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I like to think that I’ve participated in my fair share of group projects. From ESUMS Expo groups to design-thinking groups to huge company-sponsored coding teams, I’ve participated in 12+ group projects over the past 6 years. In that time, I have had the opportunity to be both a team player and lead several groups. So, here’s some advice on how to make the best out of a group project.

What makes a great team member? Whenever I’m in a group, I notice 3 things that tend to make or break the project. These apply to everyone in the group, including the team leader if there is one!

• Good Communication – This is the most important! Good communication means letting group members know your skills, your availability, and if anything comes up that might interrupt the flow of the project. Be open about communicating if you’re going to miss a meeting or if you’re falling behind with an assigned task.
• Respect & Honesty – Act like a team, not just a group. Respect the skillsets and perspectives that others can bring to the table and be mindful of outside circumstances. Be respectful of people’s time and ideas. Additionally, be honest and ready to ask for help if something comes up. If you need extra learning time/resources or extra clarification, be straightforward.
• Motivation – Whether you are personally drawn to the project or are just in it for the grade or experience, it’s important to put a good attitude in and contribute to an outcome you will be proud of!

What makes a great team leader? A trickier question to answer, but I’ve had the pleasure of working with some amazing leaders who have made my group projects a joy to work on.

• Organization – One of the main jobs as a team leader is to be able to schedule meetings, assign jobs, and set deadlines so that the team can work efficiently and stay focused. You can use applications like Kanban or Trello to help with visualizing the progress of small tasks as well as a shared calendar (Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar), resource holder (Google Drive, Microsoft Teams, or Dropbox), and communication medium (Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts) for group events.
• Confidence & Passion – As a leader, you are expected to guide focus, organize resources, and call shots if needed. You’ll have to adjust your leading style depending on the needs of the group. Some team members need more coaxing, and some members are eager to step up. It’s your job to make sure that you are a uniting force in the group. When leaders are passionate, it’s easier for the other members to rally behind for a great project.
• Keep the Big Picture in Mind – While most team members will be working on a small portion of the project at a time, it’s the leader’s job to always keep the bigger picture in mind when assigning tasks and meeting about next steps. The best leaders are always able to coordinate member’s ideas in a way that supports the end goal of the project.

Sometimes group projects don’t work out, and that’s okay! If all else fails, make sure you let the professor know if a member isn’t communicating. Most professors can offer some leniency with group grades depending on the situation.

- Patricia Acorda

Like many students in their senior year, I often found myself burdened with a lot of huge decisions. Up until the very last minute, I honestly did not know what I wanted to major in, and throughout the beginning of my college years felt very unsure about what I wanted to do.

Whether you are a junior who has yet to apply, or you are a senior who has already applied, I want to reassure you that choosing a major isn’t a permeant decision. In fact, it’s a normal thing to be unsure about this! Thankfully, most colleges will offer many ways to mix, match, and change the majors you are interested in.

First, if you aren’t sure about what to apply as, you can choose to apply as undecided if your college offers it. This is a great way to still apply without committing if you are totally unsure about what major you like.

Next, in your freshman and sophomore years of college, you should start thinking about if you want to change your major or add a dual, double, or minor. After sophomore year, you can still change your major or add to it, but it might be difficult to still fit in all the required classes in the span of your typical four-year college education. One loophole around this is taking summer classes if your college offers them.

When thinking about possible majors, keep in mind that most colleges will offer dual degrees, double majors, and minors.

• Double Major* – When you take two somewhat related majors, with overlaps like elective classes counting towards both majors. You will graduate with one degree that will combine both majors.
• Dual Degree* – When you take two majors, with no overlap, completing the elective and core requirements of both majors separately. You will graduate with two degrees, one for each major.
• Minor – You take a few classes in a subject that can be part of a specialization of your main major. Requires less credits than a major, and usually only shows up on your transcript.

*Often, the definitions of these two will switch depending on the college, so please read up on the different degrees/majors that your college offers!

Don’t be scared to switch majors! Be sure to research the required classes and create a plan on an excel sheet (or something similar) so that you can visualize what classes to take each semester and how long it’ll take. Guidance counselors will also usually have some good insight on how to organize your classes, and it can also help to find older students who are taking a major that you’re interested in (especially if you’re looking at a less common dual/double major). Good luck!

- Patricia Acorda