Advice for [frightened] Undergraduate

[dekoi]

I'm beginning my undergraduate career, as a Mechanical Engineer.

Please provide some helpful suggestions in any area of my soon-to-be drastically changed life.

 

[theCandyman]

You are beginning a career while still an undergraduate?

 

[ktpr2]

the poster wrote "undergraduate career."

Simplely be ready to start homework and study on thursday, through friday, sat and sunday. Get real cozy with your teachers by showing passions so when you apply for a research assistantship it'll be easier to get a job. Never shoot for less than a 4.0. Develop a side project to develop on your own time.

That's my advice.

 

[brewnog]

Plenty of hard work, effort, enthusiasm, and you'll be fine.

You'll soon learn to adapt to 2 hours sleep per night, 9am hungover starts etc. Good luck!

 

[Nylex]

The whole experience isn't all it's cracked up to be.

 

[AKG]

In my experience, there were no drastic changes. Some people may have had to adapt to 2 hours of sleep, or may have had to do homework Thursday through to Sunday, but I found it was not much harder than high school. If you're going to U of T (I notice you live in Toronto), you might have a civil engineering course that requires you to do an assignment and a quiz every week, and so the work load is slightly greater there than an average high school course, on the other hand, you might have a course like my algebra course which only consisted of 3 term tests and a final, the term tests requiring a weekend of studying each, the final requiring 4 days, and never did you need to go to lecture or tutorial. On the whole, there might be a little more work, the pace is a little faster, etc. but nothing drastic. Are you going to U of T by the way? I took Eng. Sci. first year, and all the threats of drastic changes and piles of incredibly difficult homework, etc. were just empty threats. Rather than saying you will or will not encounter drastic changes, I would say that it might be smart to be prepared for such changes, but don't expect them, and certainly don't worry about them.

 

[mathwonk]

don't be afraid. as my colleague in the meat lugging business said to me about our common boss, an enormous man named marcus: "marcus is just a man like me."

the same is true of your professors and fellow students. all are equal. go for it.

 

[lyeinyoureye]

Dual major in ME and Pure Math. You will get so much love... :!)

 

[Knavish]

No, just switch to physics before it's too late.


Haha, just kidding. Seriously, though, good luck. Work hard and I'm sure you'll do fine.

 

[Dracovich]

Just finished my first year and was terrified before starting, it took a bit of time getting into the rythm, seeing as how i never really had to do homework in high school (workload wasn't that great so usually just showing up to class and finishing the work there was enough) So having to actually work hard to get decent grades was new, but the upside is that you'll (hopefully) be learning stuff you really enjoy and that makes all the difference, I've found myself sitting at home on a friday night reading books etc which would've never happened in high school.

My only advice really would be to get a reading group, find some people you like that are taking the same classes as you.

#1 you'll make friends which always makes it easier to be in school

#2 Having a commitment to meet up and read at least helps me a lot with doing homework, I'm less motivated if I'm just sitting home

#3 you'll see that you're not the only one who finds it hard and has problems learning the things, it sucks thinking you're the only guy (or girl) not picking everything up right away.

Lots of other benefits but those are the main ones that helped me at least.