It Wasn't So Bad After All; A Group Reflection

Alright, I'll admit it, I was absolutely dreading this group project from the moment I saw it on the syllabus. I don't think I'm alone in saying that group work isn't really my cup of tea, but, I wouldn't be exaggerating if I told you I hated group work. In my limited time here at Maryland, I've had the unfortunate opportunity to be a member of groups that were pretty much incapable of getting anything done. However, I can easily say, that this project and the people that I had the fortunate opportunity of working with, have changed my mind. Sure, I'm not going to jump up and yell "yipee", the next time I see group work on a syllabus. I will however, not completely blow it off as "the worst possible thing in the history of man-kind" kind of thing anymore, though.

Sure, the first couple of weeks after the project was assigned were a little rocky. It was a little tough trying to figure out what we wanted to present on. Although, the presentation was on a business issue, only four of the members were actually business majors. Taylor and I, we were kind of the odd-men out, being the only two members whom weren't business majors. However, we were both more than willing to focus on presenting a business issue, knowing that the other group members would be particularly knowledgeable about this topic. Nobody really knew anyones schedule, so it was a little bit of a chore trying to get everyone together. A role, I gladly took on. There, were a few meetings where certain group members could not attend, but on these occasions they notified me well before the meeting, there was no "Oh I'll be there...." and then they weren't ordeal. Everyone was extremely mature, responsible, and effective at communicating with the group.

All of the issues that I had with dealt in previous groups were non-existent here. Everyone in the group participated and contributed to the final presentation. I think some of our best idea's stemmed from simple conversations exchanged through e-mail or discussions that took place right after class, when those communication principles were still fresh in our minds! We decided that the best way to complete the project, would be splitting the work up and having each group member responsible for presenting on a certain topic. Sophie, created a Google-Docs and this was the major tool that was used to compile all of our information together. After, all of the information was added, Rachel, took that data and transformed it into the the lovely Prezi presentation that was used during our in class presentation. Mark, took on the responsibility of compiling the group outline, while Major and Taylor, both came up with some of the more "interactive" ideas for our presentation.

Overall, our group project was a success and it is due to each member in the group putting their best foot forward. I'd like to thank my group members, once again, for making this a great experience and for finally allowing me to have an enjoyable group project!