10 May 2025

Whenever I had to do shitty group projects in high school, I would always think hopefully about the future—a future where I got to work with people who actually cared about putting in their share of the effort. More specifically, I thought college would be different.

That was my first mistake.

I’ve already been stressed about exams this week, especially since I feel extremely lost in one of my classes. But to make matters worse, I spent the weekend trying to get my full-grown-adult groupmates to simply answer my emails. Considering we have made zero progress on this project and we have part of it due in three days, I really thought they would have a sense of urgency.

I think they’re secretly trying to act nonchalant and make me do all the work. I mean, that sort of thing has happened to me before—somehow it’s usually me and only one other person in the group who end up doing 90% of the project. But come on, these people are old enough to vote, old enough to drink. So why can’t they just do the bare minimum here?

What makes this situation worse is that if everyone did their share of the work, each person’s individual contribution wouldn’t have to be that much. I think that’s basically the whole point of group projects (unless they really are just a tried-and-true way to make students miserable for no reason).

To help me cope, here’s my advice for dealing with shitty group projects. I’m not saying this works in every situation, but if you’re feeling lost, here are some possible starting points.

1.    Set up a point of communication

Nothing’s going to get done if you can’t talk to each other. In my experience, this first step is where most of the group falls apart. A majority of the time, people just ghost—and that’s if they provided a way to contact them in the first place. Or, in the case of assigned groups, sometimes there are people who never show up to class until the day of the final. It’s hard to communicate with someone you’ve never met.

The best course of action is to do what you can. Send them an email, keep that group chat alive, because you’re probably the only person willing to initiate those conversations. Honestly, there’s a good chance no one will respond, but at least you can say you tried.

2.    Get help

At some point, the work has to get done. Sometimes, I’ve been lucky enough to have one other person in the group willing to work with me and carry the team. Chances are, there has to be at least one other person in your group who could be helpful. And if the two of you have to carry the other four people in your group, I guess that’s better than doing all the work alone.

There’s always the question of whether or not it’s worth it to mention something to the professor. Honestly, if they’re understanding and you’re not outright blaming people, I think it’s definitely something to consider. But this is different for each situation and should really be used as a last resort.

3.    Accept the truth

As much as I would like to see the best in people, it’s also not my job to make excuses for them. Look, we’re all busy, and it’s worth noting that some people have serious issues going on in their lives that take priority over a group project. No matter the reason, whether it’s a personal emergency or a personality issue, we have to face the facts—some people are going to do next to  nothing, and they will (most likely) get away with it.

Instead of feeling bitter, I usually try and take the high road. Might as well focus on moving forward as smoothly as possible while still retaining my dignity (and sanity).

Final Thoughts

Fair warning, this post was driven by frustration and stress.

I know this singular blog post will not change the ways of countless students who think they can coast on others’ hard work. But hopefully, this can serve as some consolation for anyone who knows what I’m going through. Sadly, it doesn’t get easier. But to those reading this, I hope that once you get through this project (and yes, you will get through it), it will be a long time before you have to deal with another one.