by Leigh Campbell

Let me just start off by saying that I really don’t like group projects. And no, it is not because I hate everyone or that I am antisocial – group projects themselves are flawed for multiple reasons.

Firstly, the work is never, EVER divided equally. No matter how much I try, I always feel like I did a majority of the work on a project. No Google Doc or shared free can save a group project from inequality.

For me, the vicious cycle of group projects started in fifth grade. It was our “big” project in social studies. Each group had to plan a trip to five different states (or something like that–I can’t remember). You had to plan everything on a strict budget, and when I say everything, I mean everything. Gas, hotel and food. Anyway, each group had around two boys and two girls. This was the first time any boys ever came over to my house, and I don’t know about your experience with this, but it was a pretty scary and not much work was done. I ended up staying up until 10 p.m. finishing the project (don’t judge me–it seemed late at the time).

Now in high school you would think with computers and cars we would be able to all input into a project equally, but to this day, I have yet to experience a well-planned, well-executed group project.

The next reason group projects are flawed is because you always end up with that one person you don’t really know very well, or honestly, don’t want to know. This may be shallow, but awkwardness is not something I want to experience. Or the opposite happens, and you get stuck with your best friends and never get any work done. Ever.

Finally, group projects test the inner OCD in all of us, or at least me. I would rather do a whole project myself, then not know if something was done well. There is always that little voice inside of my head screaming “DON’T TRUST THEM! THEY WON’T DO IT RIGHT!” when I give another person in the group something vital to do for the project.

As I said before the group projects are the ones that are flawed, not me. Hopefully…