Picking up the slack of others; The world needs to work together

EDITORIAL

In elementary and middle school, hearing the words “group project” would send the whole class into a squabble of excitement and the planning of who will work with who. But, in high school, all that really happens is some whispering and looks shooting around the room. This is because people often slack off, and leave others to finish what they started… or didn’t start, in this case.

Many students can attest to the fact that they ended up completing most of the work in a group project on numerous occasions. There’s also been times when something bigger than a simple class project is going on, and those who aren’t helping have the audacity to complain and try to change things! If you had really wanted to help and give your input in the first place, it would have saved the rest of us some stress in the long run. You always hear people say, “work together!” or “work it out!” But if half of the class puts forth their time and effort and the other half doesn’t… well… only half of that project is getting finished. Not to mention those of us who are “perfectionists” and want good grades, who then have no choice but to finish the other half’s work out of fear and habit.

Oftentimes, there’s a stereotype that the “smart” kids will complete the work, and a good grade will be earned. But, if those who think like that learn to apply themselves and put their best effort forth, the results would be shockingly rewarding. Want to talk about some serious dopamine? Imagine getting that chart of project requirements handed back with a 50/50 written on it. It’s a rush, and not in a bad way either.

This doesn’t just apply in a classroom setting either. Much of the time, many issues wouldn’t exist if others would work together out in the real world. While this is not about politics in any way, it’s frustrating seeing our world leaders cause conflict over problems that could be solved just by compromise and collaboration. That’s what is meant by “Our world needs to work together.” Yes, you can have your opinions, and yes, you can express those ideas, but other times it’s just easier to sit back and hear things from other per- spectives- it really can open your eyes.

It’s also important to be able to compromise, especially as students make their way out into the real world. Many employers often ask if you work well with others, and lying about skills most likely will not earn you the job.

The ideal of working with others has been taught since kindergarten, and yet there are plenty of us who have not yet mastered the simplicity of the idea. There isn’t much to blame though - oftentimes it’s just a lack of interest, poor planning, or laziness.