As a student at Emory, you are way to familiar with group projects. About 70% of the time you get a really great group and things go really well. The other 30% of the time…not so much. If you’ve ever been in an unfortunate group project situation, South Park knows how you feel.
You get assigned a group project and you start looking around for partners. Is it awkward to ask now, is it assumed we’re going to work together?
Alright we got this. Now we just have to find the rest of our group.
We have so much time, this will be great. We’re going to start ahead of time and just kill this project. It’s all going to be marshmallows and rainbows.
Then a group member doesn’t respond to the facebook message or show up to the meeting, and you’re just like, “Really?”
Or if they do show up, they’re on Facebook or doing other work, and you’re left wondering if they’re even listening to what you’re saying.
You find yourself trying to get something, anything together. “Come on guys what’s the plan?”
But nothing changes and the whole group is on edge. The project isn’t close to coming together, and you’re just feeling done.
Before you know it, the project that you had so much time to do—the one that was going to be so great—is turning into a total disaster.
The project is due way to soon and you finally have to just take it over yourself and work with anyone else in the group who cares to get it done.
But then you realize that means actually having to do way more work then you should have had to, but now with even less time. Oh, and that one team member is still MIA…
Post-slight breakdown, finally, someway, somehow the project gets done!
Then you think about that one group member…
Should I say something to the teacher…
But then you realize it’s not even worth the effort to make a big deal now that it’s finished. Time to let it go.
Then there’s the best moment of all when you turn the project in. “Peace out group, it’s been real.”
Good luck on your group project(s)!