This article is one of a two-part debate. The opposing argument can be found here. 

When we think of group projects, we always imagine a group of students gathering in the library or a coffee shop to discuss whom is doing what. But in my years of being a student, group projects always start out as meeting new friends, then hating them after the project is done.

I was once involved in an accounting project with two other students. I was excited because I thought this was an opportunity to meet new friends and finish the project as soon as possible so that we could all take a break and get an easy A.

However, what life taught me is that nothing ever goes according to plan. Right after the professor assigned us into groups, my group partner left without exchanging contact information. I thought we could exchange information during the next class meeting. Wrong again! He didn’t even show up for the next three classes. Finally, on the fifth class, we exchanged contact information.

Because I didn’t want to fail a  project that was 40 percent of my grade, I had to do it all myself. I spent an extra five hours of my study time, ignoring my other classes’ homework, and finally finished the project right before we had to turn it in. Because we were a team, we were supposed to check each other’s work after we had done our half. Since he didn’t do any of it, I gave him the whole project for him to copy then staple together. He viewed the project for 15 minutes and signed his name under mine, telling me I did a good job.

At the end of the day, another lazy student got a free ride out of me and I can’t do anything about it because if we both slacked off we were not going to pass the class.  Professors are trying too hard to make students work together or get to know each other. They ignore the fact that without their advising there are going to be some students just there to enjoy the free ride without any penalties.

Everyone hopes for decent partners with whom to happily finish the assignment and feel like they accomplished something together. But in reality, there are always slackers that do nothing, leaving one member to do all the work. Say nay to unfair group projects and make those lazy students get the F they deserve on their transcript.