5 ways to keep social and study time separate during summer session
Some students will be attending a summer session at their local college with several of their friends. Although this can make the summer more enjoyable, it’s important to separate friendship from academic activities. During summer school it’s important to think about the importance of education and how to make it a priority without losing valuable friendships. One of the best ways to do this is just to keep socialization and study time separate but, of course, that’s easier said than done – Our private San Diego summer tutors will help your child keep social and study time separate during summer session.
1) Group study
Group study can be difficult because classmates often distract each other more than they help each other complete the assignment. It’s best to set boundaries, break up tasks, and set reasonable goals when it comes to group study sessions. If somebody isn’t holding up their end of the assignment, it can be easy just to let it slide because they’re a friend but this can result in a lower grade overall. Successful summer study groups have members who are similarly motivated, appreciate one another’s strengths and weaknesses, and get along in general.
2) Living at home during the summer
Most college students live at home during the summer, so they won’t be distracted by campus activities. However, students can still be distracted by neighborhood friends and local social activities. If a student is taking online summer classes, they should keep that separate from plans with friends and set aside enough time to complete summer assignments. If a student commutes to their local college, they should consider studying at the library, which will be pretty quiet during July and August (READ: Tips From an Irvine Math Tutor: Focus on Math Over Summer Break).
3) Summer classes
Many students don’t get to choose their electives during the year because their top choices are full. This obstacle is nearly eliminated during the summer because most students choose to go home or just take a break from academics. It’s really important for students to take electives they think will help them prepare for their career or explore potential major fields of study and summer is the perfect time to do just that. Students should pick electives regardless of what courses their friends are taking so they can social network with people in their field.
4) Social study
Study groups are a great help when it comes to getting tough university level assignments completed, and there’s no reason why students can’t be members of multiple study groups. Perhaps they study with a few super smart classmates so they can ace their summer science course and then meet up with some good friends and work on separate assignments at the university coffee shop. It’s important to study with motivated and successful classmates, whether or not they happen to be good friends.
5) Balance
If summer session students start to feel like they’re putting a ton of effort towards academics and don’t have any friends in their classes, it’s important they set aside some time away from school to socialize. Although the primary purpose of a summer session is to learn and prepare for a career, it’s also important to just sit back and relax once in awhile. Students can get together with friends and grab a bite to eat or go to the beach. Spending a little bit of time off campus can help give students perspective and allow them to have a well-balanced summer experience.
Is your child struggling to balance his/her social and study time? Our private, in-home San Diego summer tutoring will help them focus and succeed at their goals.