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Sometimes things you learn in class may seem a bit confusing maybe you realize you have gap in your notes from lecture yesterday.  Such instances are a great reason to come over to the ARC and receive help from a tutor.  Another option and something I've recently witnessed at the ARC is to engage in a group study session.  This option can be especially helpful when there is no tutor around.

Students can benefit from sharing ideas and knowledge with others.   For instance, you can not only gain a better understanding of the material by learning from your peers, but you can also master a topic by explaining it to others.  Furthermore, group studying gives you the opportunity to support and encourage one another.  However, it's easy to get off topic and begin discussing your weekend plans or the recent Bears game.  So, it's helpful to assign someone the task if keeping everyone on track.  

To get the most out of group study sessions stick with the following guidelines:

1. Keep the group number to about 4 - 6 people
2. Work with others who share your motivation to succeed academically
3. Limit the session to about 2 - 3 hours
4. Plan the session ahead of time so you have a chance to prepare and review some of the material
5. Take turns teaching each other in order to reinforce learning

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