It’s that time again.
What, you may ask? The time for prayers. Because in university, group projects can mean 2 things.
First, clear skies and smooth sea. Doubtful.
Second and the most common scenario, a traumatic experience. If you are assigned to a group where you are pretty much the only functioning member, it’s time to bid your sleep and sanity farewell. It’s unbelievable, but your future lies in the hands of…
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The “Wait Ah”
The groupmate whose face you don’t see, since it’s always blocked by or looking down at a phone. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, texting, or looking at cat pictures, there’s just no telling what they’re doing.
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The “I Got Something On”
They are simply the busiest people in the world. Be it group meetings or online meet-ups, they never show up. This is the one group member who isn’t contactable nearly all the time, but somehow returns from the dead to present in class.
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The “Relak Can”
The chillest person who can’t be moved to do any work even if his or her life depended on it. They’re the ones who will constantly emphasize that there’s still plenty of time until the deadline. And they usually end up doing less work all the time, everytime.
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The “Smart Aleck”
The brains behind the operation, or so they think. They are fond of claiming to be experts about everything, but when it comes to new ideas or concepts, it’s like watching a silent movie.
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The “Talk Only”
Frankly, the most annoying kind. The only thing they are good at is moving their mouths. They tend to dominate conversations by interrupting others, and they usually never get any work done.
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The “O_O”
That’s the face they usually have. They’re the ones who sit there. Quiet. Daydreaming. During group discussions, they’re fond of shaking their head up and down or left and right. Aside from that, it’s back to unicorn island.
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The “My Way Better Leh”
The nasty dictator of the group. These are the ones that want everything done to their standards. Whether it’s how reports should be written or how presentation slides should be done, they’re in charge. If you don’t like it, well, that’s just too bad. Next thing you know they’ll tell you their way of breathing is better.
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The “Don’t Need Lah”
These are the ones who are perfectly fine with just passing the course. They’ll take it easy and encourage others to do the same. On the work front, they’ll do only the bare minimum just so they don’t fail.
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The “Why So Long One”
Usually the control freak, these are the ones who will usually hassle you to finish your work because they are anxious about everything. They’ll text you at 3 in the morning to check if you’d finish your work. If you meet one of these people, it’s best you get your work done ASAP, or else you’ll never hear the end of it.
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The “Huh”
This person is not that bad. They’re the ones who care deeply about the project and are very lively and eager to contribute. The down side is they simply just don’t understand what’s going on and what’s needed. Often, their inputs are totally irrelevant to what your group is doing.
To fellow undergraduates, have you met one of these people yet? To Poly/JC students, be prepared, you will!