If you hate group projects, you definitely shouldn’t have chosen to go to PhilaU. Unfortunately, I haven’t met many people who actually like them, so we all have to make do. The professional world we are about to enter is all about collaboration, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The ideas that can form between a group are often more detailed and creative than what one brain alone can come up with. Group projects can be great if you have the right team, but more often than not, that isn’t the case. Here are five steps from my experience that will help you survive them, and maybe even begin to enjoy them.
1. Google Docs – we are college students and we have a million things going on at once. It’s practically impossible to get a group of three or more together outside of class because people have jobs and homework and social obligations. Google Docs and Slides are both great tools to use when you need to get things done and you can’t physically be together.
2. Utilize class time to the best of your ability – since it’s so hard to meet outside of class, use designated work time during class as best you can. I know it’s easy to slack off and say you’ll just do the work later on your own, but when that time comes you won’t want to either. So while you’re already there and already together, just get it out of the way. You’ll thank yourself later.
3. Don’t procrastinate – this is good advice for any assignment, but especially when you are working in groups. We serial procrastinators can put a lot of stress on other group members when we wait to do our part until the night before. Sometimes it happens, but try your best to be proactive so as not to put undue work on the shoulders of your other team members.
4. Create roles – a lot of professors that I’ve had require you to do this, but even if they don’t, it’s a good idea anyway. Find a way to divvy up the work that makes sense to everyone and fits their different skill sets. If one of your teammates is a bad writer, have them draw a diagram. This is the best way to capitalize on each group members best work, so you’re not stuck rewriting someone’s poorly formatted paper at 2:30am the day it’s due.
5. Be honest on team member reviews – everyone has been in groups with people who just don’t do their fair share. It’s unavoidable. When it comes time for the inevitable peer review at the end of the semester, be honest. Even if you like them as a person and don’t want them to get a bad grade in the class, you have to strictly review them on the work they’ve done. If there are not consequences, they will never learn to be a better group member and pull their weight, and that isn’t fair to their future teams.
Group projects don’t have to suck if you do them right. You just have to look on the bright side. You’re doing less work than you would have if you were all alone doing the assignment. You’re meeting new people and maybe even making friends. And the best part is, classes that revolve around group work usually don’t have a final exam at the end of the semester.