People are always trying to tell you that there’s power in numbers.

They try to say that “teamwork is dream work” and “there’s no ‘I’ in team” and all other heinous lies to get you emotionally prepared for what’s to come.

I learned the hard truth about what really happens in groups only a few weeks ago.

It was the middle of a long day, a Monday to make it worse, and the last thing I wanted to do was socialize.

I was staring mindlessly at whatever was being forced into our minds on the overhead, daydreaming of what I would do as soon I was free from the prison that is school, when it happened.

The last thing I wanted to hear, the last situation I wanted to be put in, and the worst possible way to start the week.

My teacher turned to the class and, in an insultingly enthusiastic tone, said, “We’re going to be starting a group project!”

Pause.

Since when is anyone excited to do all the work by themselves and grudgingly write the names of the other members on work that is solely theirs?

Since when does anyone look forward to spending the rest of the week pretending to find two or three other people even the slightest bit interesting?

What are group projects even supposed to do? Stimulate our minds so we can successfully socialize in the future? Teach us how people will walk right over you and jump at the first opportunity to steal your hard work?

Whatever the intention, it fails; unlike the other group members who coast on your hard work and end up with your grade.

I would much rather take the credit for my work individually as opposed to being forced to work around others’ schedules and ultimately allow them to steal your time and effort.

While the group project concept sounds like a good idea for teachers, they have to realize that some of the students truly don’t participate and their lack of effort will have consequences for those who actually care about their grades.

If there’s anything group projects have taught me, it’s that there really is no power in numbers.