How to Organize a Final Exam Study Group
So it's that time again; final exams are looming and it's sink or swim. One way to get an edge is to organize a final exam study group where students in the same challenging course can pool their knowledge. Daunting books and theories can seem so much easier to understand when you're discussing them with your fellow students who can sometimes put them into plain English. But when you're getting this group together, think about how it will (or won't) work to get you in good shape for test day.
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Instructions
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Find out who's serious. As with any study group, students who come to chat or to pick up members of the opposite sex will drag your group down quick. By this time, you should know who the dedicated students are. Make sure they are the ones invited to these eleventh hour sessions.
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Find a venue. The library is usually good, but if your campus library doesn't offer at least some degree of privacy or space for conferencing, you'll have to go elsewhere. Many options exist; finding your best ones might take a little networking. Groups often end up in some dorm room or someone's home.
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Get times straight. Make sure everyone is on the same bat-channel. Unconfirmed times will have people running around trying to find each other. It might be helpful to use an email list to keep everybody on the same page.
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Stop waiting. Waiting for absent group members can become a trap for inactivity; if Johnny the expert on medieval romance is not around for the moment, start up a conversation without him and tap the resources you do have around the table. When it's down to the final exam, those who snooze, lose.
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Keep it positive. Remind each other you're there to help each other out, not grind each other down. Don't put up with petty rivalries in your group. Remember, like the old founding fathers said, we're all created equal. Keep the focus on how to pool knowledge and not in sniping at one or another's study skills.
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