Is Studying With A Buddy Good For Your Grades?

You might think you don’t need a study partner at all. Many students believe that studying alone is more effective and convenient because they do not need to adapt to anyone. And this is absolutely normal!

But we have found that having a study buddy has many advantages. Of course, you can always study alone at home, but you’ll miss the numerous benefits that come from learning with a friend or two.

In this article, we will explain the most crucial advantages of having a study buddy. We’ll also explore the characteristics of a friend who can support you in your studies and how to nurture those qualities in yourself.

Who Is a Study Buddy Exactly?

We’ve already mentioned that a study buddy is a friend with whom you can prepare for tests and exams. But we’d like to dive deeper! Let’s explore the phenomenon in detail and figure out what it means to be one.

A study buddy should have these qualities:

• Empathy. A good study buddy is someone who understands your emotions, especially stress, that can be caused by upcoming exams. In an ideal case, both of you should experience the same challenges to understand each other better.
• Patience. Sometimes, it takes a long time to grasp new material. A reliable study buddy is someone who can withstand stress and overcome the difficulties of the process successfully.
• Enthusiasm. A study buddy is someone who energizes you and motivates you to achieve your goals. This type of friend will always support and encourage you.
• Self-organization. The ability to schedule a workload properly is the key to success. Therefore, a study buddy should be able to manage their time wisely and learn the material needed for an exam.

Reasons to Get a Study Buddy

There are several reasons why you should think of finding a study buddy or a study group. Studying with a friend can be beneficial for:

1. Sharing knowledge and understanding: When you study with a friend, you can share your knowledge and understanding of the subject matter. This can help you to fill in any gaps in your understanding and clarify any concepts that you might be struggling with.

2. Motivation: Studying with a friend can be motivating. You can hold each other accountable for completing assignments and studying for exams. Additionally, having someone to discuss the material with can help you stay engaged and interested in the subject matter.

3. Different perspectives: Your friend may have a different perspective on the material than you do, which can help you to see the subject matter from a new angle. This can be particularly helpful if you are struggling to understand a concept.

4. Practice: Studying with a friend can provide an opportunity for you to practice what you have learned. You can quiz each other, discuss key concepts, and work through practice problems together.

Overall, studying with a friend can be a fun and effective way to learn. By sharing knowledge and understanding, motivating each other, gaining different perspectives, and practicing together, you can both improve your grades and deepen your understanding of the material.

Now that you’ve learned about all the benefits of studying with your friends let’s see how to start. First and foremost, you need to become a good study buddy yourself. This way, the extra effort that your friends put into studying with you can pay off for them too.

Tips on Selecting a Study Buddy

Choosing a study buddy can be a confusing process. In this section, we’ve gathered tips to help you select the absolute best one for you. Depending on your personality, you’ll want to look for different characteristics that make someone a good partner for you in your study process. Here are a few things you should take into account when selecting a friend to study with:

1. Compatibility.

Before choosing your study buddy, ask yourself some personal questions:

• Do you like to chat during your study session?
• Are you a team player?
• Do you enjoy working in silence, or do you want to discuss the new information actively?

Asking these questions before choosing a study buddy is essential because these qualities will determine how successful your study results will be. Do not choose a study buddy based on your shared interests or hobbies. Instead, consider how well your study styles match each other.

2. Availability.

Another essential point to consider is your schedule – you want to find someone who has a similar one. If your potential study buddy lives too far away or works inconvenient hours, then it might be better to look for someone else.

3. Attitude.

It would help if you found someone who respects your time and schedule. Study partners should make things easier for each other. Who needs additional stress? Choose someone punctual, organized, and motivated.

4. Approach.

There is a significant difference between study partners and tutors. Remember that you don’t have to be a teacher to your study buddy and explain all the given material. The goal should be to find someone who matches your academic level. Otherwise, you will spend all your time doing someone else’s work.

5. Distractibility.

A good partner should be beneficial for your study process. They should not be the ones distracting you. Thus, find someone who is as motivated and goal-driven as you. Having your best friend as your study buddy might not be the best idea. If you have too much fun together, it might be challenging to focus on the studies.

6. Skills

The best scenario would be finding someone who knows what you don’t know and vice versa. In this case, you can help each other with the study material. For instance, you know someone who is excellent with constitutional law but does not know torts that well. Your understanding of torts can help your study buddy, and their knowledge of constitutional law can fill your educational gaps.

7. Mindset.

Maintaining a positive outlook is essential. All of us can get scared and unmotivated at times. That’s why it is critical to choose someone whose spirit can boost your confidence and mood.

Studying with Buddies: Productively

Collaborative learning is a process that requires the involvement of each participant. That is, if you want to have a great study buddy, you have to become one yourself. So to navigate a study session, and make sure it is productive, here are some tips:

Step 1: Pick the location.

Choose a convenient place to meet and study. This could be a free classroom in a college, someone’s room in an apartment or dorm. Now, you can meet on Zoom or Skype for collaborative learning.

Step 2: Create a schedule.

It is necessary to devote specific time to your study sessions. Agree on a particular period to conduct your study sessions. Create a shared file with a schedule where all of you can make changes.

Step 3: Choose what to study in advance.

Set a specific goal of what you need to do. You can’t be studying everything at once. Divide the material between each other beforehand.

Step 4: Share your notes and resources.

Sharing valuable resources and clear notes is necessary. It might lead to a better understanding of the material for both of you. If you share your notes, your partner will share theirs. Apart from that, you can both look up informative essay examples that might be useful for studying a particular subject or topic. Exchange what you’ve found afterwards.

Step 5: Plan time for studying and breaks.

You can’t be studying all the time. Devote some time for collaborative and individual study sessions, as well as for some rest time. Also, take some breaks during actual meetings to not overwork.

Step 6: Be prepared for each session.

If you’ve agreed on anything to do during previous sessions, do it. Complete all the tasks you’ve decided to do. Make notes to discuss specific questions.

Step 7: Communicate.

Make sure to actually talk to your study buddy. Your understandings and thoughts might be different, and it’s vital to share them. There’s no point to gather and read the information in silence.

Step 8: Consider tutoring each other.

Explaining a topic in your own words is an effective way to learn it. Try taking in turns and teaching each other specific issues. Every participant will benefit from such sessions.

Step 9: Test and assess each other.

Make regular quizzes. That’s a helpful method of evaluating one’s process of studying. Plus, it’s useful for group sessions.

Step 10: Agree on the deadlines.

If you’re in the course together, it is necessary to go over the material and schedule some deadlines to be on track. Having a shared goal and due date will increase productivity and keep you focused. However, you also need to plan some individual study sessions.