Two things should be outlawed in college: rolling backpacks and group projects. I’ve never been an advocate of group projects. I’ll be honest, I’ve never been one who “plays well with others.” I remember my parents scolding me after a parent-teacher conference when I was in the third grade.

Apparently, my teacher had told them, “Valisa works much better by herself than she does in groups.”

I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why my parents were so mad. It seemed like a compliment to me. It’s not that I’m incapable of participating in a collaborative effort with my peers. It’s just that I like to get things done with accuracy and efficiency.

I’m dedicated and committed to the task at hand and most of the time the people I’m teamed up with are not.

However, in a college environment – an environment that fosters independence and responsibility – I thought that my group work fears were over.

That is, until last week

Recently in one of my classes, my teacher informed us that we had to team up with a partner for a writing project.

I went up to her after class and asked, “Is it absolutely mandatory for us to work with a partner?”

She responded with a yes.

So I teamed up with someone since it was a requirement.

I got the person’s contact information after class, thinking to myself that this was only a formality for I already knew what would happen.

Of course, I ended up completing the assignment on my own.

When I’m working with someone else on a project that will affect my grades, I feel like I am responsible for that student’s shortcomings on top of my own.

Therefore, when I partner with an individual who is less committed to the task at hand, it is unfairly reflected on me.

If I sat in any other class and did not do my work, I would receive a zero because that is the grade that I deserve.

Here I have a partner who doesn’t do anything to contribute to our project, but their name is typed clearly in 12-point Times New Roman font on the top of my paper, and she gets to walk away with my grade.

I don’t like group projects because I don’t understand their purpose.

Who really reaps any benefit from them?

I believe in being graded for your independent work.

I believe that those who shine academically will not shine any brighter in a group.

I’ve heard teachers say that they like to group students who understand the concepts with others who don’t understand them quite as much.

I believe that education is not something that a teacher gives you. It’s something that you have to go out and seek.

The students who are proactive learners who employ every resource available to them — including tutoring and independent study – will succeed.

Those who do not, will not.

And if I am responsible for teaching another student the concepts of the class, I want a cut of my teacher’s check.

At the end of the day, my partner and I don’t share anything else. We don’t share a transcript. We sure as hell don’t share tuition fees. Why should we share a grade?

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