Group projects have to be everyone's most dreaded assignments that can be given in a class. There are so many reasons why they suck, but here are just a few that top everyone's lists.
One person never does anything
Seriously, you always have that one person who is never at group meetings and if they do anything it tends to be the bare minimum.
Working around multiple schedules
Most successful group projects require everyone working together to make a coherent, flowing project. However, trying to meet when everyone has different class schedules, organization commitments, jobs, and other priorities can make this extremely difficult.
Picking a group
We've all had that one class where you know no one and you're currently sitting there in a panic over whether you will be chosen or have a group. Now I'm freaking out from the second-hand stress.
Assigned groups
Assigned groups can be good at getting rid of the anxiety of trying to find a group. However, you could also get the people in the class that haven't shown up for 90% of the classes and aren't really going to do anything.
Scrambling last minute to get things done
Someone didn't do their part, and now you're sitting in front of your laptop rushing to get a decent project together.
The professor telling you to deal with a problem-person
Literally, we've all had that professor that tells you to just suck it up when someone isn't pulling their weight because that's how it will be in the real world. I highly doubt this, but also you're here to help teach us how to deal with this stuff. So, maybe have some type of plan for how to deal with someone who is taking credit for others work.
Communication
This is especially tricky when the group is more than two as now you're trying to communicate between multiple people. Sometimes they don't respond. Others don't show up. There is even that frustration of trying to relay over an hour long group meeting to the one person who wasn't there.
Grading
Personally, I know I want to see the entire project and help out with anything I can because you're being graded on the project as a whole, not on just the part you did. It also helps to make sure everyone knows the project and the basics of everyone's part so that when asked questions anyone can respond accurately.
No show
THAT person that doesn't tell anyone they're not going to be there the day of the presentation, so you're stuck presenting their part even though you have limited to no knowledge of their part.
Anxiety
I have social anxiety and anyone else who have anxiety can relate to wanting to have some semblance of control over your work. When you're in a group, you relinquish that right and honestly, it causes a lot more stress than working alone does.
Overall, group projects are something professors seem to do for their reasoning being to prepare us for the future. However, it seems too many don't take into account the emotional distress it causes and trying to best create a group project that will handle some of these aspects, so students aren't ready to pull their own hair out.
