So I've been assigned (along with about three other people) to do a group project on the life of Charles Dickens. HOWEVER...most of my group never shows up to class, and it wasn't until YESTERDAY (it's due tomorrow) that they all decided that it would be a good idea to get ahold of me to find out what we're doing. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="rolleyes.gif" /> Anyways...to make a long story short...two of the three people bailed on me today after I told them that we needed to meet at school and get this done...so basically...I did this ALL myself. My question is...how would you guys handle this? I don't want to create tension in the class by telling the Prof that two of the group members were complete slackers...but I'm also as <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="mad-flaming.gif" /> as heck about being taken advantage of. I guess I should just know in my heart that I did my best, and the Prof probably realizes that...and that the slackers very probably aren't going to do well in the class anyways...but I'm still upset. What should I do??? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

First, if they were real friends they wouldn't have bailed on you, so you whatever you choose to do about the situation you can do with a clear conscience and no guilt.

Second, college is preparation for the "real world", i.e. work after college. If you were in a job and were assigned a project with co-workers that bailed on you, you should deal with it the same way as you do in college.

The real question here is, are you comfortable with going up to the prof and saying "I feel you should know that Suzy and I are the ones who did did all the work (you said one showed up to work, right?). Could you please take Sally and Mary's name off our project as they didn't help us with it." If not, you may just have to live with the fact the slackers got credit for your work.

What's most important here, in your and my perspective, is how you feel, not how the prof, the class or the slackers feel. You have to do what will make you feel most comfortable since you're the one who has to live with your actions.

Good luck.

Thanks, HN...you gave me some good stuff to think about. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> I haven't decided what I'm going to do as of yet...but I'm sure I'll figure it out soon. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> Thanks again. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" />

I have an unopened gallon of milk with an expiration date of August 25th and one with an expiration date of September 29th.

"I got two guns. . . one for each a'ya."

Nothing spells revenge like sour milk. It worked for me in highschool. Of course, I rode around with the milk in my toolbox in the back of my truck for most of the summer before I unveiled it upon someone. Let's just say that person knows my point of view now. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Cool]" src="cool.gif" />

That has happened to me so many times. I am always stuck with irresponsible people when doing group work which is why I love doing everything by myself. Look on the bright side of things...at least you have the security of knowing YOU did the work instead of depending on others that didn't give a rat's a$$ about your grade.

On the other hand, I personally would voice a complaint. I've done it before and the teacher has completely understood. I got the good grade while the others did not.

Tasha

Well...I wasn't going to "rat" on the lazy bums otherwise known as my group members...but lets just say that the forces of fate conspired against them. <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />

Last night I left a message to the one guy that volunteered to help out to let me know that he had finished so that I could meet up with him and make the copies at the library. WELL...he never called or answered with an e-mail (and he had my original)...so I got all mad and went to the library to draft my own. When I realized (due to a stupid technicality) that I couldn't print what I had just spent an hour and a half working on, I freaked out and ran to my Prof's office. I explained the whole story to him, and he helped me print out my draft from an e-mail.

On the funny side...when I got to class with my new handouts, the guy that was supposed to do them handed me a big stack of papers going "here you go!". When I started laughing and telling him about what had just happened, he was like "I can't believe that you didn't trust me!!!" ( <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" /> ) I then just said "Dood...I don't trust ANYBODY when my grade is at stake!" <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />

Anyways...to make a long story short...the presentation kicked some major rear end...and the most "slackerly" of my group memebers didn't even show up to class! <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />

Lil Red, you're always gonna have folks that tag along for the ride on group projects. As said above, school gets you ready for the real world.

I had situations like that in college where I was the energy/brains on projects and did most/all of the work. The projects I took over were major successes: I discovered that one "me" is far more effective than five complete idiots. And if the idiots wanted to ride along at my speed for the high grade, that beat the heck out of me dumbing myself down to their level just so we have a "fair" distribution of workload.

In future projects have the idiots assigned to do useful tasks like ordering pizza. They will be thrilled to be doing something useful at their skill level.

Thanks Tenmile! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="smile.gif" /> Now that the whole thing is over with (and went really, really well) I can actually sit back and look at it objectively. I probably did more construtive work doing it all by myself at one frenzied ( <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" /> ) sitting, than I could have with two or three days of half-vast work with the "slackers" ( <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" /> ). Besides...even when the other two were up there presenting with me, it was obvious about who knew their stuff and who was merely reading off the page...so I guess it all works out in the end! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

BTW...that pizza comment was funny as heck!!! <img border="0" alt="[laugh]" title="" src="graemlins/laughing.gif" />

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />