It's August 16th and you just arrived for your first day of school.
You’re in 8:00 AM Civil Procedure class, looking around at your 80-something classmates to see who you would befriend or who you would have a good relationship with. You get a feel for the 1L class you will be with for the next year. And as you look around, the impending question hits: do I need a study group?
The answer is yes, no... maybe so? It really depends on you.
It’s nice to have a group of friends that you can call for help with assignments and readings. It’s also nice to have those friends make sure you stay on top of your readings. You know, like Accountabilibuddies. Friends who hold you accountable!
It’s also nice to have people you can vent to about grades, memos, internships, etc. Just having a friend group you can joke around with makes an enormous difference in your law school experience. Because it just reminds you that you are not alone.
But when it comes studying come finals period? A study group isn’t necessary, per se. If you find that you can study well by yourself, then go for it! If you’re more productive while in a group with other people, then that’s fine too! Really, there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to studying for finals. It’s whatever works best for you!
Me, personally. My friend group is my emotional support. We usually share memes and talk about Netflix series.
But that’s just me... you do you!
And if you’re wondering about the student body. It’s very collaborative and supportive. Every affinity group and club on campus does a great job of notifying you of upcoming events and opportunities. Moreover, every club offers 1L members mentors to guide them through their first year and point them to the right places.
So, yeah, don’t stress too much about study groups. I was in the same position as you when I was entering 1L, and everything turned out just fine.