Slacker Shenanigans

​By Ve

Group projects are terrible. Some of you may agree, while some may not and that’s cool, but I think it’s unanimous that no one likes it when a group member doesn’t put in any work. You might have already experienced this during school, and while it’s no fun, kids are still developing their work ethics. Encountering slackers during high school and college, however? That’s a whole different story and might require more intervention. 

Recently, I’ve just finished a group project with not one, but two people who did not bother to contribute. No, there weren’t any good reasons, unless you count “I was watching a movie” or “read 5 hours ago” as an excuse. While such situations are already frustrating, going through this during online classes adds a whole new dimension of stress. On top of that, this project accounted for our final grades. How two college students were bold enough to trust their grades in other people’s hands, I do not know. It is baffling; I am both annoyed and in awe at the sheer audacity. 

I did end up giving in; the rest of the group and I covered for them because of the fact that we didn’t want to turn in a half-built project. By the time I wanted to complain, we had just turned it in and received our grades the next day. I figured there’s no point in bringing it up after that so yeah, they got a free ride. It’s not a great feeling, but on the bright side, we did end up with stellar grades. So did the slackers. It’s a cycle of hate but you learn to get over it sooner or later.

To help you avoid feeling like a duped clown (me right now), I’ve come up with a few tips that might prevent the situation: 

• Talk it out: before the situation escalates, make sure everyone in the group is communicating clearly. Go over details and due dates in order to ensure everyone is informed. 
• Take on a leadership role: it doesn’t have to be official but sometimes people need to be bossed around. Try enforcing separate deadlines for each part of a project. Additionally, instead of just telling people to get it done, assign individual tasks for everyone (or just the people who need extra help).
• Talk to the professor: if all else fails, there’s no shame in snitching; snitches don’t get stitches if it’s for the greater good! Make sure you have evidence and try to avoid telling them at the last minute. 

Hopefully you find these tips helpful! Next time a group member is slacking, don’t give in like I did and be confident. Communication and leadership is key, but if that doesn’t work, don’t hesitate to bring it up with a teacher. I get it, no one likes to tell on your peers, but in the end, your grades (and sanity) are on the line, so, prioritize yourself!

International Mental Health Helplines:
https://unitedgmh.org/mental-health-support​