<p>Hi everyone, I'm a highschool senior with pretty sure plans for a biomedical engineering major, then most likely med school (tiny possibility of law school or w/e) but I was wondering from people who have been through or are in the process of undergrad engineering (specifically BME) what the quality of life is? do you ever party? extracurriculars? dating? can you ever hang out and relax? just how stressful is it? i really appreciate any response, thanks alot.</p>
<p>It is hard and if you try to compare yourself to business and other majors you will probably say you have no life. I don't and feel I have plently of life. All my friends wanted me to go out last night (tues) and I had to say "you know what I'm not an ag major I'm an engineer sorry" in so many words. It is just true. You won't be going out every night. And there are weekends where sometimes you'll just have to stay in too. Do I party tho? Hell yes! Extracurriculars can be tough. I would like to get more involved in different kinds of stuff but I feel I won't have enough time. I am in a few clubs and for exercise I work out with friends since I'm not doing intramurals (the fields and stuff are far away from my dorm adding time to it). You can have time to do intremurals or club sports but time budgeting will get you far. I also have 2 jobs so that takes out more time. I'm not dating but that's just because I don't feel like I would have time to date someone but that is just me and I know how I am with relationships.</p>
<p>It can be very very stressful and extremely trying at times. Every engineer no matter how brilliant will ask themselves as least once (if not many times): "Why did I choose this major? I seriously had to be deeply intoxicated while thinking this crap through." If you become very easily overwhelmed this probably isn't right for you. I mean I can relax but sometimes the workload can get to you. Sometimes the hours you spend in class just pile up and you have no idea how. (I was only taking 17 hrs but I was spending 29.5 hrs in class until I dropped my only non-science "fun" class but I just had to because I couldn't take more time away from my other stuff that was more important.) So time management is serious business for an engineer and not just helpful like with other majors.</p>
<p>But overall I love being an engineer (not just for the future paycheck but that helps to get me along sometimes). I have always strived to do harder work than my schoolmates and still succeed and being an engineer is a good way to do that. I become easily overwhelmed but sometimes I think some part deep inside of me likes the stress or something. Be careful about your GPA and med school tho. A high GPA is a nice thing to have which is why most don't combine it with engineering. You should be fine since it's biomedical tho. ChemE and med school would murder you.</p>
<p>One last thing. It is all about the time you put in. Some people do go out all the time and can keep decent grades (or do very poorly and just make the cut). Others stay in all the time and do extremely well (or just average if they're stupid). It is all about how well you get the material and how much time you decide to put in. I find a nice schedule (for me late starting classes) helps tho.</p>
<p>"I find a nice schedule (for me late starting classes) helps tho."</p>
<p>On the other hand, my Husband always had early classes (not his choice). This worked out real well for him because it gave him all afternoon to do homework, and he had most of his evenings free.</p>
<p>Peg</p>
<p>Yeah but usually schedules don't fit perfectly even starting in the morning I would be done by normal time anyway. Plus getting up can be hard if you're working all night on a lab or something. Later = Better (for me).</p>
<p>hey thanks alot illini and peggy, i'm glad i could get a firsthand look at it. i've been really stressed out this last year because of college apps and stuff, so i'm not sure what to think. on the one hand i want to be able to really enjoy college and "the best four years of your life" or whatever, but i also don't want to sit on the sidelines in some bio or chem major (which doesn't really interest me that much) and wonder at what i missed out on. i have a stupid habit of selling myself short in my mind, which is why i don't want to just ditch and say i can't do it, but i want to make sure i won't go crazy... thanks alot for posting</p>
<p>True but do you really want to go through four years and suddenly realize: Oh I should have done more with what I had the intelligence and desire to do. I'm sticking to my major. I'm not crazy. Okay maybe a little but not in the non-fun anti-social way.</p>
<p>yeah true. it's just a constant struggle for me, because i have very little self-confidence and i'm totally burned out. i'm so tired of everything, i'm just sad that im considering tanking on something that interests me. it's too bad, i just hope i can get back on my feet before college.</p>