2 unbelievably simple but smart ways to study with friends!

Hey, So you are all set for a study time along with your study buddy? It's cool to be able to study with your friend. Chips for munching, coke or coffee, couch or bean bag just makes up the mood. If there are 2 or more than 2 friends together, that's even better. Studies are enjoyed a lot more when you have a friend or a group of friends with you. Isn't it?

We absolutely agree that it's fun and we want it to remain a fun. That's the best way to get the most out of your studies. The issue is when the purpose of studying together is defeated.

Do you know, there are two unbelievably simple but really smart ways to study together with friends? "STUDY" together or study "TOGETHER". Didn't get it? Come on, you got it.

• STUDY together - You just want to be with someone who quietly sits with you and continues doing his/her studies while you do yours
• Study TOGETHER - You want to discuss, talk, deliberate with the other person in order to understand the study topic better

What do you want to do?

- STUDY together - Goal is to spend some time together studying individually.

• Agree and decide on rules - Time to study, time for breaks, time to talk/discuss, time to eat etc. Read the "Pizza Technique" to understand more around how can you schedule your study times. 
• Pick somebody who is a little more sincere than you
• Solving papers, completing homework or assignments, activities that do not need discussions could be best done here

- Study TOGETHER - Objective is to understand a topic better by discussing it with friend.

• Follow an explosive formula to study TOGETHER - RDX 
  R - Read. Read and try to understand yourself whatever you want to discuss.
  D - Discuss. Discuss and exchange your understanding about a topic with friend. Let him/her do it too.
  X - Xpress. Once the topic is understood, express your understanding by drawing, writing. Avoid Q&A and rather focus on understanding the concept. You can answer any question once you conceptually understand a topic. Imagine somebody asking you a story of Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban or Game of thrones. You may talk for minutes! Why? because you have understood it better.   
• Pick somebody who is a little smarter than you
• Remember - Learning is "recreating". While you will use D - discuss to recreate, X - Xpress should be used with "writing" and "drawing" and not just "talking". 

Finally and most importantly, you know there are different kind of friends. Some are your study friends and some are your fun friends. Some are your TP friends and some would be your hi-bye friends. Always remember the purpose of Studying together. It should help both of you.

So stop if it doesn't. "But how can I do it to my friend?" - Let's address it in another blog post.

Until then - have fun while studying!