How Group Projects Secretly Teach You to Hate People!
Hello!!
It’s 1:27 am on a Sunday, and I just got done crying over the tragic comedy that is my life in group projects. Seriously, how does it happen every single time? It’s like the professors have that understanding of finding the most mismatched, disorganized group of people, and throw me right into the mix.
Let’s rewind. I don’t know if you’ve experienced this, but for me, group projects are less about teamwork and more about testing how long it takes for my inner peace to completely figure out. There’s always that one person who disappears the moment the group chat is created, like, bro, did you teleport to another dimension? Another one writes, Let’s divide the work and submit, and you know they’re going to do 5% of their part and still somehow manage to mess it up.
And then there’s me, sitting there, trying to be the responsible one, internally screaming, Why me? Why ALWAYS me?
Why it always sucks
If I had to put it into words, It's like trying to mix oil and water and expecting them to blend. Group projects forces us to communicate, collaborate, and coexist with people who:
Don’t believe in deadlines.
Think copy-pasting from Wikipedia is a legitimate contribution.
Ghost the group chat but reappear just in time to present.
Honestly, professors say it’s about learning teamwork, but it feels more like an initiation into adulthood. Because let’s be real, when will I ever need to brainstorm with Rahul, who only shows up for free marks, or Priya, who suddenly has a family emergency the night before the deadline?
The funny thing about it all
I’ve realized group projects aren’t just about the project itself. It’s about realizing how not everyone thinks like you. It’s like life throwing you into random teams to teach you tolerance, patience, and the art of NOT saying anything to someone over a misplaced slide.
It’s weirdly poetic, though. Every group project leaves you with stories that are somehow hilarious in reflection. Like that one time I stayed up all night editing a presentation because my teammate used Comic Sans for a serious research project. Still haunts me.
What I’ve learned
If anything, group projects have taught me a lot, mostly about people I never want to work with. But also about managing chaos and finding humor in the worst situations.
So here’s my takeaway for anyone stuck in this:
Always keep your sense of humor, it’s your survival kit.
Accept that life isn’t fair, but memes about group projects will always be relatable.
If you’re lucky, you’ll find that one rare teammate who actually pulls their weight. (Cherish them. They’re precious.)
Conclusion
So yeah, group projects might secretly teach you to hate people, but they also make you realize how much you can handle, mentally, emotionally, and caffeine-wise. If you’ve ever survived one of these, you’re probably more resilient than you give yourself credit for.
Anyway, let me know if you’ve been blessed with similar group project disasters, I’m always up for a good laugh (or cry). And oh, if you’ve reached the end of this newsletter, you’ve earned the right to vent about that one groupmate you’ll never forget. Go ahead, I’m listening.
Until next time,
Love, Stupid Students!
Youtube Recommendation
Here’s a beautiful video by @Anithing
See you soon!