How often did you doubt yourself during your degree? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Tris20
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 06:33:35 pm
content: In my second year, coming up to exams and feeling veryI love the subjects, I love feeling the improvement and extra understanding I have after every time I study but despite doing a 9-5 most days, I'm still feeling soo out of my depth atm. First exam is in 16 days, then it's three more in the 5 days after that. Not to mention other tests etc. When I look at past papers this is how I feel: VHDL; Maths; and circuitsAnyone get this? How did you get through it? Did you ever have to resit a year?My biggest fears are not passing something which will kill my GPA and mean I can't get a summer electronics job

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 06:55:00 pm
content: To cope with stressful situations is something we all have to learn. Later it will be a very important customer, a multimillion project and things like that. Don't panic and give your best. There's no guarantee you won't fail at something, but if you gave your best you don't have to blame yourself. Shit happens ;-)

author: Abstr7ct
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 07:02:56 pm
content: Set your highest priority to finish all school work on time and you will save a lot of time ahead of you. Try not to take more than 4 courses/semester. I've been going through all of this for three years now and I'm doing good despite the amount of time that I waste not doing something productive.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 08:04:05 pm
content: Quote from: Tris20 on November 27, 2013, 06:33:35 pmYes, I remember that feeling. Sometimes it takes a while for new ideas to sink in, and there are many new things to absorb in an engineering degree. You are probably not alone in that feeling though. Many of your classmates will be feeling equally lost.Also, I'm not sure that "9-5 most days" is a rigorous study schedule. What about the evenings and weekends?

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 08:17:00 pm
content: I don't remember being sober enough to have worried.

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 10:21:23 pm
content: Remember to take some time to relax. If you spend all the time studying, you will end up in a fugue where you are mentally too tired to actually do anything but trying to push yourself to learn. This tends to be the point you start doubting as you realise that you are doing work but not progressing.

author: SLJ
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 27, 2013, 10:29:20 pm
content: After years of school I've enjoyed 23 years free of classes and am now retired.Once in awhile I do still have a bad dreamabout showing up for class and there's a test I didn't study for.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 02:00:29 am
content: Worrying is like chewing bubblegum to solve an algebra equation.I'd make a list with what you need to know for the exam. What helps is to make exams from previous years so you know what kind of questions to expect. It may also help to find someone to study together.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 04:41:51 am
content: College is super stressful. Fact. At least for engineering students. If you wanted the easy track, you should have been an English majorCollege is also worth it. And the good news is, like SLJ said above, unlike every other school experience you may have had in your life, once you are done with college you are actually done (if you want to be). So it's worth spending that extra all nighter to get it over with, then you can really start the fun stuff. (My reoccuring college dream/nightmare is that I didn't take a mandatory Spanish class and I'm still 1 credit from graduating. Which is funny since I didn't even have to take a Spanish class in college)Take advantage of every resource you can if you don't understand something. Office hours, teaching assistants, tutors, study groups, whatever. Don't get too far behind because often times new stuff builds on the stuff you were supposed to understand from the last lecture. It's not in the school's best interest to fail you so there are usually plenty of things setup to help you succeed. If you really are putting in a lot of time and still not getting something, take a step back and figure out a new approach.And if you come across some class that really is a killer and the majority of the class gets it's ass kicked on the exams... blessed be the curve!::EDIT:: Don't forget to reward yourself with an extra beer when you pass your exams

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 05:12:31 am
content: I have a friend who is a physics major. They recently posted:"So, last midterm for electromagnetism is over. The consensus estimate is that the class average was about 30%. Big military guy stormed out 20 minutes before the end on the verge of tears. Adam left 20 minutes early and got to see most of the class still taking the test. About a third of everyone were pulling at their hair and quietly weeping into their exams. Many people had large 30 point swaths of paper completely blank, or with one equation written at the top. Currently feeling a mix of terror, anxiety, and relief. Tests like this make you question your life choices, and the viability of selling homemade clothes on the ren faire circuit. "So. Yeah; it seems to be pretty common.

author: Frenchie
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 05:33:00 am
content: Through uni it was a fairly common feeling. Then my first six months on the job as a grad it was every day. Now what used to frustrate me comes as second nature.Stick with it, you're being challenged but thats how people learn!

author: mrflibble
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 05:41:45 am
content: Quote from: madires on November 27, 2013, 06:55:00 pmThat about sums it up.And when (not if) you fail, make sure you don't go all pouty, but instead make a list of the things that did go well and what didn't. Even when overall you screwed up, there usually are still parts that were okay. By making an inventory of worked/didntwork you're better prepared for the next round.PS: and don't not blame yourself. 100% blame yourself, because you are the only person you can reasonably change.Circle of influence and all that psychological shit.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 07:35:57 am
content: Heh, well, I've been tempted to quit my first, second, third and repeated third year of my Bc. study, and my first, second and repeated second year (still in progress) of Ing. (Engineer title) study.So, quite often. Once you bite through it, it' OK-ish.

author: Tris20
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 10:58:55 am
content: It's a massive relief to hear other people feeling the same. I have no regrets about choosing engineering as I love how challenging it is and will continue to be! 4 Years of doing jobs that don't reward you for improving your skills outside of the workplace was enough to give me a good perspective." This tends to be the point you start doubting as you realise that you are doing work but not progressing. "Yeah this pretty much sums it up. I think I hit the wall yesterday. Although, I feel like I hit it at least once a week at the moment."I'd make a list with what you need to know for the exam."Yeah I think I might do that this week. Problem is they're changing some of the exams and apparently the VHDL exam last year was too easy (but it still looks like alien to me).Thanks for the support guys ( and potentially gals). Time to just battle through it I guess

author: Tris20
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2013, 12:58:08 pm
content: Yeah, that's so true about sleeping too. I hardly slept the night before that post so it's no surprise I felt like that really. Early night yesterday has made a big difference so I'm going to try and stick to that. Grinding through some ODEs just now and thankfully they're not too bad.