What Do You Wish You Had Known About Engineering?

[sweetpotato]

As a female engineer, my female-specific piece of advice is not to worry about being female. In your math/science/engineering classes, try to cultivate friends and "study buddies" who are nice people, no matter what their gender. Don't try to hang out only with female engineers and avoid the male ones.

IMO there is surprisingly little awkwardness between female engineers and male engineers. The only people that have made me feel uncomfortable about being a female engineer have all been women who are not engineering majors. Typical conversation: "Hey, I'm Sarah, I'm a History major, how about you?" "I'm an electrical engineering major" "Oh, wow.. *awkward pause* girl power, huh?"

 

[lisab]

As a female engineer, my female-specific piece of advice is not to worry about being female. In your math/science/engineering classes, try to cultivate friends and "study buddies" who are nice people, no matter what their gender. Don't try to hang out only with female engineers and avoid the male ones.

IMO there is surprisingly little awkwardness between female engineers and male engineers. The only people that have made me feel uncomfortable about being a female engineer have all been women who are not engineering majors. Typical conversation: "Hey, I'm Sarah, I'm a History major, how about you?" "I'm an electrical engineering major" "Oh, wow.. *awkward pause* girl power, huh?"

+1

Exactly my experiences as a female physics major! I never had a problem with STEM people, but it can be quite awkward socially outside of that small circle.

The biggest problems I had in school had to do with time management, paying my rent and tuition, car trouble, schedule conflicts at work, understanding E&M...none of those problems would have been easier to deal with, had I been male!

 

[Thermalne]

I wish I had known how to better format my first two years of college towards my degree.

Basically, take Chemistry I&II and basic intro to engineering and engineering statics courses!

 

[Astronuc]

The biggest problems I had in school had to do with time management, paying my rent and tuition, car trouble, schedule conflicts at work, understanding E&M...none of those problems would have been easier to deal with, had I been male!

Yep - I can vouch for that - although I was fortunate in not having to deal with conflicting schedules between work and school.

 

[nocturne-e]

IMO there is surprisingly little awkwardness between female engineers and male engineers. The only people that have made me feel uncomfortable about being a female engineer have all been women who are not engineering majors. Typical conversation: "Hey, I'm Sarah, I'm a History major, how about you?" "I'm an electrical engineering major" "Oh, wow.. *awkward pause* girl power, huh?"

That's interesting though I figured it would probably be like that. Out of a physics class of 26 it's just two of us girls and I've had no problems with it. I get along with the guys in there so it's all good. It's just that everyone else makes a big deal over it so it's good to know that there isn't much of a problem if at all generally.

In my English class I told this girl that I was going EE and she just gave me a blank stare like she couldn't believe it. (She's kind of a ditz though so I wasn't surprised!)