So I was in a team project with 6 members (including myself). We all settled on a topic and started discussing model ideas. We all wanted to make a creative and affordable project model, except for one member. His idea was very complicated and expensive. We told him we aren’t willing to drop too much money for this project as it’s not feasible. Despite the discussion, he started making a separate model on his own. A week into it, he texts all of us, asking us to go to his dorm and complete the model. We did go, made a part of the model. He ended up throwing it as it was "flimsy". He then made a very weird looking model, and my team and I told him we will make a new model on our own. He continued to make his weird model, took his roommate’s help, spent a lot of money, and completed the model. We also made our own model. On the day of presentation, he was uncooperative with our team. Our team ended up winning 2nd place with medals and a cash prize. At the time of the announcement of winners, few members including me left as it was lunch time. He took ALL our medals and cash prize and left. He distributed OUR medals and cash prize to his roommates. When we demanded he give it back to us, he claimed that we didn’t help him with his model and he wanted to repay his roommates. After a lot of online arguing, we convinced him to return our medals. He went back on his word, and created a scene in class, i screamed at him very loudly. He then ultimately gave our medals back to us. And we had to pay him back for his expensive model despite having agreed to the fact that we don’t want to spend too much on the model. I’m debating if i should ask him to repay me.
For context, this dude is 12 years older than all of us. He’s in his 30s and we are not even 20 yet.
Are y’all 12?
Yk what, the way this situation is being acted on and dealt with by a 30 something year old dude vs his 18-19 yr old teammates, I can see why you think we are 12 lol.
NTA. His entitlement to your team achievement is disgusting.
Not sure I fully understand but NTA. Presumably this is graded, and part of that is ability to work in a team. Do I assume he presented his own model and won nothing?
This sounds more like something that should be reported, as it started with theft and judging by the public histrionics in class, may affect your own grades as well.
Yes its graded. I told him I’d inform our HOD if he refuses to give our medals back, and even then he seemed unfazed, he only returned it when I screamed today.
Yeah, screaming really doesn’t help, but I think your team should put in a full complaint or whatever you guys do. And I see no reason why you all should be paying for his model, since you were supposed to be a team, and instead he acted on his own, didn’t contribute to the model that won a prize, and if anything he should be contributing financially to YOUR model rather than the other way round.
I don’t know if the cash prize is valuable or just a token, regardless, it’s theft and – while I wouldn’t escalate it as such- could classify as a police matter. I’m confused why you all “had to” pay him for his model, and who said you did. If he just forced a deduction before returning money, that should be refused.
INFO: Which model was presented? His expensive one or your team built one? Why didn’t you guys go to the (assuming) professor and look into separating the team since he was running solo with his own project?
NTA. He’s not a team player. Stealing is bad. He’s acting like a child. Probably raised wrong.
ESH.
Your teammate doesn’t sound like he belongs on any sort of team and is clearly deserving of an asshole designation here.
The rest of you, though, don’t sound a whole lot better. You did your presentation and then bailed before the results were announced? That sounds like a lack of commitment at the very least.
Then, your teammate veers back into asshole territory by taking all the money and medals. AH again.
Finally, though, you cause a screaming scene in class when he doesn’t return the medals. That was an asshole move. At that point, you should have calmly walked to the professor and said, “Sir (or ma’am), we’ve got a situation and need your assistance. I’m not sure how to handle this, but our teammate collected all of our medals and cash prizes related to this project and refuses to return them. I’d rather not involve the police if at all possible, so I thought it was best to talk with you before taking any further action. How should we proceed?”
That would have likely resolved the situation immediately and without causing a scene, and would have been respectful to the professor whose class and project was the setting for this dispute.
He… He stole your money AND then got you to give him more? Dude… Like… What the fuck are you thinking?
So basically a 30 year old threw a tantrum, then proceeded to steal the cash prize from a bunch of 20 year olds.
Somebody get this man checked.