Long ago, a university student named Jamie found themselves knee-deep in a literature course entitled Madness in Classic Literature. The class was filled with eccentric discussions and provocative themes, but the excitement quickly turned to dread when the professor assigned a group project that would require them to present on madness in any era of literature. Jamie, who had a penchant for hard work and a dislike for freeloaders, was paired with two seemingly studious partners, one of whom had a fervent interest in madness in 1800s Scotland.
The enthusiasm of Jamie’s partner was infectious, but when they pitched their topic to the professor, he winced slightly, suggesting that finding solid sources might be a challenge. Despite his concerns, the three students decided to forge ahead. They were granted permission to cover Lord Byron, although they were also burdened with an incredibly long and dry text about a character experiencing existential dread, which made Jamie’s eyes glaze over quickly.
As Jamie dove into the material, it became painfully clear that their partners were not as committed. They barely skimmed the texts, let alone engaged with them on a meaningful level. This left Jamie to shoulder the entire weight of the project. Determined to do a good job while ensuring their partners faced some consequences, Jamie made a bold decision. They took it upon themselves to memorize every detail of the presentation and crafted a worksheet that featured vague bullet points that bore no real substance. This way, when the time came for the presentation, Jamie would shine while their partners floundered.
On the day of the presentation, Jamie met their partners and handed out the intentionally unhelpful worksheets. To Jamie’s satisfaction, the partners seemed relieved that they appeared to know what they were doing and suspected nothing. As they stood in front of the class, Jamie began their detailed exposition on madness in 1800s Scotland, seamlessly weaving in insights about Lord Byron and the other character from the dry text. Jamie’s partners stood beside them, silent but nodding gravely, clearly out of their depth.
After delivering a well-structured presentation for thirty minutes, it was time for the Q&A session. Jamie’s classmates eagerly raised their hands, ready to ask about the material. Jamie deliberately chose a question about the religious aspects of the dry text, knowing this would be an opportunity to let their partners flounder. Instead of jumping in with an answer, Jamie paused dramatically, giving their partners the chance to respond. The seconds ticked by painfully as the classroom fell into silence, and Jamie looked back and forth between them, enjoying the tension they had crafted.
With each subsequent question, Jamie continued this strategy, allowing the uncomfortable pauses to stretch on longer and longer. It quickly became evident to everyone in the room that Jamie was the only person who had genuinely engaged with the topic. The two partners, who had coasted through without contributing, were seemingly left in the dust, and the atmosphere was thick with awkwardness.
When the presentation finally concluded, Jamie walked away feeling a sense of satisfaction. They had not only completed the project but had also cleverly exposed the ignorance of their partners. Petty? Sure. But Jamie felt it was justified given the circumstances. If they were expected to tolerate this group project, they were going to comply in a way that was both clever and a bit malicious.
Later, as the professor rounded up grades, he pulled Jamie aside and mentioned that, based on their performance, he would be grading them separately from their partners. This was music to Jamie’s ears. Not only did they earn an A for their hard work, but it seemed their partners had vanished from Jamie’s social circle altogether after the project. Maybe they were just embarrassed, or perhaps they believed Jamie was a bad luck charm. Either way, Jamie had no regrets. They had navigated the chaos of group work with skill and clever tact, and in the end, they emerged victorious.
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