The Importance of Study Groups

“Everyone is your competition,” they said. Coming into law school, this was the kind of information I was receiving about my peers. On top of that, as a transfer student I was already concerned about making friends, getting involved, and finding my place within the Loyola community. After all, everyone knows that 1L is the year everybody bonds and develops their “circle.” At Loyola, however, I found such stereotypes to be so far from the truth. Instead I found a supportive, collaborative, and welcoming student body.

It is rather well established that going through law school is no easy feat. The heavy workload, demanding nature, and long hours of studying make law school unlike any other professional degree. With that said, it’s important to have a support system in place during law school. Personally, my support system is made up largely of my peers. Whether I’m feeling overwhelmed by my crazy schedule that week or am having trouble with an assignment, I know that there is always someone just a phone call away who can empathize with what I’m going through and therefore give me the best advice.

As expected, I found that this support system became particularly important during final exams. Study groups have always been helpful in explaining concepts I may have not fully understood or looking at an issue from a different perspective. Each person in the study group always brings something different to the table and my study group has essentially become an open forum for the discussion of ideas. We get frustrated together, work through problems together, and have “aha” moments together. Today I consider my peers some of my best friends. We’ve been through it all and law school would not be the same without then.