This study investigated how university students used Google Gemini in writing assignments and their perceptions of its helpfulness and challenges. A quantitative method involved 21 English major students who completed a questionnaire via snowball sampling. Findings indicated moderate Gemini integration across writing stages, notably for revision and brainstorming, less so for drafting. Students highly used it for information retrieval, grammar checks, and rephrasing, but less for comprehensive feedback. Gemini was frequently employed to overcome writer's block and for various other writing tasks. Positively, students perceived increased ease, improved writing quality, better grammar, and faster completion. However, concerns were notable regarding Gemini's impact on critical thinking, long-term writing development, and ethical issues like originality and source attribution. The study highlights Gemini's dual role as a beneficial tool and a source of concerns requiring critical and ethical engagement.