When it comes to friendships and study partners, I feel like people really do not talk enough about how one person can be a good friend but a terrible study partner, or even the other way around, not everyone you vibe with socially is someone you can sit down and read with, I learned this in school without anybody having to advise me.
This topic honestly takes me back to the days when exam period would come and I would have to be waking my coursemate up just so we could read together, there is this girl, Bolu, Let me just say it straight, Bolu is not a bad friend at all, In fact, she is one of those people that you can gist with, laugh with, talk about life with, She has this free spirit kind of vibe, and she’s the person you can call when you want to rant or share something personal, But when it comes to studying? My dear, she is the worst study partner you could ever wish for.
The thing about Bolu is that she prioritizes other personal things over reading. She reads, yes, but only when she finds it convenient for her, meanwhile, me, once exam starts approaching, my head changes, I am in full focus mode, but imagine being in focus mode and the person you want to read with is thinking about something else entirely either talking about gist, food, clothes, or in fact sleeping, there were times we would make plans to read, and next thing I am the one waking her up or reminding her to stay focused, and honestly it got tiring, I love her as a friend, but as a study partner? God forbid bad thing, We will just both fail together.
Now, on the other side, there was this girl Umma, We were close too, but she didn’t stay in the hostel, even though she wasn’t always physically around, she always came through for me academically, She would send me her study notes, ask for mine, and sometimes remind me of things we needed to cover, Studying with Umma felt like progress, It felt like someone was also working towards something serious, not just doing vibes and freestyle like Bolu.
So over time, I naturally separated the roles in my head, If I want to share personal things or just relax and gist, I go to Bolu, If I want to get serious and study, I go to Umma, and honestly, I think that’s where people get it wrong in life, You cannot put every friend in every area of your life, not everyone is meant for everything, some people are your fun friends, some are your support system, some are your prayer partners, some are your study partners, and some are just for vibes, and that is okay.
So the qualities I look for in a good friend or study partner.... For a friend, I look for loyalty, understanding, and someone that I can be myself around without any kind of fear, but then for a study partner? I look for seriousness, consistency, and someone that can match my energy academically, Because at the end of the day, friendship does not always equal partnership, sometimes, it is best to know where everyone fits in your life.
I invite @cohlson @suqueen @afrikens to give their entry for this prompt
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