Hi guys. I’m a freshman. I’m currently doing my prerequisites for my ChemEng major. If ChemE is not the toughest engineering major out there, it is still the one that has most workload. The curriculum is basically like all other engineering but plus chemistry and a bit bio (in the end all engineering are hard). With that being said, this quarter I had to take all math and science courses in the same time to graduate on time. I feel horrible, it is like everyday I go to class, then do the homework in the library, go home and do the homework again. I don’t have a time to socialize, and if I have the time,There is no social life, and I’m still in a community college, so the social ambience sucks. I heard it is gonna be harder in third and fourth year of engineering after you transfer to a uni? How do you guys cope with the insane engineering workload? Can you still balance your social and school life? Man I wish I was a business or arts major they seem like to be smokin crack and do nothin all the time
Do you have an aptitude for mathematics/science? Most of my friends are MechE/ChemE and go out partying all the time. It’s all about how hard you need to work. They completely get the material, so they rarely need to study outside the norm (excluding a few late nights) and can go out 2-3 times a week.
Motivate yourself by thinking about that sweet, sweet starting salary.
@Vctory Yes I do have. I think even though you have the aptitude for math/science you would still have to work hard. I know some of my engineering friends who have mathematically gifted minds but have like below 2.0 GPA, because they like to slack off
@preamble1776 That’s it man. 
It is tough and so much of it is sequential so you don’t really get any easy semesters. You have at least 5 semesters of math to take assuming you are starting with Calc 1. 2 semester of physics, stats, and of course at least 5 semester of Chemistry assuming you start with Chem 1. All of this before you get too heavily involved with your actual Chemical engineering courses.
One advantage to being at a university vs. a community college is that there will be others that you can learn study techniques from. Staying ahead is important as well as attempting to review material before it is covered in class. You can then be familiar with concepts even if you don’t understand them and class time can be spent helping you understand the concepts that were unfamiliar to you. Take advantage of tutoring opportunities, group studies, and of course office hours with professors.
Hopefully you’ll eventually be able to spend a modest amount of time doing things you enjoy outside of your studies. Will you be able to be a party animal? Pretty unlikely if you choose to stick with it. The challenge is for around 4 years, the payoff will be for a lifetime.
Wow such an accurate statement literally every time I talk to a business or arts major they’re always smoking crack and telling me how they have no work and just sit around and do nothing whoa man you hit the nail on the head
Yupppp. My next semester was supposed to have Calc 3, Diff Eq, Orgo 1, Physics E&M, and Engineering Design all at once. Screw that, Penn State, you have no idea what you’re asking of me!
So I’m taking Calc 3 over the summer. ;(
@Ranza123 Sometimes it’s such a hassle to get my management major friends off their crack pipes and convince them to go to the movies with me. 
Just try to peel them away when they’re drinking beer with their Econ friends.
Tanasta, I completely relate! It’s important to remember that ChemE varies from school to school. Some schools mix generic engineering/ME courses with chemistry and then add a couple ChE capstones (these were formerly done in 5 years). Other schools are ChE all the ways through, and as was mentioned, are VERY sequential: if you don’t have concept A you will NEVER get concept B. The latter is more intense, but an overall stronger degree.
However, you are only a Freshman! You are taking the same math, science, and humanities classes as every other STEM major. It will not get easier. You will have a FABULOUS degree when you are done that will let you work in almost any engineering field (save computerE/EE).
One tactic I did use was to take classes during the summers to lighten my load. CheE classes were not available, but I took care of my EE, ME, diff eq, and humanities classes. We were expected to take 6 courses per quarter, this let me take 5 classes, instead. If you came in without Calculus, you are probably behind and that hurt your schedule this semester. Try to plan out a more reasonable schedule for the remaining 9 semesters.
Oh - and those crack smokin’ business majors . . . 45% of them will NOT make it to senior year.
Crack. Not even once.
Freshman Sci/Eng is difficult because they want to try to weed people out.
@bodangles That’s super tough bro. I feel you
@Ranza123 Yeah. I took a business class to fulfill my social science requirement, the class were super easy compared to a science/engineering class, I got 4.0, and some of the people in my class who actually majored in business, failed the class.
Thank you for all the motivation guys! It is very encouraging. I wish you all luck in your studies/career! I’m out.
“Engineering Thug Life”
Love this phrase you invented :">
If you are taking ochem, make sure your instructor has good reviews. It heavily depends on who teaches it.
@paul2752 Yes Im gonna be taking OChem this fall! The prof has good reviews, 4.1 overall rating on RateMyProf.com