Like some people, I absolutely despise group projects. Not necessarily on the job, but definitely in the classroom. I feel like my entire college career has been bombarded with useful group projects, while I'm paired with useless people!
Let me tell you all about my recent Corporate Finance Project. Ready for this? On the second day of class, a guy that I know asked if I'd had a group yet. Of course I didn't, since the project was just announced. He's a great student, so I knew being in his group would be a good idea. Plus, I didn't know too many other people in the class. Everyone that he had picked for our group, he knew them, so that was great! Unfortunately, he dropped the class and left me with 4 other random people that I had never seen before!
Not knowing their work ethic, I signed up to be the Group Leader. The project had 3 parts, one part that needed to be done by two people (it was pretty extensive). Anywho, I assigned the 3 parts to 4 of us, and the PPT and report write-up I assigned to the last person. Great, right? Everyone knew their portion of the project in ample time!
So, one of our members had a conference to attend and another project to work on. She missed two weeks of class, and upon her return she sent an email to the guy who was helping her with that extensive part of the project. But, she emailed the wrong guy! This email was sent this past Sunday, and the project is due tomorrow! The guy who she mistakenly emailed leaves class early every day, usually during our 15 minute break. So it was no surprise that during the 2nd half of class last week, the professor was going over the lesson for his part of the project. So yea, he missed it. She even gave us information that we wouldn't be able to find! He answered no emails all weekend, and no one had his phone number!
At this point I'm sure you can tell that my blood was boiling! We all agreed to meet yesterday, 2 hours before class. Guess who didn't show up until 20 minutes before class, with the wrong part of the project done! You guessed it!
By this time, I'd already given up hope on this guy and began to work on his part, since I'd been done with my stock analysis for over a week. I was really just trying to give people the benefit of the doubt. Come to find out, the other guy in our group hadn't started his portion either (yes, 2 days before the due date)!!! Can you say infuriated????? Very much so!
Yesterday after class, everyone got together and helped each other out. To my surprise, the project is 100% complete, PowerPoint, report and all!
This has really taught me to put a little more trust in people and their abilities. It has also taught me to have a little patience. Maybe group projects aren't so bad after all :-)
Ever had a group project dilemma??? Tell me all about it!!!
Aug 18, 2009
The Pressure Is On!
I'm going to cut right to the chase. From 9/06 until 6/09, I've worked for a tutoring office at my university as an Office Assistant. So there's no surprise, given the amount of time I'd been there, that my supervisor had grown attached to me.
She was a small, Russian lady with a thick accent, who moved to the States 12 years ago. Once I decided to move forward and take the internship at AH, I realized that I needed to help her find someone to replace me. I'd promised her that I'd stay the entire summer, but working 7 hours a week just wasn't going to cut it for a Girl About Business. So, my options were to either stay there and find a second job, or find a new job altogether. The latter won, obviously.
Off on a tangent: I had planned to return to my old job for the Fall semester, even if it was only for a few hours a week. See, I'm also a work-study student, so I can get a grant to cover tuition if I have an on-campus job. So that's my only reason for considering to stay. Anddd if all else failed with my current internship, or new internship, I'd have somewhere to rest my butt for bucks ($$). However, everything worked out! I got the new internship, paying more and more hours, AND in my field of study. So last Thursday, I made the dreaded call to my old supervisor to see how she'd been doing, and to give her the bad news! Yes, me not returning is BAD news to her!
After chitchatting for about 20 minutes, she kinda figured out from my joyous tone that I'd gotten a new internship, and I wouldn't be returning to work there. But, I forgot to mention, I found someone to work for her this summer and was expecting for this girl to be a little more mature. During our little chat, I learned that the girl is not eager to work, she's not a self-starter, and she's pretty much a bland character. All of which I had no idea of. So basically, I set my sweet little boss up with a LEMON!
She's now requesting 'SOMEONE LIKE ME' to fill the position for the Fall. I hate to admit it, but I don't know too many people who'd actually deal with her. Not in a bad way though! Like I said she's sweet (very), but she has a very thick accent and this makes her a little standoffish! She grew on me, seriously!
So this is going to be a hard task, since most people I know aren't qualified for work-study, already have jobs, or want something more exciting. What a dilemma... I hate to leave her hanging with that LEMON!
She was a small, Russian lady with a thick accent, who moved to the States 12 years ago. Once I decided to move forward and take the internship at AH, I realized that I needed to help her find someone to replace me. I'd promised her that I'd stay the entire summer, but working 7 hours a week just wasn't going to cut it for a Girl About Business. So, my options were to either stay there and find a second job, or find a new job altogether. The latter won, obviously.
