8.Most of us grow up automatically studying alone. If we study
with a friend, there’s often more talking, TV watching, anything
but studying. But don’t underestimate the positive effect study-
ing with one or two friends—or even a larger study group—
can have on your mastery of schoolwork and your grades.
(I discuss study groups in greater detail at the end of this
section.)
9.Just because you perform best under pressure doesn’t mean
you should always leave projects, papers, and studying for
tests until the last minute. It just means you won’t panic
when an unexpected project gets assigned or a surprise test
is announced.
If you do not study well under pressure, it certainly doesn’t
mean you occasionally won’t be required to do so. The better
organized you are, the easier it will be for you to avoid panick-
ing when the unexpected arises.10.As we’ve discussed, some of you (like me) will find it difficult
to concentrate without music or some sort of noise. Others
couldn’t sit in front of the TV and do anything but breathe
and eat.
Many of you will fall in between—you can read and even take
notes to music but need absolute quiet to study for a test or
master particularly difficult concepts. If you don’t know how
you function best, now is the time to find out.
11.Choosing the second option—starting and finishing one project
before moving on to another—doesn’t mean you can’t at least
sit down and outline an entire night’s study plan before tackling
each subject, one at a time. Setting up such a study schedule
is advised. But it may mean you really can’t move to another
project while the first one is unfinished. Other people may
have no problem working on one project, switching to another
when they get stuck or just need a break, then going back to
the first.
Chapter 2 ■ How to Organize Your Studying 31