How to give up?

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I'm stubborn. I think engineering is not for me, but my subconscious is refusing to "give up so easily". </p>

<p>To be honest, I first wanted to get into it because I heard fresh undergrads would make the most money in engineering. So I took a program, hated it, tried something else, but I don't know how I ended up back here. </p>

<p>I keep telling myself that it's probably the hardest major. But some of my friends actually have fun and have a life, even if they're in engineering, and still getting straight A's. I'm struggling, studying my butt off, shutting the outside world from me, pretty much stopped talking to many people because I'm too tired, and my grades still remain in the low to mediocre area. </p>

<p>I also tell myself that I have never tried so hard in anything before, and that I have always been apathetic and passive about everything. This is the first time I have actually gave a care to "give it all that I've got". </p>

<p>When I first went into it, I pretended I found it interesting and made myself like it. But, now, I do find it fascinating. I'm really amazed by math/science/engineers, and I think they're the ones who make the world spin. Sometimes I find my Physics book more enjoyable than a book assigned by my English teacher. </p>

<p>I'm trying really hard to do well in this field. I stay up late to study, I go to tutors, and I try to read the book carefully. I admit I don't do much practice problems and I never talk to the professors. I feel like they would look down on me because my math and science background was so low. </p>

<p>The sad part is, I've always been bad at math, my science education before college was very bad, and I'm seriously not naturally gifted in this field in any way whatsoever. I can't solve any problems.</p>

<p>I think an engineer should be at least a little naturally gifted with a lot of dedication. I'm doing the dedication, but if it doesn't click, it just doesn't click?</p>

<p>I actually really want to give up. But I don't know why I'm not letting myself.</p>

2

<p>I am not going to comment on whether you should quit or not.</p>

<p>I am just impressed by the fact that you are giving it all you got.</p>

<p>If you are really doing your best, and if you find it interesting, I don't</p>

<p>see why your grade will affect your future.</p>

3

<p>What engineering?</p>

<p>If you are are ME or CE chances are you will not do much calculations in the workforce. Book learning and school learning is quite different from what you actually do on the job.</p>

4

<p>Industrial Engineering or Technical Communications.</p>

5

<p>Industrial engineering. Not math heavy beyond the first 2 years. The job is generally not math heavy either.</p>

6

<p>i think that you should quit. so what that you like it. if you're not good at it, then you're not really gonna be successful in the future or even now in college. try to find something that you're good at AND like at the same time. and do that instead. maybe u can learn about engineering as a hobby or something? you said it yourself. "i dont think engineering is for me". if we all let our subconsicous tell us what to do we'd be all screwed up.</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
I admit I don't do much practice problems and I never talk to the professors.

[/quote]

I was just wondering about that right before I read the above. What do you mean you study a lot but don't do much problems?</p>

<p>Here's a hint: it's ALL about the problems. Yes, you need (need) to conceptually understand what you're doing but doing well, both on tests and to be prepared for future learning, also requires a level of familiarity with the problems such that you're not conceptually proving/reinventing your way through them. In other words, you should be able to do non-trick problems about as fast as if you were copying from the solutions manual. And BTW, actually doing the problems enhances your understanding and clarifies the muddy textual explanations.</p>

<p>The successful people in engineering, besides those with photo memory or a similarly uncanny and rare advantage, all paid their dues in doing the nitty gritty work. Yes, some of them find a particular class fairly "natural" and that's only because the material is very similar to something they've done before.</p>

8

<p>Since you're in IE, I assume you're referring to general math/science classes?
IE is more like an MBA.</p>

9

<p>It sounds like you're just not good at it. Why struggle just to get by with a mediocore grade?</p>

10

<p>become a business major..maybe finance. you will still get that "real world" feel but it will be substantially easier. what year are you in?</p>

11

<p>I'm a junior and still only in pre-engineering. I only decided I wanted to do engineering last year, so that made me a bit late. </p>

<p>Sadly, I don't think I'm really good in anything, and I don't like very many things.</p>

<p>I know this may sound silly, but I wanted to be an engineer because I think they're one of the best people to work with and the nicest people I know. They don't try to take advantage of me or play any weird mind games. </p>

<p>"I was just wondering about that right before I read the above. What do you mean you study a lot but don't do much problems?"</p>

<p>I mean I attend lecture, read the book, and do homework. And this takes up most of my time already, so I don't have much time to do extra practice problems.</p>

12

<p>what is your GPA?</p>

13

<p>
[quote]
Here's a hint: it's ALL about the problems.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>See, I think its more about the conceptual foundation than it is "about the problems". I see kids doing problem after problem and bombing the tests because they don't really understand what they are doing and the tests, at least in my classes, usually add a little spin from what you do in the book. The kids that don't understand what the hell they are doing usually can not deal with this. However, I do think some practice problems are important.</p>

<p>I know that many people tout doing problem after problem after problem but from what I see a failure to do a million problems is not what kills kids, it is a failure to understand what they the are ACTUALLY doing.</p>

14

<p>For math, I can do the problems, but don't know why I'm doing it.
For science, I understand the concepts, but can't solve the problems.</p>

<p>My gpa is around a 3.0, but I still have many pre-reqs. Would it make a difference if I tell you I'm not a male.</p>

15

<p>oh, i also wanted to add, after so much math/science classes, everything else just seems so much easier! this is like one of the hardest things i've ever done</p>

16

<p>Yeah. That's why engineering is engineering.</p>

17

<p>
[quote]
oh, i also wanted to add, after so much math/science classes, everything else just seems so much easier! this is like one of the hardest things i've ever done

[/quote]

Really? I found that my verbal skills took a nosedive.</p>

18

<p>When students come to me with questions like yours I always ask "do you LIKE your classes". I'm not asking if you are good at them - just if you enjoy it. If you like it - stick with it. If not, get out.</p>

19

<p>It seems almost all my engineering student colleagues (myself included) have a major they would switch to if ever they decided that engineering had b1tch-slapped them one time too many. I myself am partial to applied math.</p>

<p>What do you want to change your major to?</p>

20

<p>I'm thinking of switching over to English and Philosophy</p>