College Life: Blurry Lines between Teammate and Opponent

Athletes get traded often. They sweat, bleed and cry for their team but must shift their allegiance once they put on that new jersey. While most will remember their old team, fans and teammates with fondness, their goals become consistent with those of their new team. If you want to win the Championship, you may have an old enemy cast as an ally.

Colleague Or Competitor

Students need not work with those they dislike. After all, they can avoid one another and choose their own group mates. But in some instances, professors may lump students into groups based on schedule, majors and other factors.

If you find yourself in such a setting, you may be prone to ask for a proverbial trade. The recommendation is to stick it out and emerge as a diplomat as opposed to a prima donna.

Officially you will be working against the average and not other students. As a result, you will rarely have actual opponents in school even though you will all be fighting for the same pool of jobs down the road.

Friend Or Foe?

Football is a consummate team sport. The offensive line must move the defensive line in one direction and open up holes so that the quarterback can hand off the ball to a running back. The entire team must repeat this over and over until they get those magical 10 yards, only to start from scratch.

Sometimes however, when time is running out and the team is desperate, the offense must get aggressive. The team can change the momentum of the game in one swift play, but they can also lose everything outright. Imagine that the signal caller now decides to go long – very long.

In sports, the weather affects both teams. The home crowd affects the away team adversely but adds pressure to the home team. The only thing that either team has to worry about is the opposition.

In school, you will have to work with students who will one day compete with you for employment. As a result, even members of your own group may have unclear allegiances and shifting loyalty.

Imagine the quarterback asking the offensive line to block so that his wide receivers have enough time to make it downfield to catch the hail marry pass.

Enemy Or Ally?

How would the quarterback feel if his running back sacked him to end the game? Confused, angry and bitter.

This would never stand in football but in business and in business school, it is all too common.