 Many different people study in the United States. When you go to college, you may study with people who are very different from you. There are younger people, older people, people with disabilities, people from different countries, with different learning styles, different clothing styles, different communication styles, different sexual orientations, and different goals. Some students may be expelled, kicked out from college for cheating, and others may think it is okay to use notes while taking a test. Some teachers are easy to talk to, while others may be difficult to talk to. Some teachers may have scheduled office hours, while others have an open door policy, stopped by any time I am in my office. Some classes may have presentations, essays, and group projects, and others may offer only lectures, homework, and test. Some teachers may help you with your language barriers, and others may not. Some students study only with members of the same sex, and others study in mixed groups. For a successful study group, students need to work together. If you are comfortable studying with different people, you can be successful at school. If you have conflicts with other students or teachers, because of your differences, here are some ideas for studying in a group or learning in the classroom. Be patient. Respect everyone in your study group and classroom. Focus on learning, not on your differences, and those of other students. Learn to recognize that we are more similar than different. We all want to be successful. Let's do it together.