You vaguely remember your professor mentioning it during the beginning of the semester, but at the time you simply brushed it off. Next thing you knew, the first half of spring semester had flown by and you were either relaxing or passed out on a beach down in South Padre. Now that you’re back in Ames it’s here, whacking you upside the head with a brick: your group project.

They’re two of the most dreaded words that you will hear during your college career. Intended to develop leadership abilities, group projects also give students a chance to show they are capable of working with a team.

Many students are currently facing one and some unfortunate souls are currently assigned to more than one. With just over a month left in the semester, you can begin to smell the frustration in the air. That ominous deadline continues to draw nearer.

Remember, it’s important to try and minimize the stress involved and avoid throwing the entire thing together the night before it is due. Hopefully these five tips will help you do just that.

1. Properly communicate

By now, your group has been selected and put together and you’re ready to get going. One of the most important aspects of working efficiently with your classmates is by establishing effective communication. There is a seemingly endless list of options to keep your team in contact. This includes emails, cellphones, Facebook messenger, Twitter, and Nintendo DS chat. What I most recommend is using Google Documents so everyone can work on the project simultaneously from wherever and whenever. Exchange student email addresses early on so the documents can be shared. I would also advise sharing cellphone numbers so that it is quicker and more convenient for setting up meeting times.

2. Set deadlines and check-ins

When you initially get the assignment, be sure to divide it up and give each member a task to be responsible for. You can figure out who’s pulling their weight and who is dragging the project down by establishing periodic check-ins where the whole team meets. During these group meetings, teammates can share ideas or problems that they have been experiencing with the project. This is going to help make sure that the assignment is progressing smoothly and in an efficient manor.

3. Don’t sweat the small stuff

I hate to break the news to you, but life isn’t perfect and neither are group projects. Make sure to focus on the more important parts of the assignment and let some of the small details slide. The color of your poster or the font used in the final write-up is not going to be the deciding factor of your grade, unless it’s a design project of course. You’re going to need to compromise with your group members on some issues; the important thing is that the assignment gets done and everybody gets a good grade.

4. Take charge

Stepping up and taking control of your group as the leader or coordinator isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially if the rest of your group is a bunch of slackers. Look at it as an opportunity to develop your leadership abilities and expand your managerial potential. You don’t have to do all of the work, but you will ensure that the project gets completed on time.

5. Keep your head up

We all know that group projects can be stressful and time consuming, but it’s important to look at the bigger picture. You’re gaining some valuable experience to what your future internship and careers will actually be like. You are also developing your teamwork skills, which are very valuable in the job market. By focusing on the positives instead of the negatives, your group project will be an overall more pleasant experience.