Group Activities in Class

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omnispace

Member
For the most part my social anxiety only affects my social life, and generally has not prevented me from attending college successfully. However, I do have a huge problem when we are required to find a partner or form a groups to work on a class activity or project. Especially since I hardly ever talk to people in my classes.

How do you deal with this? Also, do you think it would help if I went and got an official diagnosis, so that I could ask for accommodations for disability (as required by ADA)?

EDIT: When I say accommodations, I just mean the professor helping me find a group when necessary. Not a free pass or anything.
 
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timidhorse

Well-known member
Yeah, you should. I'm thinking about doing the same thing, at least only this way the teacher knows and can accommodate you. :)


Thank goodness almost all of the teachers are nice at my college, I would be devastated.
But I do hate them knowing, but there is no other way to not feel completely miserable in college. Is there?
 
Rxqueen

Rxqueen

Well-known member
I actually had the same problem but I just told all my professors at the beginning of semester that I have problems in social environments. Most of them were cool and helped me out when they could. I just think talking to them would help loads so they don't just think you're being rude which one of mine thought for the longest time until i spoke to her.
 
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timidhorse

Well-known member
Rxqueen said:
I actually had the same problem but I just told all my professors at the beginning of semester that I have problems in social environments. Most of them were cool and helped me out when they could. I just think talking to them would help loads so they don't just think you're being rude which one of mine thought for the longest time until i spoke to her.
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Wow! Really, your professor thought you were rude? That explains why one of mine gave me the eye and sigh when she saw me once again in her class, oh well. Can't please everyone, I suppose.

Hey, can you tell us all how you got the courage to tell your professor and what you actually said? *taking notes* ;)
 
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PennyLane

PennyLane

Well-known member
This post is so relevant to my day....i had a uni class that i dread every week. Its 2 hours long and we HAVE to speak!

he told us we have to do presentations in the next few weeks. What a nightmare.

I think my tutor thinks im very rude and havent done the work...just because i dont speak up. Today in front of the class he called my name and asked why i had nothing to say!!!
 
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klytus

Well-known member
It can vary from 12 to 200. There are 50 in the class I started yesterday.
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Dear Goodness, so many people. Is there any sense in having non-professional conversations with them? You would have to keep track of a wide variety of stories which are entirely insignificant to your academic life. Discussions about the subject matter at hand are, of course, important.
 
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fauxleigh

Member
I recall someone here shared that he was studying in university and also dreading to present and group discussion. He then talked to the professor for the problem and the professor allowed him to do every work on his own. Of course I can only say he's somehow lucky
 
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klytus

Well-known member
I recall someone here shared that he was studying in university and also dreading to present and group discussion. He then talked to the professor for the problem and the professor allowed him to do every work on his own. Of course I can only say he's somehow lucky
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Depends. It may prove unprovidential to have no opportunity to discuss what the group assignments are about. -- And every half-way sane professor will allow you to do it on your own, if it is your wish to do so.

I would say just stick it out and don't say anything about it.
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Indeed.
 
Carina33

Carina33

Well-known member
If I think it might be necessary for my eventual grade, I've sometimes ended up explaining my situation to my professors. Usually it's in a meeting that's held for some other reason, about a paper or something. They're usually very understanding and learn not to take my silence in class as a lack of interest. Some have even given me alternatives to required class participation, such as a few small writing assignments. A few times I've also regretted not speaking to my professors. Last semester I had a class where participation was 30% of the grade. The professor seemed like an extremely understanding person, and I thought she could tell by the quality of my other work that I was very interested in her class. She surprised me at the end of the semester by giving me a B+ and telling me in front of a bunch of other students that it was too bad I didn't share my unique comments in class like I did in my writing.
It's definitely not fun to share SA with someone who you want to respect you and is going to evaluate you. But usually, it's better to than not. Often it goes well, but sometimes not, especially if the professor assumes that what you want is a huge load of sympathy and added kind comments in class. Professors at my university usually tell students at the beginning of the semester to inform them of any disabilities or learning difficulties you may have. I don't really think of myself as having a disability, but I guess this is what people who don't really know much about it might consider one.
 
this_portrait

this_portrait

Well-known member
Group activities. . . *Shudder* One of Satan's many earthly disguises. I despise them with a burning passion. Whenever we have to do them, I always end up with whoever, and usually I just let whoever I'm with do all the talking while pitching in a few words here and there.
 
Jonhy

Jonhy

Member
I learn how to deal with group activities, just talk to a person near to you which doesnt seem to have a team with all the members complete and ask if you could join in. Unless they already have plans which includes other people they'll hardly say no, just need to do this quite fast before they talk to others so you could join. I've tried the last years and it worked for me pretty well, if you are quick enough (but don't sound desperate) you might be able to work with who you like to. Although this doesnt mean there will be any other kind of relation out of the group activity :(. Before i was the kind of guy that was missing a team and end up in team i never liked, but using this strategy the team work isnt a big problem for me anymore, although i'm not able to relate even to that same people outside a business/group_activity scope. I hope this works for you ;)
 
Rxqueen

Rxqueen

Well-known member
timidhorse said:
Wow! Really, your professor thought you were rude? That explains why one of mine gave me the eye and sigh when she saw me once again in her class, oh well. Can't please everyone, I suppose.

Hey, can you tell us all how you got the courage to tell your professor and what you actually said? *taking notes* ;)
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I basically had a breakdown the year before and figured it's better to tell them and risk failure, then to not tell them and fail anyways. Since I'm an English major I think most of my teachers were pretty nice and I even got one of them to substitute a paper for a speech during class. I guess I was really lucky. I just told them I have social anxiety disorder and have trouble in social environments, I went to their office hours so I wouldn't have to be around other people and basically just told them the truth. In my case I made sure to come to every class on time and try my best to cope with the daily requirements, then if I found I couldn't do something I'd go to my teacher's office hours to find a way to make up the points. I really think it mostly has to do with the specific teacher, but if you make an effort to come to class and go to their office hours every once in a while, it will do you some good. Hope that helps....:)
 
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omnispace

Member
Thanks for all the suggestions. I was able to find a group for the class that I'm taking. I mentioned to an acquaintance (who I know through a student organization), that I didn't have a group and she was able to find me a partner for the group project. So she really saved my butt this time. Still, I wish I didn't have to rely on others to help get me through such simple things.

Oddly enough, I have no issues working with a group once I'm in it. It's only the initial contact that is the problem.
 
SnowWolf

SnowWolf

Well-known member
That's good. I wonder what would have happened if I had the courage to talk to my lecturers instead of dropping out several years ago, I just couldn't handle all the horrible group discussions and tasks in tutorials. Even in some lectures where I usually would be fine I spent the whole time freaking out that this one lecturer would randomly pick me to answer one of his questions with hundreds of people listening.
 
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