Group projects: you either love them or you hate them, and by love them, I mean deeply dislike them. Whether you get to pick your group or you’re stuck with randoms, it’s usually a struggle to work together and get it done on time, which is why I’ve come up with seven ways to get you through them this semester.
1. Find a good group.
The biggest problem with group projects is usually your partners, so if can choose them, choose wisely. Make sure you find a group that can work well together and that all members will put in the work.
2. Plan ahead.
Setting up a schedule of when you want specific parts of the project done will help prevent one person in the group from having to finish the whole thing.
3. Find a day/time you can all meet up regularly.
This way, when it’s getting closer to the due date, you won’t be scrambling to find a time to meet up.
4. Google Docs is your friend.
We’re all busy university students, so you’re probably not going to be able to meet up all the time. This is why using Google Docs is so great: you’ll be able to work together without actually meeting up.
5. Check in instead of getting angry.
If you’re worried about someone not doing their share, check in with them. Ask them how their part is coming along; that might encourage them to get it done faster. Don’t get mad and avoid being passive-aggressive because—tempting as it is—it won’t help get things done.
6. Don’t take over.
When you’re used to working on your own and doing things your own way, it’s hard to let your group members do their own thing, especially if it’s not how you would do it. Instead of trying to take over and re-do everything, make suggestions as to how they could do it differently.
7. Remember why you’re doing it.
As annoying as group projects can be, remember the purpose of them: to learn how to work as a team to accomplish something. Make sure to communicate with each other. Brainstorm and bounce ideas off one another; this is a great opportunity to come up with a project using multiple different perspectives.