<p>I am a first-semester EECS transfer student, taking:
EE20
EE40
CS61B</p>
<p>I thought that this would be a reasonable load, but I am finding that I have absolutely no time to do anything other than school. My life here at Cal is terrible, and despite my best efforts to remain positive, I am hating this place more and more every day. Writing this post is the biggest break that I have taken all week, aside from sleeping, using the bathroom, and eating (though sometimes I have to work while eating). I regret coming here more than I have ever regretted anything in my life. Is my schedule more demanding than other people's schedules, or am I simply going to be this incredibly miserable for my entire time here? I am getting good grades, but I feel constantly overwhelmed, and I don't have time to get to know people (most of them don't even seem that interested in having social lives anyways). I figure one of four things could be the case:</p>
<p>1)Everybody is actually this miserable in EECS, they just don't really talk about it.
2)These people are actually happy doing NOTHING besides schoolwork... ever.
3)My schedule is unusually demanding
4)I am either a huge whiner or a really, really slow worker/learner.</p>
<p>I wouldn't be offended if you said #4. I just want to know -- what do other engineering/cs people think? Is my life just going to suck for the rest of the time that I am here?
Does anybody have advice that could make this a better experience for me? Because I would have already dropped out if it wasn't for the disappointment that it would bring to my family and friends.</p>
<p>Well, it is three lab (counting CS 61B programming as lab) courses, so it is almost like six courses’ worth of work (though you will only have three final exams). Do you have a fourth course (possibly humanities or social studies) also?</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the lack of lower division prerequisites at most community colleges means that transfer students in EECS often have to take heavy loads their first semesters, instead of spreading out the high workload lower division lab courses.</p>
<p>If you’re doing well in your courses, it’s not #4 and you should not give up. I have a lot of friends in EECS and while they all had a tough time the first few semesters, they’re enjoying their upper div classes and have great internships/jobs lined up at places like Apple and Facebook.</p>
<p>You really should not have to completely compromise on a social life though. Do you live in Foothill? Most people at Berkeley DO care about their social lives, but you’re probably only seeing the ones that don’t. I usually take hard course loads, but I know I would go crazy if I didn’t set aside time at least on weekends to party and do nothing productive. I feel pretty sorry for people who feel the need to study on friday nights because they have a midterm or paper due the next week. Seems like you don’t want to be one of those people which is a good thing! </p>
<p>Take easier classes next semester, 3 EE classes is too much. Basically, don’t give up on Berkeley yet. Find better friends and build a social life, it’ll probably happen on its own. You’ll probably love Berkeley by the time you graduate.</p>
<p>I say 61b with hilfinger might be what’s making it difficult… but that schedule looks pretty reasonably easy… I think the norm is around 3 technicals + 1 humanities. So you’re on track. </p>
<p>I’d say most people in EECS manage to do other things. I think as a transfer student, you are a little behind in terms of learning how to balance workload/expectations. So I think next semester, you’ll be able to adjust better and find more free time :)</p>
<p>If it makes you feel any better, my son has CS61B, EE20, Physics 7B, and some ethics course. He is studying all the time and has no extra time at all. You’re not alone. He just called me the other day for some encouragement. As for being miserable, he’s not. He’s tired and would like to be able to just chill but he’s not miserable. Berkeley EECS is challenging, but I think you will adjust in time. I personally believe a degree in EECS will be worth it in the end. Hang in there.</p>
<p>The more I analyze this, the more that I am convinced that this is simply the result of me over-pressuring myself. I was trying to make A’s this semester, which definitely should happen, possibly with the exception of 61B. Hilfinger’s midterm yesterday took a machine gun to my:
self-esteem
happiness
grade
happiness
social life
happiness</p>
<p>And now, I feel like it is even more imperative that I get A’s in EE20 and EE40, meaning that I have to study/work even MORE! I’m not going to lie: this place kind of blows.</p>
<p>Are you enjoying what you’re learning? I think this is far more important than the difficulty of your courseload. If you actually feel miserable studying for all these classes then something is wrong. Remember, your classes are only going to get harder as you progress through the major. I’m currently in 3 PhD IEOR/Econ classes and doing an honors thesis. Although the work is very demanding, I really enjoy what what I’m learning which makes it a lot more manageable.</p>
<p>The answer to all your questions is Hilfinger. EE 20N and EE 40 suck too. But Hilfinger. I’m taking 19 units right now, and if 8 of those units weren’t easy math classes, I’d be dead right now. 61B takes ALL of my time. I sympathize. But hey, things are gonna get a lot better next semester.</p>
<p>Hilfingers class is not the norm… he’s one of the hardest berkeley cs professors. No other class will be like a hilfinger class.</p>
<p>So just weather through this semester, and you’ll be fine. It doesnt sound like you’re doing badly in any of your other courses. And hilfinger’s class is always curved…</p>
<p>look at: glookup -s Total and check your rank. Youll see that other people are doing just as poorly as you :)</p>
<p>Looks like I’m taking EE20 and 40 with you. Sure, the 20 problem sets are torture and 40 labs are annoying since lecture seems like it will never catch up with lab but it’s definitely manageable. I guess it’s the combination of 61B that’s really making it hard for you. Just hang in there, we’re still kind of transitioning since we’re both transfers but it will get better for sure. </p>
<p>I know a guy who’s taking 20, 40 and 61A. I tried to get him to go out last night to the USC game but he wanted to go to Babak’s office hours instead. In retrospect, I still think he should’ve gone out since the due date for the problem set ended up getting pushed back anyways but I understand why office hours were more important to him.</p>
<p>Either way, try to enjoy your time here. I know many of the people there seem like they have no lives and I’d have to say it’s really true for some. Just look at those who sit in the front row for 40. But it’s just like Babak said, your brain can only retain knowledge for so long so take breaks. Make friends with the less introvert people in class and hang out with them, go running, check out a club. Whatever lets your mind relax for that next study session.</p>
<p>Oh and in the future in case you’re thinking of taking those self-pace programming courses as an easy filler, make sure you really want to do it because these 1 unit classes feel like 5, haha.</p>
<p>it tends to get students who have been at the absolute top of their schools, able to take on ridiculous heavy schedules and hammer out top grades, but put all those people together with a bell curve and 80% are gonna be unhappy. 50% are gonna be demoralized. 20% are gonna be crushed. </p>
<p>It would happen in any top academically rigorous school, with almost no exceptions.</p>
<p>it wouldn’t happen at harvard : [ or northwestern : [ </p>
<p>why didn’t i get in therrrrreee ugh. and i wasn’t at the top of my hs. lol i think i’m part of the 20% whose crushed. i guess on the bright side it doesn’t really matter though. lol it’s not like i’ll ever have to work at minimum wage job even if i didn’t go to college…still gotta plan.</p>
<p>Same here :-/
I don’t think it happens at Harvard especially since it is private, the curves are usually more generous than public universities. Right now, I’ll be happy with just a 3.0…
I don’t even care about grad schools at this point, that is no longer possible. Sometimes I wish I should’ve gone to a state school or something. My friend whose in grad school at SFSU told me that the classes are really easy…some easier than CC</p>
![http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/entries/icons/original/000/000/142/feelsgood.jpg]feels](http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/entries/icons/original/000/000/142/feelsgood.jpg%5Dfeels){kind=link}
