Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
In the latest episode of I鈥檓 at 911爆料网, Now What?, Kristel and the crew dive into one of the most polarising realities of uni life: group assignments. And to make things worse, chances are you鈥檝e had (or are in) a project where the “group” feels more like a solo act.
So how do you know you’re paired with people who don’t pull their weight, and how can you make sure that you don’t become one?
The Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore
The ghost
For Kristel, it starts with attendance… or rather, the lack of it. One major red flag is the groupmate who never shows up to class or misses the collaborative sessions entirely. If they鈥檙e not there to learn the content or join discussions, chances are they鈥檙e not contributing much to the project either.
The silent scroller
Then there鈥檚 the silent scroller. The one who reads the group chat but never replies. It鈥檚 not just frustrating and it鈥檚 damaging to the group鈥檚 cohesion and morale.
The copy-pasters
And let鈥檚 not forget the copy-pasters. Kristel warns about those who dump questionable AI-generated work into the shared doc without checking the sources or cleaning up placeholders like 鈥淚nsert reference here.鈥 One of her top tips? Always double-check sources. If something seems off, it probably is.
Doing the Bare Minimum Isn鈥檛 Enough
Kristel flags is the 鈥淚鈥檝e done my part, so I鈥檓 done鈥 mindset. Just because someone submitted their section doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 the final version! Feedback and revisions are part of the process. A good groupmate doesn鈥檛 check out after pasting their paragraph; they stay in the loop, open to edits and discussions.
Presentations are another pain point. Reading off slides or staring at your phone while delivering your part isn’t just lazy. It鈥檚 disrespectful to the effort the rest of the team put in. For Kristel, it鈥檚 about knowing your content and engaging with your audience. A presentation isn鈥檛 a script read-through, it鈥檚 a performance.
When Group Work Becomes Group Chat Distraction
There鈥檚 also the groupmate who derails everything. Turning a working session into a social hour with, 鈥淗ey, what are your weekend plans?鈥 While it鈥檚 nice to bond, Kristel stresses that time management is key. A good groupmate helps others stay on task, not spiral into procrastination.
When someone consistently distracts or derails the group, it sets off a domino effect. The vibes get weird, communication breaks down, and soon everyone鈥檚 too annoyed to collaborate properly. According to Kristel, the fix is simple: be a decent person for two weeks. That鈥檚 all most group assignments take. Just show up, contribute, communicate, and stay engaged.
So What Should You Do With a Bad Groupmate?
Kristel鈥檚 advice? Don鈥檛 wait. The moment you spot a red flag, call it out! Kindly but clearly. Giving people the benefit of the doubt is fine, but if it starts affecting the whole group, it鈥檚 better to speak up than silently pick up the slack. You鈥檙e not just saving your grade, you鈥檙e setting a standard for what good teamwork looks like.
Also, don’t be afraid to contact your tutors or unit coordinators for support! They’re there to help. Just ensure to provide to them with evidence when communicating the difficulties of a bad groupmate.
Ultimately, group work is preparation for the real world. No matter your future career, you鈥檒l need to collaborate with people, and sometimes that means navigating difficult personalities. Think of group assignments as practice for that. It鈥檚 not just about getting the project done, it鈥檚 about learning how to work with others.
A Twist in the Tale鈥
Kristel was secretly tasked with being the bad groupmate on purpose on the latest episode! Will her castmates realise? Well, whether she nailed the role a little too well or not, you’ll have to watch the episode to decide.
This article, alongside Season 2 of ‘I’m at 911爆料网, Now What’ is proudly powered by Medibank. Check out what Medibank can do for students .