Your teacher utters the dreaded words: “Get into your groups, we have a new project.” You sigh. This is the fourth group project in a row. After 12 years of schooling, you'd think we can do things on our own at this point. Group projects can be tasking, but don't worry—here’s how to survive them.

Tip 1:

Embrace the fact that you have less control than you're used to having; divide your work evenly. The alternatives are (1) your teammates do all the work before you, or (2) you're the teammate who does all the work. You don't want either of these, so make sure your roles are clear.

Roles should be assigned first thing to avoid confusion. This way, students can work independently and without fear of fixing something that isn't broken or writing the same sentence twice. This isn’t a one-man show, it's a collaborative project with working parts.

It's important to embrace the teamwork aspect of a group project. According to a study conducted by students at the University of Georgia, “Students who scored highly on tests were more likely to recognize the benefits of group work, regardless of their groups’ overall performance levels, while lower-scoring students perceived group work as time-consuming ‘busy work’ with little cognitive benefit.”

Having a bad mindset from the start isn't going to set you up for success. Students who approach group work with a positive attitude tend to see its value and benefit from it, while those who dismiss it miss out on opportunities to grow. Success often depends less on the task itself and more on the mindset you bring to it.

Tip 2:

I know it sounds cliché, but communication really is key when it comes to surviving a group project.

A survey conducted by Expert Market, a group of 130 CEOs and decision makers, found that “28% of employees listed poor communication as the reason why they weren’t able to finish projects on time.”

I recommend making a group chat so you can easily reach your group. Nothing is worse than when you're in a group of three and the other two students are friends with one another, so they can easily reach each other, but you can't reach them.

It's also a good idea to agree on what time you are going to work together. Students have varying schedules, and you don't want to wake up and realize that your group did the whole project while you were snoozing.

Tip 3:

Hold your teammates accountable. Don’t be shy about saying something if your partners are leaving you out or putting all the hard work on you. After all, their work influences your grade. Don’t go to the teacher straight away with your complaints. Instead, reach out to them first. Don’t come off as threatening or hostile; you don't want to make enemies. Simply address their lack of work, and move forward with a refreshed mindset.

Group projects can be a rollercoaster. They have their ups and downs, but sometimes they can actually teach you a lesson about cooperation and coexistence—as long as you can survive them. Use these tips to crush your next group project!