Group projects: I'd rather work alone

I hate group projects with a passion. "Why can't we all just get along?" Because we all have better things to do.\nProfessors constantly stress the importance of group work and its continual use in the real world. But I will be paid for group work in the real world, and this "working together" concept will present itself at my place of employment, not when I am lying around on my couch and staring at the television. \nNowadays, you cannot enroll in a course without being forced to throw together a group project on a topic you don't care about with people you have never even noticed before. \nI begin to ponder several questions: Am I going to get along with my group members? Are they going to be slackers? Are they going to be late to every meeting? Will they actually show up to the presentation? I'm hoping my fellow group members are somewhat intelligent and will get their work done.\nThen I must present this project to a room full of people who are staring at me, judging me, hoping my group's presentation is quick so they can go smoke their cigarettes. People don't actually care what I have to say.\nPreparation is also a hassle, dressing up and paying to get overheads made. I could've enjoyed the extra sleep and put that money toward my weekend beverage fund. \nI have had only one decent experience with a group project. This semester, I was assigned to the "Study Buddies." I was so surprised about how well the four of us got along, and I didn't mind talking to them in my class or at my group meetings. I was comfortable discussing my ideas and hearing what they had to say. \nWe worked on the project on our own time and put it all together when we met. This was to my liking because I could work at any hour of the early morning. Our meetings didn't feel like they dragged on for six hours. I actually paid attention to what my group members were saying. \nWe've all been in a group we could not stand. People argue, act like they know what they're doing and badmouth each other behind their backs. \nI never reach my full capabilities in a group project. I always feel like there is something holding me back -- a strong force in my brain that cannot block out the annoyance of my group members, restricting the flow of my innovative ideas. I was so annoyed with one group project this semester that I wrote a segment of this column during a group meeting. I contributed an occasional "yes, that sounds good" and "when should we meet again?" \nI'd prefer to go solo on projects. In one of my classes, I was given the choice, and you can guess which one I picked. I didn't have to worry about arranging my schedule and acting like I was interested in hearing the stories of other people's daily lives. If I wanted to work on my project at 3:30 a.m., I could. I could do the project the way I wanted to do it and my grade was based on my effort. I wasn't disagreeing with people or coping with someone's bad attitude. \nGroup projects conflict with our daily lives and diminish our spirit. Our courses would be much more pleasant if group projects were not a part of them. If you believe in group projects -- I'd rather work alone than with you!