Group work doesn't

The semester is rapidly closing and almost everyone's favorite time of year is approaching. Students are faced with the inevitable right of passage to the wonderland known as – winter break.

Final exams and project due dates are descending upon us like the cooler weather that comes with winter.

And the most dreadful assignment of all is the group project. Many people love the prospect of group projects. Some students feel it gives them a chance to slack off, knowing that others will pick up the slack, if for no other reason, than saving their own grade.

But there is a real evil behind the masterminds of group projects. Seemingly teachers assign these projects for several reasons. One reason is that group projects teach students to work as groups and the value of teamwork, which are assets the real world demands.

Another reason is that students need to learn to budget time for all their responsibilities. Again this will come in handy in that real world thing we keep hearing about.

These are great things to learn in college, teachers are credited with that. But the real evil is that as students mature in their studies, they have less and less time to devote to additional class requirements.

The older we get, the more responsibilities we are given. Attempting to balance school, work and personal schedules is near impossible as juniors and seniors are preparing for graduation.

The additional burden of having to schedule time to meet with three or four other people whose schedules are as unrelenting as ours can cause students undo stress that will inhibit our ability to perform well in any of our other already immeasurable activities.

And when subjected to a group with one of those previously mentioned slackers the burden is increased considerably. In addition to having to coordinate schedules, prepare presentations and organize information, students then have to do the same for the slacker who is not contributing.

Sure many students appreciate the group project. It can be a good way to meet people in the class, learn new ways of accomplishing your goals and help you gather even more information. But the guise that it will make things easier is a cruel and mischievous lie.