The room was
filled with an utter silence as everyone sat nervously awaiting their name to
be called. Fear, nerves, tears, and anxiety were very prevalent emotions
amongst all of us students due to the uncertainty of what would come next. There
was no telling whether or not things would work out, and this one decision
would most likely determine the whole course of our semester. One by one names
were called, and I knew that soon mine would have to be announced. I was
curious as to who I would end up in a group with but just as I felt like I
couldn’t wait any longer, my name was called.
The pairing and making of teams for group projects can be
one of the scariest things for students to encounter. It seems silly but the
fact that a professor may determine the success or failure of a student due to
their group is completely terrifying. I normally like to pick my group as I
feel like this allows me to have more control over the type of people I chose
to work with. I enjoy being in a group with hard-workers who are determined to
do well, and produce a high quality of work. They must be easy to collaborate
with yet also have the initiative to take projects into their own hands when
necessary. There are many factors that go into what makes a good team partner,
and for each person, these qualities may be different. Some like to work with
quiet people who will just go with the flow, while others enjoy finding people
who will take charge. It is definitely a personal preference when it comes to
picking whom you work best with, and this is why it is so difficult to be put
in a group that is randomly assigned.
This
semester of college has been my busiest one yet. Sophomores are required to
return and hit the ground running as they are already involved in activities
and begin to take classes that are related to their major. My workload has
definitely increased; however, this is not what has caused me to be so busy.
The greatest difference between this year and last is that I am currently in
two different semester long group projects for two different classes. I am
constantly meeting with a group in order to complete assignments so I don’t
have as much free time during the day. These group projects are a huge time
commitment but along with the amount of meetings we have, I also feel an
obligation to always “be on top of my game.” I come to meetings prepared and
try to present assignments to the group that are of the same quality as the
type of work that I would turn in to be graded. I enjoy putting in the extra
work so that my group will be successful but this additional effort definitely
causes my schedule to be more hectic.
My two group
projects, even though they keep my days filled, have definitely been rewarding
experiences thus far. I have been bonding with these fellow business students,
and I feel a strong sense of comradery between us. My classes are more
enjoyable because I have these people to share it with and ask questions of,
and the products we have made are true examples of why collaboration is so
great. Together, we have completed assignments that none of us could have
completely alone so I have a new appreciation for why groups can be so
beneficial. Not only have we been successful, but we have also been able to
learn a lot from each other. It is comforting to know that I have people to
talk to about assignments, to discuss ideas with, and to complain to about how
much homework we have. I normally despise working in groups due to all of my
initial worries and stresses, however, I can honestly say that I have enjoyed
working with these groups, and I am interested to see how (or even if) our
group dynamics change from now until the end of the semester.
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