Why Your Study Group Might Be Sabotaging Your Grades

Let's talk about study groups. They sound amazing in theory, right?

You and your classmates, conquering ABGs together, quizzing each other on ventilator modes, living your best collaborative learning life. But here's the tea: not all study groups are created equal, and some are straight-up toxic to your GPA.

The Netflix Study Group- You know this one. You meet up with "study snacks" someone pulls out their notes, and thirty seconds later you're discussing last night's episode of whatever show is trending. Three hours pass. You've learned nothing except that Sarah thinks the main character should've ended up with the other guy.

The Complain-a-Thon- This group spends 90% of the time venting about how haaaaard everything is, how unfair that test was, and how Professor WhatsHisName clearly has it out for EVERYONE. Misery loves company, but company doesn't pass your boards, or make you any money.

The One-Person Show- There's always that one person who knows EVERYTHING and wants everyone else to know that they know everything. They answer every question before anyone else can think. You leave feeling dumber than when you arrived. But the gag is, the working world despises people like this. Good luck with that, Peter.

So How Do You Fix It?

First, be honest about whether your study group is actually helping. If you're consistently leaving more confused or stressed, it's not working.

Set ground rules: phones away, specific topics to cover, time limits, and everyone participates. If someone isn't pulling their weight or is derailing the group, it's okay to study solo or find a new crew.

The best study groups are small (3-4 people max), focused, and honest about what they don't know. You're not there to impress each other— you're there to learn.

And here's a secret: some of the best students I know rarely study in groups. They do their own work first, THEN meet up to clarify specific concepts. Try it, I dare you!

Your grades will thank you. Your sanity will thank you. And you might actually enjoy studying again.