<p>What is it like? Are students grinding away at problem sets for hours on end before going to class and then back to the problem sets? Is sleep deprivation very common? How much time is there for recreational activities? Is it common to do research during the academic year? </p>
<p>I'm interested in understanding what daily life is like....I hope that sleep deprivation isn't too common.</p>
<p>Sleep deprivation depends on the person. Some people manage to not be sleep deprived very often, at least frosh year (sophomore year the sleepless nights seem to be more common). It also depends on your major and how good you are at planning your schedule. I try to take at least one or two hums a term, as opposed to 5/6 science classes. </p>
<p>Research during the year is certainly possible. I’ve been doing research this term. On the other hand, I only took 4 classes this term to make this possible, and with some majors or with double majors, lightening your course load to make time for research just isn’t practical/possible. (I’m a chem major)</p>
<p>If you prioritize sleep, you most likely won’t get sleep deprivation. From what I’ve seen, most of the people who get little sleep frosh year do so because they stay up all night “working” with friends and end up getting almost nothing done. After frosh year, it depends how well you can manage your schedule and keep two or three sets from piling up on one night.</p>
<p>My overall average for my time at tech is somewhere between 8 and 9 hours a night. I love it. It’s worth noting that I’m also in the major with the second most unit requirements (EE). This is because I prioritize sleep, as jdhutchin said.</p>
<p>Wow, 8-9 hours sounds awesome. Is it possible to do that with a sport in your schedule too?</p>
<p>Yeah, I think this amounts to the fact that the way to succeed in technical subjects is to get stuck as little as possible. And getting 1 hour extra of work and 1 hour less of sleep need not necessarily help.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t know, not playing a sport and all. I imagine it would depend on the sport. (Ask someone who is in the sport you would want to play).</p>
<p>Thanks 
I’ll try and find someone</p>