Group projects: the bane of every student’s existence. Group projects can either be one of the most stressful and aggravating assignments you will ever complete, or simply an assignment completed with some friends or acquaintances – depending on whether or not the groups for these projects are assigned. Anyone who has ever completed a group project knows that there are multiple stages to its completion, including the following:
1. The dread that sinks in when the group project is first assigned.
You try to keep calm as the instructor gives all of the details of the assignment; meanwhile, while you silently pray that you will be allowed to choose your own groups.
2. The rush of relief when you find out you can choose your own groups.
Times like this, it always pays off to be friends with the smart, reliable students in all of your classes.
3. Or the wave of panic that rushes over you when you find out the groups will be assigned.
You worry which students you’ll be paired with: the ones who are willing to work for a good grade on the assignment or the ones who expect to be carried to a good grade.
4.The relief that comes with getting assigned to a group full of reliable students.
If you’re fortunate to be paired with students who work as hard as you do, you find yourself be thankful that the instructor was at least considerate enough to not leave you hanging high and dry with an unreliable group.
5.Or when you find out who you’ve been assigned to work with and the panic immediately grows exponentially.
If you get assigned to a subpar group, you find yourself resenting the instructor for the duration of the group assignment.
6. The sinking realization that you will without a doubt be the one who carries the group for the entire project.
In every group project, it seems that there are the workers and the slackers; with any luck, you won’t be the only worker. However, you’ll probably know pretty early on whether or not you’ll be carrying the entire group.
7. Attempting to be patient with your group as you try to work on the project but they keep getting off topic.
You try to smile and be polite, even though getting your group members to focus is like pulling teeth.
8. Trying to sort through the misguided suggestions of your group members to find an idea for the project that will actually work, all while still trying to be polite to your group members.
You don’t want to offend anyone, but you also know what will and will not get you a passing grade on the assignment.
9. Finally giving up on the rest of your group and doing the whole project yourself.
Sometimes, you can only rely on one person to get the job done: you. Albeit unfortunate and frustrating, you find yourself doing much more than your fair share of work because you need a good grade on the assignment.
10. When your group members try to take credit for all of your work.
You smile through the anger while presenting the project, while you silently curse your group members for being so lazy.
11. Giving your group members a poor peer review because they were no help at all.
You don’t even care that they’ll resent you for making them get a worse grade on the assignment because you were so tired of them doing none of the work.
