Because I can.

[Firocket1690]

It's roughly ... 2:26 in the am EST. I have a major (semester long) design project that's due ... in a little over a week. +20 points if submitted early (this thursday) I'm aiming for early submission, thus; I'm spending time to work on it.

My roommate is complaining about me staying up to the wee hours of the morning working on it 'cause ... well. I have a lamp on. And legos can be rather loud toys, when sifting for specific parts. Well, of course, this isn't troubling her, 'cause her lazy ass dropped the course, and doesn't have to deal with it. For me, I want to finish it early. Even by two days.

Secondly. I'm paying $4000 to live in this shithole of a dorm. At that rate, I can stay up to four in the morning if I damned well please. I've been commuting to/from home for the better part of last week; 1, father wasn't home, I had the larger TV, and the living room space (spread out, building legos, etc), and 2, roommate isolation. Yes, It's disrespectful, and no, I'm not always altruistic (not the word I'm looking for >_>) Nowhere in my signed contract does it state that lights must be out, people must sleep at any given hour. I have work to do, you don't. fuck you, I'm staying up. She bloody eats, sleeps, and goes to class. One of the three. Always. There have been times where she's told me to silence my music. Which Coheed is nothing to be silenced, mind you, but I did. But at 11 in the fucking afternoon, you shouldn't be sleeping.

Thirdly. Lab partners are stupid. Stupid's probably not the word I'm looking for. I'm assigned a partner for the semester long project (mentioned above), let's call her J. Aaaaaaand, I havn't seen her since the second day. Not literally, but meh. Every thurdsday, there's recitation, then lab. We're present in both, but never cooperative. Because every time I ask her for an idea Ex. "hey, how should we lift this lever..? The (literally) only response I've ever received is "I don't know!" I've built a moderately complex robot, and ... I can't get the thing to lift a single lever. I go to open lab on a near daily basis, and she hasn't gone once. One time, the other group asked me where my partner was, and that I should call her over. I texted her, and surprisingly, she came (ahahaa, she came)

"Hey, c'mere, take a look at this.." *prepares motor*
"Hang on, I'll be back in five minutes.."
"She's not going to be back, is she?"

blargh. Rumors are spreading that I'm considering not crediting her for anything. 'cause Firo's so selfishly mean. If I had a nickel for every time I asked her for an idea, and she said "I don't know!" I could probably pay my tuition.

So, the major design project has milestones. Showing progress to how/where the project has advanced to, cost estimates, changes/improvements since last presentation. In an attempt to give J something to do, I asked her to pull together a powerpoint for milestone 3. Again, recitation is on thursday. I gave her two days notice (probably more, if you count that it's been posted on the website since the term started) to ask her to do it. Say recitation's about ... 1pm. Before that, I'm in class till 12:50. Not unreasonable for a college schedule, y'know. class, hall time, another class ... typical? She texts me on thursday, at noon, asking me what to put in the powerpoint. Powerpoint requirements were also posted on the website at the start of the term. *facepalm*

For the curious:
There were 7 available term long projects to choose from. Five are design challenges, to build a robot using lego parts, one's a train system dealing with boolean/digital logic, and one's a supermarket layout, wiring electricity and plumbing through while designing a new supermarket. Of the 5 robots, 4 are very similiar. I took the AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) 'cause I wanted a challenge. Challenge, as in design limitations, and difficult goals, I didn't factor in slothful partners.

http://egmanual.poly.edu/index.php?title=Autonomous_Underwater_Vehicle_(AUV )

[CrimsomWolf]

If you pay $4000 for dorm, then you have every right to stay up late especially if it's study-related. I mean, isn't that the whole point? Just tell her to shut the hell up, or to buy blindfold and earplugs if this really bothers her.

As for other girl... forgetting is one thing, but she displays symptoms of regular incompetence. Maybe discuss this with teacher or don't credit her for your work, especially if she hasn't done even one simple thing.

All in all, that's why I don't really work in groups (to despair of my teachers, since it's appereantly "instrumental" for English schools or some other crap), seeing that I'm usually paired up with most incompetent and lazy. And seeing someone get a credit for work you had done, while that person just sat on thier lazy ass, really hurts.

