People are probably wondering what makes being a engineer different than their counterparts, but let me tell you — there’s a lot. Other students think we’re stuck-up or always complaining, but that’s really not the case. We have our own unique experiences. Here is a list of occurrences that are normal to my fellow engineering majors that may or may not be experienced in different areas pertaining to being an engineer in general.
1. You have to get used to taking 15 or more credits a semester
If you looked at my current schedule and my upcoming spring schedule, you might cry along with me. I’m currently taking fifteen credits and lowkey I’m crying. Next semester, I’m slated to take 17, but I’m trying to reduce that to 15 (which is only a little bit better). It’s a hard knock life, but no pain no gain.
2. You have a repertoire of business clothes to select from at all times
Engineering involves a lot of keeping up with appearances. You don’t know when recruiter for a dream company with might come into class, so you need to always have nice business clothes ready. I get emails nearly every day about companies coming to campus. This stuff isn’t handed to you, so you have to work for it.
3. You take classes where even you don’t understand what the title means
I have to take classes like statics, interfacial engineering and others that I really don’t want to talk about. I have the vaguest idea about what I’m getting into, but I know it’ll be worth it.
4. You can always find PDFs of textbooks through the network of engineers
Engineers gravitate toward each other, so whenever we need help with something, we rely on each other — and this especially applies toward textbooks. Engineers somehow always find free versions of textbooks, which can be super useful.
5. There are always less women in your classes than men
When I took an engineering class this summer, there was about 24 people, and only four were girls. You get used to rooms being very masculine, and you really miss your gal friends.
6. You think of everything in terms of efficiency
When you have to deal with problems, it’s a habit for engineers to think of things in terms of making it easier, which leads to actually making it harder a lot of the time.
7. You’ve gotten used to not being able to drown out your sorrows with a social life because of studying
We have to study a lot, especially when the classes you are taking don’t really go together — which adds more to the amount of studying you have to do. Basically, we live in the libraries or secret study spots across campus. But when we do have a social life, we go hard. Almost all of my engineering friends party hard because they know it’ll be a while before they can do it again.
If you think of anything else, leave a comment below! I’m too fried from studying in order to think of even more experiences.