smart people. :)

Bonus points: everyone has quirky things to remember little details

(E.g. Cations are positive because cats have paws)

Nursey103, ADN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

I actually love study groups. I study by myself and try to learn the material on my own before going to our study groups. Once I'm there, people will ask questions that I would never think of. Sometimes it's hard to challenge yourself when you're studying alone. Plus, if someone doesn't understand something, I can explain it to them and in the end...that actually helps me understand it better.

There are defintely times when we end up goofing around but sometimes we need it and it's a way of letting loose a little before a test. We don't meet all the time but will meet a few times before a test. We read through our lecture notes and take the chapter quizes and/or answer the questions in the study guide together. It works and we've all done well. It's always the same people so we're used to each other and we get done what needs to get done.

Maybe you should give it a try. Good luck!

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

Greetings all, I begin NS on
Aug. 25th. At our orientation back in June, the NS director said they encourage us to study in study groups. I know what a study group is, but I have always studied by myself. I usually do little gestures and say certain things to help me study and I really do not know how to participate in study groups. Does anyone else feel the same? Will anyone offer some advice?:heartbeat:nurse::heartbeat

I am not a study group kind of person, 1 maybe 2 people I can do, probably just 1 though. What helped me last semester for my Patho class was I had one person I got close with and we would study together. It worked out well because the stuff she understood well was the stuff I struggled with, so she could explain it well to me and vice versa. It was funny because before we got together, our first exam we got the same grade and missed just about the same number of questions, (she missed like 2 more than me) but we missed OPPOSITE questions. That is when we thought about getting together.

She doesn't start nursing school for 2 more years and I start next week, we still plan on getting together and I will like "teach" her to help me study, and than she will have a huge jump start when she starts from being my guinea pig.

ShantheRN, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2009

I'm in the same boat!

I've always been an academic loner. Mainly because I was also one of the smart kids that ended up teaching the rest of my study group. It got to the point that my classmates would ask to be partnered with me because they knew I could get them an A. By the time I reached high school I flat out refused to do group projects or partners. If I was doing all the work, I wanted all the credit :chuckle

Everyone keeps talking about the benefits of study groups....so I'm going to try it. I met a few people at orientation and exchanged email addies with them. I plan on doing the bulk of my studying on my own, but hearing other people's ideas about stuff could be beneficial. We shall see.