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I Have Bad Groupmates. Now What?

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A picture of four groupmates
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?

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.

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 .

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