As we embark on a new term, the dreaded unknown that is H1 Project Work is back! To prepare you for this arduous process ahead, the Origin* has put together a 3-part series as a Project Work crash course, with this first installment delivering the worst possible things that could happen in PW, and a little bite-sized piece of advice on how to handle it. Mentally prepare yourself.
- Have personal issues with someone in your group.
Having beef with someone is never a good idea. It makes conversations way harder than it already is, and it can really hinder you from progressing sometimes. So be the bigger person, and don’t let personal issues affect your work. - Not gaining approval for your project work proposal.
As bad as this sounds, it has happened before, and it can happen to you. It is heartbreaking and utterly tragic when you spend half a year on a WR but end up being told to scrap that idea and start anew brief months before the final submission - Group members pulling a disappearing act.
Having to meet outside of school during the weekends is already a burden, so for someone to suddenly provide a completely ridiculous excuse for not showing up for the meeting that’s in an hour’s time, is genuinely infuriating and irresponsible. Shout out to that one guy that “decided” to go to Malaysia on the morning before our PW meeting session, you certainly did the best you could to avoid your responsibilities!
If you happen to be stuck in this situation, confronting that person face to face may help to set things straight, but if things get worse, you should turn to your PW tutor to resolve this issue. - Submitting the WR late
Deadlines have a purpose, and it is the student’s responsibility to meet them. However, sometimes, things are just fated to end in a certain way, and unfortunately, that could mean being unable to complete your work on time. You could seek desperate consults everyday after school during the last week before submission, you could pull an all nighter to edit your WR, but along the way, everything could just go wrong. The WR submission date seems so far away in the future, yet when that day comes, and you’re not ready to submit your work, there will be consequences that you need to be responsible for. - Forgetting your OP script
Public speaking is daunting, and this fear is further compounded when your grade heavily depends on your performance in that 5 minutes. Under this intense pressure, while trying to enunciate and project your voice, you could end up forgetting your lines. If this really happens on your OP presentation day, take a deep breathe to calm yourself down. Glance at the screen if you need your slide to prompt you, and continue as if nothing happened. Having fifteen pairs of eyes watching you as your mind blanks is not that bad…right?
Even as each item on this list progressively gets worse, this list is sadly, non exhaustive. A lot more could go wrong throughout your project work process. Nevertheless, don’t be discouraged! Project Work is a dynamic subject and everyone will experience it differently. At the end of the day, each challenge you manage to overcome will simply make you a better person. You become more knowledgeable on how to deal with people, and you learn how to be a better public speaker. Just dive right in and go with the flow, everything will be alright.
The Origin* 