[rayner]

This probably has nothing to do with your post, but I went to University at Stony Brook from 95' to 98' stayed on campus and paid room & board but I was basically home "The Bronx" from Thursday - Monday... to hang with friends, I sometimes think of how much $$$ I wasted to stay there. haha! I saw Queens as your location and "commute" and instantly thought of Stony Brook.

What are you taking as a major that you have to build a Robot out of legos?

[Outrider]

Well, in all fairness, didn't your roommate also pay $4000 so that she could sleep at night without any trouble?


But to be perfectly honest - it's college and you're finishing up a major project. It's not like you're doing this all the time, right? Oh, and again, IT'S COLLEGE. If she's going to bed before the sun comes up, she's doing it wrong.

The court rules in favor of Firo.

[KodiaX987]

1) Tell your roomie to bear with you for a coupla days. Yes, Lego noise doesn't make for the best sleeping conditions ever, but it's that or you are screwed, so you'd be really grateful for your roomie's understanding, 'cause the situation might just be reversed one day. During the day, sort your pieces by type so there's less suffling around at night and you can pick the right piece everytime without having to seek for it in the big tub.

2) Fire your lab partner. Immediately. I know you've got the ovaries to do it. Cite lack of cooperation, unwillingness to learn and figure things out, and sub-standard attendance. If people bitch and whine about it, keep your tongue sharp and your demeanor calm - become the feminine version of Christopher Walken. You've worked like a maniac trying to get this project done on time while dragging a deadweight with you - oh yes, of course you're an asshole, God forbid someone might want to pass the class! :) If you can get J out of the picture, not only does it make your life easier (as then you depend less on that person) but you also disallow her the points she would've gotten by leeching off you. Trust me, it can be done.

[Firocket1690]

Rayner, most major (IE. 'real') engineering schools have a design challenge with legos -sometime- during the year, if not intentionally freshman year. Legos are durable parts, and have many elements, which can represent real, functional mechanisms. A little place called MIT has a whole site (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Special-Programs/SP-293Spring-2007/CourseHome/index.htm) dedicated to lego program, and leaving it open. My previous college had one for the second term, and ... my school has one too.

Early submission on the point system is adding 20 to whatever you earn. BBCode doesn't like my url, something with https. Try this (https://egmanual.poly.edu/index.php?title=Autonomous_Underwater_Vehicle_(AUV )). Points are awarded based on how many of the available tasks the robot performs. To a maximum of 285. +20 to that, if you submit early. ... And I intend to submit early. x) The school record's somewhere at 140, or so. I want 305. 'cause I'm badass.

I'm an impulsive thinker. Ideas come at random. I'm not the type of kid to sit in a lab, forcing ideas to work. I was in hong kong over spring break, getting a haircut then WHOA! if I use this with that, then ... yeah. I'm good on the technicalities, apparently better than some of the TAs. But I can't do presentations for shit >_<;

J told my other suitemate to yell at me 'cause I'm not crediting her for her 'human resources' and the powerpoint. I'm not asking her to BUILD the damn thing, I just want ideas as to what can be done. Meh. I hope I can gather this shit together.

[Tyreek]

I gotta agree with Kodia with this one. If she's not pulling her weight, she doesn't deserve the same amount credit as you, or none at all. This is one of the reasons I don't like doing team projects. I had a close call when working with a team during a Character Design class. If we didn't have all our work present, we'd fail. And low and behold we had a straggler on the team, and another one of our teammates dropped the class, so we had to pick up the slack from that. ><; Thankfully, it didn't end in flames. I feel your pain.

[CelestialBlade]

I'm about a week away from my Bachelor's of Mechanical Engineering, so I can certainly relate to your difficulties with team projects. You almost have to go into them realizing that it's *not* going to be fair and that just because you do all the work, doesn't necessarily mean you'll be compensated accordingly. The way I like to look at it is, I'm going to do whatever it takes to get the project done because we all want a good grade. The means of getting there really isn't important; I'll carry more workload if I have to and if it *really* bugs me, I'll take it up with the professor....but at this point, it's the end result I care about. I've found it better to adopt this mindset in terms of avoiding frustration.

But your partner does seem to be quite the slacker, so it's worth at least mentioning to your professor. If they decide to do something about it, that's good, and if they don't? Sure, they'll get a good lab grade all because of your work....but when they get into harder classes and the working world, they'll be screwed. You'll come out ahead either way.

