Finally Found Me (Campus Horizon Series #1)

Chapter 3

"Fallout"

The semester was drawing to a close, and with it came the looming deadlines for final projects. The pressure of looming exams and assignments had taken its toll on everyone, but nothing was more stressful than the group project for our History of Art class. It was a comprehensive task that required us to collaborate closely, and the stress had started to unravel our group's cohesion.

One evening, as we convened in the common area to discuss our project, the tension was palpable. The air was thick with the weight of deadlines and the frustration of a project that seemed to be spiraling out of control. We had gathered around the large table, surrounded by notes, books, and various materials, but the atmosphere was far from productive.

"I just don't get how we're supposed to pull this together," Gennie said, her voice tinged with frustration. "We've been working on this for weeks, and it feels like we're no closer to finishing."

Elexis, always the meticulous planner, was going through her notes with a frown. "We're behind schedule. We should have had more of the research done by now. I feel like we're wasting time rehashing the same points."

Katie, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "Maybe if we each focused on specific sections and then combined them, it would be more efficient. We need a better division of labor."

Crystie, who had been struggling with her portion of the project, added, "I've been working on the visual elements, but I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels. I don't know if what I'm doing fits with the overall theme."

Gay, who had been working on the text, looked up with a weary expression. "I think we need to rethink our approach. We might need to start from scratch or at least reevaluate what we have."

The conversation quickly became heated as frustrations bubbled to the surface. Gennie's impatience clashed with Elexis's meticulousness, while Katie's suggestion to divide the work seemed impractical to Crystie and Gay. The group's dynamic, usually supportive and understanding, was fraying under the pressure.

"I don't understand why we can't just agree on a plan," Gennie said, her frustration evident. "We've been going around in circles for too long."

Elexis, feeling overwhelmed by the lack of progress, responded sharply, "It's not just about agreeing. It's about following through with a solid plan. We're behind, and we need to make up for lost time."

Katie tried to mediate. "Let's take a step back and figure out what's not working. Maybe we need to have a clearer plan and assign tasks more effectively."

Crystie, her voice tinged with worry, added, "I'm worried that if we don't get this right, we're going to end up with a project that doesn't make sense. I need more direction on how my part fits into the whole."

Gay, who had been quietly absorbing the argument, spoke up with a calm but firm tone. "I think we need to communicate better. We're all feeling stressed, but we need to find a way to work through this together."

The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of the argument hanging heavily in the room. The disagreements had highlighted the different expectations and pressures each of us was feeling, but it also showed how we struggled to align our efforts.

Feeling lost amidst the escalating arguments, I tried to piece together the crux of the problem. "Can someone help me understand what's going wrong? I'm not sure where we're getting stuck."

Elexis sighed, her frustration evident. "We're not aligning our individual sections. Crystie's visuals don't mesh with the text, and there's confusion about the overall theme. We need to revisit our main objectives and make sure everyone's work is integrated."