<p>i've always thought that i would major engineering in college (starting fall '08), but i'm starting to have doubts about it because of the possibility of not having a life. is it really that hard for people in engineering majors to have a social life, free time etc?</p>
<p>i'm seriously considering changing my major because i don't want to be stuck in my dorm doing homework all the time. and just incase anybody is wondering, i got into UW seattle and Umich, and i'm waiting on ucla, UT Austin, and usc. </p>
<p>Yes, you can have a social life as any major. Think about it...if you have, say, 50 hours of work a week and sleep for eight hours a night, you still have 58 hours a week of free time. </p>
<p>I would actually advise choosing a school that is either science/engineering heavy or generally academically intensive for this purpose, because then your friends will be in the same boat as you are workwise, and it makes it easier to coordinate people's social lives.</p>
<p>Time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management, time management. </p>
<p>Those who have the best combination of academic, social, and professional lives are the ones with the best time management skills. I know a few people who spend an entire day on an assignment, which should have taken 2 hours. Why? Not because it was difficult, but they just let themselves get distracted and lost focus. I've been guilty of this as well sometimes, but they key is to minimize it.</p>
<p>I agree on time management as well. Also, I tend to do better in school when I take breaks every once in awhile to give my brain a break and let it absorb some stuff. All through college I average 6+ hours of sleep a night, and at least on the weekends get to have time off.</p>
<p>Some people say they spend all night working on something, or studying for a test, but they are really hanging out with their friends and wasting time because they are sleep-deprived and not focused. If you keep up with everything throughout the semester, you shouldn't have to cram for a test.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Some people say they spend all night working on something, or studying for a test, but they are really hanging out with their friends and wasting time because they are sleep-deprived and not focused. If you keep up with everything throughout the semester, you shouldn't have to cram for a test.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I never once pulled an all-nighter for school. At the minimum, I've had 4 hours of sleep and that was an extreme case. I probably had an average of 7 hours of sleep a night, and rarely felt sleep-deprived. Just don't leave everything until the end and you'll be fine.</p>
<p>At a minimum of 4 hours of sleep a night? I probably had 4 hours of sleep for a night for every single week of my college career (one day in 5 I had 4 hours of sleep). Probably about 15 ~2 hours of sleep nights. Only one true all nighter. Probably the worst day of my college life. Probably average 5 hours of sleep on school nights.</p>
<p>Time management and live with someone that is also an eng major. It is very difficult to live with a liberal arts major, (I think), than to live with someone that is also an eng major. Your class meeting times will be similar as well as similar workload. Try to involve yourself in an EC that is not eng related so as to meet other people!</p>
<p>
[quote]
At a minimum of 4 hours of sleep a night? I probably had 4 hours of sleep for a night for every single week of my college career (one day in 5 I had 4 hours of sleep). Probably about 15 ~2 hours of sleep nights. Only one true all nighter. Probably the worst day of my college life. Probably average 5
hours of sleep on school nights.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What necessitated 4 hours of sleep once every week? I can understand this if it were towards the end of the semester or during midterms, but every week? </p>
<p>15 two hours of sleep nights sounds possible. What's that? An average of two nights every semester? I avoid this as much as I can though by sleeping less earlier on, say 6 hours of sleep a night beginning a week before instead of 2 hours the night before.</p>
<p>ND starts its freshman eng intents in an Intro to Eng class. The first semester generally weeds out half of the intents, the second semester drops more. By the time soph year starts, when your true core eng classes begin, the eng class is pretty much set. Have heard that the Intro to Eng class is really a "welcome to business class", as most drop out and move into business. Also have heard that it is easier to transfer out of eng than to transfer into eng. And, no, students are not separated with regard to roommates or dorms. It would probably make sense to have engineers living in same dorm--their hours and workloads are vastly different!</p>
<p>What does the Intro to Eng class consist of? Sounds awfully difficult for an intro class... how hard can you possibly make it for a first semester course?</p>
<p>...possible to have a social life in engineering?</p>
<p>Not only possible, but necessary. </p>
<p>I would strongly recommend forming a study group that serves as the foundation for your social group as well. </p>
<p>Be sure to take full advantage of your school...go to events that are as far away from engineering as possible...Classical Music, Art shows, Plays...things that excercise the right (holistic processing) side of the brain...take electives that get you out of your comfort zone, etc. Cross-pollination is a powerful 'mechanism'...here's an example: Bridging</a> Worlds</p>
<p>Remember, all bridges [replace bridges with items from your specialty] are built twice...first in an engineer's mind and then in real-life.</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman engineering major (at least for now) and she values her social time. I would suggest trying to live in a dorm with other engineering majors. My daughter is in an honors dorm, but she is on a floor with all business majors and they don't have nearly the workload or class hours that she has. It's hard to be the only one to stay behind and study when everyone else is hanging out or going out. If you're surrounded by other people who are going through the same thing, you have an academic and social connection.</p>