Group projects suck. There is nothing more to it, and I'm sure 99.9 percent of you agree. No matter what your major or minor is, at some point in your college career, you have or will have to participate in one of these dreadful assignments. Now every group, usually assigned by a teacher based on some bogus personality test, has its different personalities, work ethics, and timeline to get the project done. This is where "The Breakfast Club" comes in.
For those of you who have seen "The Breakfast Club," kudos to you. For those of you who haven't, you should! It is a great movie with an even greater underlying message. I'm sure that those of you that have had the pleasure of being assigned a group project know there are a few things that can go wrong, and these are pretty universal to all group projects.
1. The first meeting of a group project, you instantly think, " I seriously got the worst possible group" and you are sure that your grade is now screwed.
Upon the first meeting you realize that, despite the personality and work ethic quizzes your teacher used to pair you, you have nothing in common with these people at all. The group couldn't be more opposite. Sort of similar to an athlete, a criminal, a basket case, a brain, and a princess.
2. Getting together with your friends is hard enough in college.
Everyone's schedules are so different. Now, just think, you have to waste a whole Saturday at the Library with complete strangers.Sound familiar? Better yet, is finding a Saturday that everyone can be there, because it rarely ever happens. Someone always has to work, or won't be in town.
3. There is always conflict in the planning process.
Every team member wants something different. Whether the assignment is a paper, lab, or product development board, everyone always has a different opinion on what the final product should be. That is, if they have an opinion at all. Then, there is a mix of people who care way too much, and those who don't care at all.
4. There is always either, way too much professor instruction, or never enough.
Thus leaving the group with either not enough room for creativity, or way too much room to go crazy, and spend too much time brainstorming, and not enough time doing actual work.
5. One of the major reasons I despise group projects, is the way they are graded based on group effort and participation.
But who tells the instructor these things? Teammates, in surveys that are given, where they have the power to make or break you and your GPA.
6. Communication, which means, GroupMe, GroupMe, GroupMe.
Except the app can be muted, and I think that's what happens every time a deadline is approaching, everyone mutes the group chat, claiming they had no idea the group was supposed to meet.
7. Then, there's this awkward start to an even awkwarder relationship blooming right there in the middle of the assignment.
Like watching people awkwardly flirt, and the bets being made as to whether or not the flirting has resulted in a hookup. No thank you.
8. In most of my group projects there are supplies involved.
This means forking out money for something you don't even want to do in the first place. I can think of a way better way to spend my hard earned money. There's always that person who wants to buy this, and buy that, or "Hey, let's try this!" That's when you know that she's still living off Mommy and Daddy's money and still expects you to pay half the cost.
9. One person ends up doing all the work the night before.
That person is usually me because all hope is lost in your so-called teammates.
10. Finally, the project is all finished.
You know that whether a good grade, or bad grade, you never have to spend another one of your precious weekends hold up in the library with people you have no interest being around. You get that "I got the girl" feeling of sweet success.