Four Important Lessons We Learned Working as a Group of Eight
No matter your background or experiences, most of us have had the experience of working as part of a group. Whether for school assignments, for work, or on sports teams, working as a group is a common experience. The Protectorate 1 exhibition has provided a great opportunity for the eight of us to work together to create something we can all be proud of. But working as a group was not without its catches. Here are a few of the most important things that we learned in the process.
1. There are big differences between "a" and "the."
Creating the title of the exhibition was a fun, but lengthy process. It started with multiple suggestions from each group member, presented in an anonymous poll, and ended with the careful dissection of our final options. We considered things such as how the title would sound, how it would look in different fonts, and the message our title would send. Although many people wouldn’t often consider the subtle differences between “a” and “the,” while working on the title, we debated these important subtleties before agreeing on Protectorate 1: a Darker Side of the Moon. This was just the first of many instances where we put or attention to detail went above and beyond, and paid off.
2. Everyone comes with their own skill sets.
With so many smaller projects joining together to create Protectorate 1, it was important to consider what each person could contribute to the whole. To optimize the end result and enable all eight of us to contribute out best work, one of the first things that Professor Robertson did was to take a poll of our skills. This allowed the group to get an idea of what limitations and possibilities we would have for the exhibition in terms of what we are able to create. Knowing where each team member stands with their skills also allows for the distribution of tasks as they arose, allowing for the best of each of us to shine through.
3. All kinds can craft.
For those without the crafting gene, the idea of afternoons filled with crafting could be met with hesitation and uncertainty. But for me, I could not have been more excited to craft. Crafting runs in my family; from my grandmother who knits slippers, my sister who makes jewelry, and my aunt who I’m pretty sure can make anything. And then there's me. I will try any Do-It-Yourself at least once, not to mention the fact that I have an emotional attachment to my sewing machines. (yes, machines, I have three). The first crafting session that the class had was to create the moon lamps that would decorate or exhibit. It was definitely a messy experience. There was some trial and error involved and lots of encouragement and trading tips between us. With everyone employing different techniques, the end results were fantastic, with each lamp being as unique as its creator, showing all of us that even the least-craftiest of us can create something beautiful.
4. The harder the work, the better the outcome
This may seem like a no-brainer to most people, but for us, this lesson really rang true. After months of planning, endless discussions and brainstorming, and a whole lot of hard work, we will get to see our vision come to life. Already our space is rounding out and we can imagine what the final space can look like, and I can tell you that every bit of effort we put into Protectorate 1 has been worth it. From the early planning stages, to the final set-up and the take down, we all put in our best efforts to create something we can be proud of, and our strong team effort shows through.