It’s that time of year again when our eyelids are droopy, bags appear under our eyes and group projects test our patience and sanity.

Very few of the people I know will actually say in all honesty that they enjoy group projects. To me, group projects feel like added stress, added work and no fun at all; but then again, this is school, so it’s not supposed to be fun.

Professors continue to assign group projects, and students continue to mumble under their breath about how much they dislike them.

Katie Schuyler, a graduating senior in communications, dislikes group projects because she has had trouble with bad group members in the past; nevertheless, she said group work is something we all have to go through.”I think they are a part of life,” Schuyler said. “I have been burned in the past; but in reality, you will work in groups in your job.”

This is the kiss-of-death argument that professors love to force-feed their students: that in the “real world,” you will have to work in groups. But I have a different view on it, since in the “real world,” a lot of the circumstances surrounding group projects change.

In group projects, students don’t always care about the class, the grade or even you (their peers), which is unlike most workplace situations. In the working world, if your group member colleagues have that kind of attitude, they most likely will get fired.

Also, there is something I like to call “reverse motivation” that occurs in group projects for school. In the work force, you are paid for the work you produce, including the work you produce for a group project. But for group projects in school, the students pay money for this blessed opportunity of doing … more work.

Lastly, in this glorious and tough “real world,” people are typically more passionate about the work they produce — as opposed to the attitude you might see in students taking a class they only need because it’s required to graduate.More interesting to me when discussing group dynamics, however, are the roles that are played, whether consciously or unconsciously, by members of the group. I am sure most of you are familiar with these roles, such as the leaders, the worrywarts, the “whatever-ers” — and lastly, everyone’s favorite: the slacker.

Alyson Stiles, a graduating senior in communications, doesn’t mind group projects when she knows the people in the group, or at least when all group members help and contribute to the project. However, she concedes that it often doesn’t happen that way, and the more responsible students get stuck with the bill.

“I’d like to say it really sucks when you feel like you and another member are getting stuck with all the work,” Stiles said.

Oftentimes students get stuck with the dilemma of standing up and asking other students to pull their weight, or swallowing hard and taking the burden upon themselves, since it will all be over in a few weeks.

How do you solve this problem when the problem’s roots usually lie in the hands of those slackers? One thing to keep in mind is that even the slackers have a talent or something they do well, so try to utilize each person’s skills instead of just randomly assigning tasks. Slackers might be more motivated to do something they like in the group, rather than just doing what they are told.

Be sure to contribute your thoughts on the direction of the group; be confident that your opinion is important and could be vital to producing a better product.

Also keep in mind that even though it seems like everything is someone else’s fault, you still need to strive for a positive working environment — so be respectful if you have to scold someone for not stepping up to the plate.

Michael Kiley, another graduating senior in communications, likes the idea of group projects because they allow for greater creativity when everyone works together. He agrees with the professors that the skills you learn in group projects will be helpful when you graduate and enter the workforce.

“Interacting with others is a part of life and a good skill to acquire,” Kiley said. “You get out what you put in.”

So in the end, be sure to remind yourself that it is just a class project and not the “real world.” But be sure you learn these lessons now, because I have a feeling that the “real world” won’t be too forgiving.

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Andrew Stewart can be reached at [email protected]