Working Together

When I first got to college my number one priority was making friends. After orientation, we no longer had hours upon hours to hang out because we all had work to do. A simple solution was for us to all meet up in the lounge and do our homework together. However, every time we would sit down to work someone would start up a conversation and no one would get anything done. We were all more interested in each other than our classes. The work started piling up and we quickly realized that group study time was ineffective. Slowly the number of people doing homework together started dwindling. Some worked up in their rooms and others went to the library to find a silent corner.

Every so often we will forget why we no longer do homework together. Recently, I went to the library with one of my friends to write a paper. We were there for five hours and I got only one page done. Instead we talked and listened to music in a group study room. Neither of us are disciplined enough to sit in the same room and not talk. Sometimes you can be lucky enough to find someone that you are able to work with. I personally do not like working with people I do not know well. On one hand you probably will not be tempted to talk about your life, since the only thing you share is the class. On the other hand I often feel uncomfortable working with people I don't know -- for one thing there seem to be a lot of awkward silences. But I have found a few friends who I can do homework with and actually get stuff done. Usually they are the type of people who are really focused and will ignore me until I get to work.

If you can find one or two people who you work well with I think it is a great motivator to get things done. Going to the library is not so daunting if you have someone to go with. Even if they slow you down slightly, it makes the work less stressful.