well. recently I have many projects to work on and I have problems handling them.
Everytime theres a group presentation to make, I get anxious about the information we have to include in the slides afraid of what we may be doing wrong or missing out. (I have this fear of getting the info wrong infront of everyone and it already happened so many times, its literally so embarrassing so I hate leading or giving instructions.)
I know I could ask the teacher and I do, but I just get even more confused and I know they want us to be independent so I’m afraid to ask again because I will just ask about the same things over and over again. I would ask my members to ask but they kind of don’t really pay attention. They are very chill type and I’m like not okay HAHA. I’m the problem.
That said, the barely done presentation will be brought home and everyone in my team in so silent (in the group chat) - but theres work to be completed! I ask them about it they say “I dont know” so I have to ask the teacher about the content, then my team members will keep asking me if they did it right or not after i told them what the teacher said (treating me like a leader which I don’t want to but I know no one else will step up if I don’t and it makes me anxious as hell 
)I’m not even sure if I understood what the teacher said or what I’m relating is correct, I always try to check with my members but they dont even care. They just leave me on read
Anyway I end up sleeping at the wee hours of the night because I don’t know how to start! I literally spend a whole day just to only do 2 slides or none at all when its supposed to be simple! Why do I overthink so much?? If i dont do anything I can’t sleep at night and here I am. I zone out so much AAAAA
I dont even know what I’m doing anymore.
I feel like a clown everytime I have to brainstorm logical stuff bcs I literally have none.
Hi @justme
Thank you so much for sharing with us your struggles, it takes a lot of courage to be real and authentic, and I commend you for that. I can hear that you’re going through a really challenging time right now, and it’s completely understandable that managing multiple projects and group presentations is causing you stress and anxiety. It sounds like you’re putting a lot of pressure on yourself to meet expectations, and the fear of making mistakes in front of others is understandably taking a toll on you.
I want to encourage you - It’s completely okay to feel overwhelmed, and it’s a common experience to worry about the details of a presentation, especially when you’ve had past experiences that felt embarrassing. I want to affirm you that you’re not alone in feeling this way, and everyone has their own set of challenges.
It also sounds like you’re being proactive by seeking help from your teacher and trying to involve your team members, but the lack of engagement from them is adding an additional layer of stress. I can imagine that it’s tough when you feel like the responsibility falls solely on your shoulders.
For a start, perhaps it might be helpful to have an open and honest conversation with your team about how you’re feeling. You might want to let them know that you could use more support and that you’re finding the workload challenging. Perhaps you can brainstorm together or establish a more structured communication plan too?
I want you to know that it’s okay to ask for help repeatedly, and it doesn’t make you a burden at all! 
Teachers are there to support you, and asking questions is a part of the learning process. You’re not a “problem,” and your concerns are valid.
Overthinking is something many people struggle with (even us therapists too!), and it can be helpful to break tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Please try not to be too hard on yourself - you’re doing your best in this situation, and that’s something to be proud of
If you find that your anxiety is affecting your sleep and daily life, it might be beneficial to talk to someone you trust or consider seeking support from a counselor or mental health professional. They can provide additional strategies to manage stress and help you manage the anxiety. You could try approaching a counsellor from a nearby Family Service Centre, or you could try out these online options:
- Limitless : Talk To Someone - Limitless
- CPH chat : https://www.cphonlinecounselling.sg/hc/en-us
- IMH CHAT : Home - CHAT
- ec2.sg : https://fycs.org/ec2-sg
In the meantime, I also want to encourage you to try these tools to help you with managing the anxiety too:
- Practice mindfulness
- Practice decluttering your mind
- Feel more in control
- Take deep breaths!
Last but not least, please remember, you’re not alone in feeling this way, and it’s okay to ask for support. You’re doing your best, and that is enough
Let us know how you’re coping, hear from you soon!
As a poly student, I really resonated when you shared your struggles with group projects. It can be really overwhelming when you are trying to tank an assignment meant for a group of people by yourself.
Don’t sell yourself short by calling yourself the problem or a clown, by stepping up and proactively engaging the teacher/your group, you’re already demonstrating the courage to take the lead and do what needs to be done.
For me, I like to find another like-minded individual in the group for support, a person that seems the most likely to want to contribute and do well for the project as well. Then we both try to coordinate the rest of the members together. This way it won’t be as overwhelming as trying to lead alone.
However, since group projects tend to be random assignment when there’s no one like that in my group, I use peer evaluation as a way to make myself feel better 
. There’s not really a clear cut way to help when it comes to problematic group mates but we just gotta find ways to keep our mental sanity intact until the next sem, such as taking sufficient breaks, taking 1-2 of the projects less seriously, or whatever way you see fit.
All the best for your projects tho, hope you’re able to find a way to cope with your stress
hello @justme
i just want to say that how you are feeling is totally normal! as a Uni student (year2 now) i still struggle to navigate the nightmares of group projects, and how to get everyone on board to doing them well. You are doing a great job by being proactive in the project! and no, you should not be afraid to keep asking your prof/lecturer about the details or to clarify any doubts, they are there for that reason! all in all you are doing great, keep going, and i hope your project comes out well, and you get the grades to justify all your hard work
as a poly student right now i can totally relate to the group project struggles 
its definitely NOT easy at all, and I’ve come across similar situations as you where my group members are useless. i think its really commendable that you are putting in so much effort and initiative to do something in the group project, even though leading the project isn’t your thing. Also, i think its totally ok and a good thing to ask your teacher for help! after all they are there to teach and guide you. maybe it would help if you told your teacher about your group members and how they are not contributing as much? your teacher might be more understanding of your situation and help you out
i know there’s a limit to how much you can do when your group mates are kinda useless, but jiayou ok! rant about it to your friends and family and here on lets talk, and especially during peer evaluation! you’ll feel better if you talk about it with someone overall just wanna remind you again that you are doing a great job taking initiative in the group project