Off on a tangent: I had planned to return to my old job for the Fall semester, even if it was only for a few hours a week. See, I'm also a work-study student, so I can get a grant to cover tuition if I have an on-campus job. So that's my only reason for considering to stay. Anddd if all else failed with my current internship, or new internship, I'd have somewhere to rest my butt for bucks ($$). However, everything worked out! I got the new internship, paying more and more hours, AND in my field of study. So last Thursday, I made the dreaded call to my old supervisor to see how she'd been doing, and to give her the bad news! Yes, me not returning is BAD news to her!
After chitchatting for about 20 minutes, she kinda figured out from my joyous tone that I'd gotten a new internship, and I wouldn't be returning to work there. But, I forgot to mention, I found someone to work for her this summer and was expecting for this girl to be a little more mature. During our little chat, I learned that the girl is not eager to work, she's not a self-starter, and she's pretty much a bland character. All of which I had no idea of. So basically, I set my sweet little boss up with a LEMON!
She's now requesting 'SOMEONE LIKE ME' to fill the position for the Fall. I hate to admit it, but I don't know too many people who'd actually deal with her. Not in a bad way though! Like I said she's sweet (very), but she has a very thick accent and this makes her a little standoffish! She grew on me, seriously!
So this is going to be a hard task, since most people I know aren't qualified for work-study, already have jobs, or want something more exciting. What a dilemma... I hate to leave her hanging with that LEMON!
Aug 13, 2009
Dental Envy!
Do you have a phobia? Well, I do. My phobia is all things medically related. You know, the doctor, dentist, gynecologist! I just hate going to the doctor, it's weird I know!
Part of the reason behind my non-obsession with this profession, is that I always feel like something may be wrong (even though it never is). I start to make myself believe that something is wrong with me, even when it's not! It's absolutely pathetic.
A few months ago, my boyfriend forced me into the nearest dentist office. I had a crater in the middle of one of my back teeth. I mean, the cavity was ridiculously big! But it didn't bother me at all. So I scheduled an appointment to see the dentist, and was told that I'd need a few fillings and a root canal on that horrible tooth!
I couldn't believe it, so I got a second opinion from my boyfriend's dentist. Instead, he wanted to save my tooth (thank you very much!), and gave me a filling. WOW, that was a very painful ordeal. I had nerve-wrecking pain for an entire month! I was constantly popping Advil, Vicodin, anything to help make the pain subside for a while. Eventually the pain went away, but not for long.
I returned to the dentist a few days ago after noticing an abscess (spelling, eh?) on that "saved tooth". Wake up call! I still need to have a freaking root canal done, which I also learned is a 3-step process! Why on earth do I need to go to the dentist 3 times for a root canal??? I don't understand.
Anywho, so this gut-wrenching appointment is scheduled for the 29th; just 2 days before my first day at my new job! I'm really hoping that this root canal doesn't interfere with me functioning properly. I'd hate to start my new job in pain.
Part of the reason behind my non-obsession with this profession, is that I always feel like something may be wrong (even though it never is). I start to make myself believe that something is wrong with me, even when it's not! It's absolutely pathetic.
A few months ago, my boyfriend forced me into the nearest dentist office. I had a crater in the middle of one of my back teeth. I mean, the cavity was ridiculously big! But it didn't bother me at all. So I scheduled an appointment to see the dentist, and was told that I'd need a few fillings and a root canal on that horrible tooth!
I couldn't believe it, so I got a second opinion from my boyfriend's dentist. Instead, he wanted to save my tooth (thank you very much!), and gave me a filling. WOW, that was a very painful ordeal. I had nerve-wrecking pain for an entire month! I was constantly popping Advil, Vicodin, anything to help make the pain subside for a while. Eventually the pain went away, but not for long.
I returned to the dentist a few days ago after noticing an abscess (spelling, eh?) on that "saved tooth". Wake up call! I still need to have a freaking root canal done, which I also learned is a 3-step process! Why on earth do I need to go to the dentist 3 times for a root canal??? I don't understand.
Anywho, so this gut-wrenching appointment is scheduled for the 29th; just 2 days before my first day at my new job! I'm really hoping that this root canal doesn't interfere with me functioning properly. I'd hate to start my new job in pain.
Aug 10, 2009
Taking Advantage!
Whew! That's usually the sound that I make after an exam, so yes, I just had a finance exam! And I think I aced this one as well; if not, I'm sure it's a high B.
Anywho, our supervisor is on vacation this week, so us interns are on a vacay as well. How sweet?! Not really though, because as happy as I am to have a break, I hate not making money. Nothing irritates me more than the thought of my next paycheck being short, and this time by an entire week's pay! YUCK!
But not to worry, at least not now! I called the CC where I'll be interning for the fall to find out my start date. Technically I'm not supposed to start until September 9th, but they want me to start next week! Go figure! So I'm super-stoked about that... Shopping for cute blazers and heels is underway. I sound like such a girly girl HAHAHA!
