<p>I'm a freshman who's taking engineering classes. </p>
<p>So after about two months of class I've determined I may be a little miserable, not miserable like I want to drop out of college but miserable where I ask myself questions/comments like:
"maybe I'm in the wrong major"
"why did I want to do this in the first place"
"is it worth it, is there a light at the end of this dark tunnel"
"do I really not like the courses or is this just me trying to get out of doing a lot of work"</p>
<p>I'm taking "weed out" classes so I expected to be somewhat miserable but once before I was actually really excited about being a engineer and everyone else was really excited for me too. They told me it'll be great for you being a female engineer.</p>
<p>People look at me in shock when I tell them I don't like my classes!
I think they expect me to say, yes I really look forward to doing chemistry problems four pages long it's the highlight of my day.</p>
<p>I've had a few people suggest that maybe I'm in the wrong major
I've had a few people suggest that it's just because my weed out classes
it will get better</p>
<p>I've decided I have to make a decision soon since I'm pay about 40k in loans "interest included"</p>
<p>At any point in your college career did you ever feel like you were in the wrong major?</p>
<p>I have taken just a little over 60 Credits units including Cal I/II, Chem I/II, Physics I,y pretty much all the core getting ready to transfer. But in this Physics 2426 (II) I’m not sure if it’s the teacher, but I’m not quite understanding the lecture. But 1 class doesn’t make me feel like I’m in the wrong major. </p>
<p>Maybe because it’s about Electrical stuff, but I’m more of just problem solving type of guy… Math stuff. I sometime have to use [Khan</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.khanacademy.org%5DKhan”>http://www.khanacademy.org) to grasp the concept. The professor just teach off of slides powerpoint. </p>
<p>I think you’ll find that the lab experiments will be interesting and fun, I hate chemistry, but I like conducting experiment. Good luck.</p>
<p>Engineering classes are not going to be the most exciting thing you have ever done in your life. I mean, it’s school, it’s not easy, and you will look to all the easier majors with envy…BUT it is only 4 years of tougher classes for a better, and more secure, REST OF YOUR LIFE than that Psychology major will ever have. </p>
<p>I say all this based on the fact that I was that psychology major with the easier classes. I graduated from a top school, but with a Psychology degree… got a crap job… was extremely unfulfilled…and now I am getting a second degree in engineering. I have a guy in class with me, from my same school, that was a poly sci major too…</p>
<p>Also, yes, you do want to make sure the major is the one that best suits you though. I started out in EE (I was an electronics tech in the Navy and though it would be the natural progression). After looking at the curriculum, I was really uninterested in the topics. So I started looking at other Engineering majors and found Industrial Engineering. Best decision I could have made. Still have great opportunities, and I actually enjoy my major classes. The weeder classes were still horrible, its just the right of passage, but it gets better.</p>
<p>Chem is hard and it gets harder. If you don’t like it, try and switch to another engineering major. Computer Science might be interesting for you and you can always change back next sem or within the semester.</p>
<p>@Chucktown That’s the only reason why I haven’t given up! I’m afraid Ill switch to an easier major go through college in a breeze and be really upset with the end result job wise.
I know some upperclassman now who did easy majors or majors not really directly related to any career and they have no clue what to do with themselves now that they’re about to graduate they often joke about how’ll they’ll be working at target and how their college degree is going to such good use!</p>
<p>@Siddmax I only need one more semester of chemistry! It’s not really related to my specific area of engineering but they make all the new entering engineers take it. It’s a serious weed out class where the average test scores range around 60%
I’ve seen some scores as low as 30% and they expect you to get B’s and A’s</p>
<p>As my pharmacist says “What’s 4 years out of your life for something you’re going to do the rest of your life?” </p>
<p>If you’re going to invest 4 years do it for a degree that makes money. I’m a pharmacy tech, 1 of my pharmacist’s wife have a bachelor in a field that I can’t remember, but the wife don’t work because what she makes is almost equivalent to what she would have to pay for childcare. So there’s no point of working.</p>
<p>Another story: My friend graduated top 5-10% in HS, maybe full scholarship to University of Texas in Dallas; graduated with Bachelor of Business in 2010. No degree-related job, working as dish installer for Dish Network.</p>
<p>Hi. My daughter is a sophomore who started in biomedical engineering because it seemed like best mix for her interests (math, biology, physics). Turns out she was fairly miserable her first semester. Didn’t really enjoy the problems they were solving in BMW 101, and absolutely despised chemistry. She developed serious doubts about her path. Then second semester she took a computer science class and fell in love. Be end of freshman year she changed her major. She still works hard and hits challenging areas but it’s totally different for her now. She loves the programming and feels she’s in the right place! </p>
<p>If you like problem-solving, don’t give up on engineering! It’s a great career (I’m the mom, an EE myself). The different kinds of engineering really do offer different course mixes and emphases. You may well find a different area that really does fit you well! .</p>
<p>@Smiley: Ah well then no worries. GenChem is actually pretty easy, unless you mean you’re taking the last semester of OChem/PChem where I can understand your pains and the low grades you see. But I don’t really know what major you are so I can’t really say what you have waiting for you. But generally the upper division classes in certain engineering majors can be harder and in some easier than the pre-req classes. For my engineering (nano), the upper div are way more complicated and harder than the pre-reqs. But it all pays off, got a nice paid internship last summer.</p>
<p>I’m currently following a CompE path I don’t take my first ECE class until next semester! I’m really excited for it, it will be the deciding factor on wether I should consider another major.
I’m really interested in environmental engineering but in my school that falls under civil engineering which is even more stressful than ECE</p>
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</p>
<p>Really? I always hear it the other way around at my school. I’m just glad I only have to take Statics and Solids…And solids will be finished in a month!</p>
<p>
Maybe yes, maybe not. It’s really something only you can know.</p>
<p>
Try answering this yourself. But wait until you get a good night of sleep. A good time would be in the gap between when you get your grades for your past midterms and when you have to start studying for your next series (about 1-2 weeks of time here). Making a decision under stress is bad.</p>
<p>
Is it worth it? No one can tell you this. You have to figure it out for yourself. Sucks, but there really is no way to know.
Is it really a dark tunnel? Maybe you just had a bad week and you’re feeling miserable because of that. If it’s consistently miserable and nothing makes you feel better, it’s time to consider if it’s all worth it.</p>
<p>
If my experience is any indication, probably a little of both. Education on someone else’s terms is never something entirely pleasant. Just be glad you only have to get a degree once in your life. Even if you get a Masters, it will never be the same kind of commitment.</p>
<p>The first year is always the hardest, not only because of the “weed out” classes, but also that you realize how many more classes, tests, and uncertainty you have in front of you. </p>
<p>The truth of the matter is that college itself is one big test. It’s goal is to push you in order to find your motivational limit… By the time you’re finished with everything, employers will know that you are dedicated enough to be given real-world projects. </p>
<p>But believe me… it’s all very much worth it in the end. And once you graduate, you’ll finally understand why so many people hold STEM degrees in such high regards.</p>