Day 3: Meet the Group

Today started with a sense of dread. Why? Because it was “group project assignment” day in my Principles of Management class. Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a college student like the words “you’ll be working in groups.”

Dr. Lim walked in, her usual no-nonsense self.

“Good morning. Today, we’ll be forming your teams for the semester-long project,” she announced, . “I’ll be assigning the groups. No swapping, no complaints.”

Great. Forced friendships with strangers—just what I needed.

She began reading out names, and when mine came up, I braced myself.

“Group 3: Eddie, Faisal, Amanda, Sarah, and Karim.”

Amanda. My crush. In my group. Was this fate or a cosmic prank?

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We gathered in the corner of the room to introduce ourselves. Faisal, of course, was his usual self, grinning like he was at a social event.

“So, looks like we’re stuck together,” he said, clapping Karim on the back. Karim, a quiet guy with glasses, flinched slightly but gave a polite smile.

Sarah, on the other hand, was all business. “Let’s focus on the project. Dr. Lim said we need a proposal by next week.”

Amanda smiled warmly. “I think we should start by exchanging contact info and figuring out everyone’s strengths.”

She’s so organised, I thought, making a mental note to contribute anything I could to avoid looking useless.

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We sat down after class to brainstorm. Faisal kicked things off with, “Okay, let’s pick something easy. Maybe something about managing time? You know, because we’re all terrible at it.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “That’s too generic. We need something more specific, something unique.”

Amanda chimed in. “What if we focus on sustainable management practices? It’s a hot topic right now, and there’s plenty of research available.”

Everyone nodded, except Faisal, who looked like he’d rather be anywhere else.

“That sounds… great,” I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. “We could look at case studies from local businesses.”

“Exactly,” Amanda said, giving me a smile. I think my brain short-circuited for a second.

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After an hour of brainstorming, we had a rough plan. Amanda offered to draft the outline, Sarah volunteered to find articles, and Karim said he’d compile a list of resources. Faisal? Well, he promised to “provide moral support.”

“Translation: you’re going to do nothing,” Sarah muttered under her breath.

“Hey, I’m great at PowerPoint,” Faisal defended.

“Fine,” Amanda said diplomatically. “You can handle the slides.”

And me? I ended up in charge of coordinating everyone’s tasks. How did that happen? No idea, but I wasn’t about to argue.

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By the time we wrapped up, I actually felt pretty optimistic about the group. Amanda’s leadership skills were impressive, Sarah was sharp and focused, and Karim seemed reliable, if a bit quiet. Faisal… well, at least he was entertaining.

On the way out, Amanda caught up with me. “Hey, thanks for stepping up as coordinator. It’s not an easy job.”

“No problem,” I said, trying not to sound too awkward. “I’ll do my best.”

She smiled. “I’m sure you will.”

As she walked away, Faisal nudged me.

“Dude, you’re so obvious,” he whispered.

“Shut up,” I muttered, my face turning red.

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Back at the dorm, Faisal and I recapped the day.

“Honestly, our group isn’t bad,” he admitted, lounging on his bed. “Sarah’s intense, but she’ll get things done. Karim’s cool. And Amanda…”

He wiggled his eyebrows at me, and I threw a pillow at him.

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Lesson of the day: Group projects are a mixed bag, but the right people can make them less painful. Also, working with your crush? Equal parts exciting and terrifying.