More and more frequently, I find myself disliking the notion of group work. As the word "group" suggests, it is made up of more than 2 people and "work" gives the idea that the burden should be split, theoretically, equally amongst all members. Of course, this is never the case. I'm pretty sure the PW dept knows it; pretty certain the lovely fuddy duddies of the education arm of the government knows it; and also perhaps those old british professors in bone-cold winters.
I really don't see why PW is a graded ADVANCED LEVEL EXAMINATION SUBJECT! What's the point of it? To see how well you crap a project out of nothing? To see how well ONE or TWO person(s) eloquently talks about some already worn-out subject that is being injected with a some juices to be re-identified as "creative"? To test a group of people's teamwork?! HAH! Farking right.
I dislike having to be responsible for the project and whatever that has to be handed in. I dislike being the one who just volunteers to do the cover page. I dislike being the one who puts together and practically does the entire proposal cuz all my members somehow tell me that they all "dunno how to do it" or "not too sure". So I'm so going to be sure? I dislike having to chase people to do things that is for the benefit of the group. It's not for me hello: If it was I wouldn't have bothered asking you. I dislike hearing that you're "waiting for me to tell you what to do". Are you a jellyfish? You have no brains? No initiative? I see.. Makes sense. That's why you're in RJC. It must be a jellyfish breeding farm, where creatures just float around waiting for them to be told how to do SIMPLE things. Right. I dislike having to keep quiet because I don't feel the need to show that I've done so much more than you, when the teacher comes to discuss our "progress". At the same time, I dislike that I have to listen to all the lies and crap you make up and all the work and effort you wax lyrical about. But that effort = zilch in reality of course. I dislike the feeling that I'm the unofficial group leader because no one else wants to do anything more than minimum or just minimum anyway. We're ALL supposed to be the "THINKERs, LEADERs and PIONEERs." Please remember that: don't let our dear 2m-tall principal's constant reminder go to waste. In my cca, this feeling of responsibility is warranted, because I AM the one responsible. I walked into it, I chose the path, I agreed to run for it. Thus I will be fully responsible for it. This isn't the same... We're all supposed to be equals. I dislike how in the early days I tried to arrange meetings but all of you couldn't be bothered to even reciprocate my initiative by at least finding time to meet up. Instead, whining and groaning about how you're not free and "must it be a sundayyyy???" or "dont use monday la, its a school holiday!", maybe you should have thought of working a lil harder and contributing a lil more and being slightly more focused during the allotted PW period. But no of course you won't do that! You're supposed to make my life difficult. I dislike feeling like I have to do things on my own, because I don't trust you to actually do it to the best of your abilities and bother about it at all even. I dislike having to share my grade with non-deserving you, but I dislike feeling selfish too.
All this, is what I want to say sometimes. But surprisingly, the anger and irritation and feeling of unfairness has gone away, quite far away actually. Because I guess my perspective has changed. Now I pity you because all that I've put in in whatever I undertake, will come back to me in great form in future. This helps me learn, helps me grow up, helps me in the future. Some way, somehow... I just don't know exactly yet. Now I'm also happy, because nobody, nobody, can say I don't deserve what I get.
I worked hard. You didn't. It's your loss.
~ st*rcr*ss*d ~