[rayner]

Rayner, most major (IE. 'real') engineering schools have a design challenge with legos -sometime- during the year, if not intentionally freshman year. Legos are durable parts, and have many elements, which can represent real, functional mechanisms. A little place called MIT has a whole site (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Special-Programs/SP-293Spring-2007/CourseHome/index.htm) dedicated to lego program, and leaving it open. My previous college had one for the second term, and ... my school has one too.


My roommate was an Engineering major and his project was to build a boat to race in the "Roth Ragatta" back in college 10 - 15 years ago they didn't have the Legos challenges ;-)

Where I teach now there is no Engineering program... I basically teach Physics / Astronomy to Liberal Arts majors for their Science requirement.

[astuarlen]

Paying to stay in a dorm doesn't really entitle you to do "whatever you damn well please" (I'm sorry, but this really sits wrong with me because I had an asshole of a roommate who spewed that very line). Sounds like you two might need to have a calm discussion about accomodating each other's needs. I understand that you want to get your work done, and it also seems you resent your roommate for not working as hard as you; that, and stress, seem to be making you frustrated and focused only on your own agenda. As someone who is very conscientious about projects and needs a full 8 hours of sleep to feel well I sympathize with the both of yas.

So, yeah, Kodia made 100% awesome points. Also, do you guys have a common area/work space in your dorm? Your roommate would probably be thrilled if you could work there some nights, and it would probably be easier on you not having to try to keep things quiet (and you could have as much light as necessary).

[CrimsomWolf]

I'll admit that my view on dorm might've been a little selfish, then again, noises never really bothered me. I find warm air in room much more annoying

Second issue stand still though. No prisoners, no mercy.

Also, J's telling to your roommate to yell at you for not getting credited (for nothing) is the newest low of lowest. Seriously, You should either report this, or cut her loose.

[Firocket1690]

Originally, the engineering group started off as J, Firo, and another. That third guy withdrew 'cause he was falling behind in his weekly lab reports. Which leaves J and Firo. Which means it leaves Firo alone.

@aust: Sure, sleep is important, but I'm also bitching about her passive aggression. Let's say I'll agree to be quiet when she sleeps. For example, I just got back from class, and a blood drive. It's currently 2.20 in the afternoon (eat it). And she's asleep. So I have my headphones on, typing away at this post. She'll get up later, muse around the computer for a bit, then go to sleep at 10ish. Which effectively cuts off my time for later in the night. And all of this ties up to me building the better majority of said robot 'cause a slothful lab partner.

Yes, it's disrespectful if I make noise while she sleeps. But I think it's rude for her to sleep all the time. It's 2 in the afternoon! you (she) need(s) something better to do with your (her) free time. I have shit to do. Her dropping the class (unmotivated) effectively leaves her with a smaller workload than me.

Edit: note: J and roommate are two different people.

so bite me, this thing's going to be done in two days, and it's going to be awesome. and deliver ping pong balls and whatever. >_>;

[Kent]

...I want to be your lab partner.

Legos are awesome.

I don't know of the structure of your program, but when I was doing the serious business group projects during college... We had standards. The group leader could call the shot to have someone removed from the team (or rather, had a major influence in it - the real decision came down to the instructor) resulting in immediate failure of that student.

Looking back at it, it's something I wish I had done to one person on the team a whole lot longer before it became such a serious issue. It's bad when your level designer just plain doesn't show up. :ugh:

My suggestion: File a formal complaint about the student (and kick them off the team in the process, if possible).

Reason being, group projects combined with bad students make the good students suffer greatly... And a lot of the time, the bad students in question will make an attempt to leech success from the people that are actually doing their work. This is one of the main reasons my school has the later, big projects have an election-by-consensus of who should be the leader of the group and the one with the responsibilities for the project: Typically, the elected student is one of the better ones, because... Well, the bad students won't get their reports in on time, won't get their own stuff done, and won't really be able to manage the other students, anyway. That, and some of us aren't afraid to show the door to someone who's not doing their part.

College classes are serious business. Maybe you should let your lamprey learn a life lesson or two about it.

[Lance813]

Yeah, you shouldn't let your roommate or your partner leach off of you. Tell them to fuck off, file complaints. I don't deal with that stuff, I'm glad I don't have a roomie. They'd end up hating me, haha.