Since I won't be working this week, I'm going to take advantage of this free time. I'm usually spending my spare time with my boyfriend, but I'm going to try some new things this week. Starting TONIGHT! Tonight is 'Girls Night', so myself and one of my girlfriends will be getting together for strawberry daiquiries, manis and pedis, and a nice chick flick! That's a perfect night, especially since we rarely have any time to hang out.
Tomorrow is clean up day LOL. I'll be doing all of my laundry, dusting, cleaning out my car, etc. Wednesday... class, then who knows after that??? Thursday, I plan to sleep in and do some reading (personal, not educational). Friday, SHOPPING! Saturday, beauty salon for a cute new cut! Oh, and somewhere in between, take my mom to apply for school!
Sunday, relax with my bf because I can see that the ridiculous amount of time that we spend together will be cut short, very soon :-(
Anywho, our supervisor is on vacation this week, so us interns are on a vacay as well. How sweet?! Not really though, because as happy as I am to have a break, I hate not making money. Nothing irritates me more than the thought of my next paycheck being short, and this time by an entire week's pay! YUCK!
But not to worry, at least not now! I called the CC where I'll be interning for the fall to find out my start date. Technically I'm not supposed to start until September 9th, but they want me to start next week! Go figure! So I'm super-stoked about that... Shopping for cute blazers and heels is underway. I sound like such a girly girl HAHAHA!
Since I won't be working this week, I'm going to take advantage of this free time. I'm usually spending my spare time with my boyfriend, but I'm going to try some new things this week. Starting TONIGHT! Tonight is 'Girls Night', so myself and one of my girlfriends will be getting together for strawberry daiquiries, manis and pedis, and a nice chick flick! That's a perfect night, especially since we rarely have any time to hang out.
Tomorrow is clean up day LOL. I'll be doing all of my laundry, dusting, cleaning out my car, etc. Wednesday... class, then who knows after that??? Thursday, I plan to sleep in and do some reading (personal, not educational). Friday, SHOPPING! Saturday, beauty salon for a cute new cut! Oh, and somewhere in between, take my mom to apply for school!
Sunday, relax with my bf because I can see that the ridiculous amount of time that we spend together will be cut short, very soon :-(
Aug 7, 2009
GAB Rant: Illegal Procedure!
GAB Rant is where I'll rant and rave about minor and/or major occurrences that I experience around the office- or near the office, on a day-to-day basis! Enjoy :-)
Today, I arrive at work at 8:30a, my scheduled time. The other intern whom I share an office with, arrives 7 minutes after 9a, as usual! Seeing as to how he was hired as an accounting intern, yet has never taken an accounting course in his life, explains why there is rarely something for him to do when he comes in. So he sits and reads sports blogs and listens to sports radio the entire time he's here. A huge distraction to me, who's actually doing some work here!
Anywho, our supervisor asked him to make a check run around 9:35a to our partner site, which is about 3 miles away. I asked him if he could stop at McDonald's and grab me a sweet tea on his way back. No biggie!
An hour later I get a text saying that he 'ran home because he had a stomach ache'. Ok, I cut him some slack and figured he'd be in in another 20 minutes or so. NOOOOOO! Another hour goes by, no sweet tea & no intern. What the heck was he doing?
Our supervisor then asks ME for his cell number, after he'd been gone for nearly 3 hours with about $300k in company checks!
Seriously, who does that??? In my opinion, this is just taking advantage of your employer! Not to mention that through the program that we got the job, we're not even supposed to leave our worksite during the day! But I'm seriously trying to figure out intern Fax-Boy's (my friend coined him with this name!) malfunction!
Today, I arrive at work at 8:30a, my scheduled time. The other intern whom I share an office with, arrives 7 minutes after 9a, as usual! Seeing as to how he was hired as an accounting intern, yet has never taken an accounting course in his life, explains why there is rarely something for him to do when he comes in. So he sits and reads sports blogs and listens to sports radio the entire time he's here. A huge distraction to me, who's actually doing some work here!
Anywho, our supervisor asked him to make a check run around 9:35a to our partner site, which is about 3 miles away. I asked him if he could stop at McDonald's and grab me a sweet tea on his way back. No biggie!
An hour later I get a text saying that he 'ran home because he had a stomach ache'. Ok, I cut him some slack and figured he'd be in in another 20 minutes or so. NOOOOOO! Another hour goes by, no sweet tea & no intern. What the heck was he doing?
Our supervisor then asks ME for his cell number, after he'd been gone for nearly 3 hours with about $300k in company checks!
Seriously, who does that??? In my opinion, this is just taking advantage of your employer! Not to mention that through the program that we got the job, we're not even supposed to leave our worksite during the day! But I'm seriously trying to figure out intern Fax-Boy's (my friend coined him with this name!) malfunction!
