With the semester entering its last week of classes, one would think that most class assignments are already submitted and people are preparing for finals, yet here I am studying for a Thermodynamics midterm and writing another Mechops lab report.

 

Part of it is due to the nature of the classes, while the other part is due to taking to many classes in one semester. I don’t know why I thought that It was a good idea to take 6 classes but I will never be doing that again. My thought process going into this semester was that since classes are online and extra curriculars are not going to be as often as they used to, I will have more time to dedicate to schoolwork. Man was I wrong. Though it has been a rough semester, I have come up with a few tips for future engineering students to navigate challenging semesters:

 

  1. Make sure you know what you are getting yourself into when taking classes. Though a lot of engineering classes are only 3 units, many have a lab and discussion sections attached to them so even though you can fit it in your schedule, it may not always be the best idea.

 

  1. Do what you need to do before you do what you want to do. I know that sounds cliché but when classes are online, assignments creep up on you. Next thing you know its Sunday night and you have nothing done, setting yourself up for disaster. Getting my work done early has been my best friend because there has been some weeks where I realize that I have no time to go to the beach that weekend or watch movies. If I didn’t start early, I may not have figured that out until it was too late.

 

  1. Be sure to take time and relax. It can be really stressful when assignments are thrown your way but it is okay to go outside and take a walk to get your mind off of things.

 

Hope everyone finishes off this semester strong and is able to use these tips in the future!

Mark Parent

Mark Parent

MAJOR: Mechanical Engineering YEAR: Class of 2022 HOMETOWN: Diamond Bar, California PRONOUNS: he/him/his INSTA: @mvparent On campus, I am part of the National Society of Black Engineers and was a Resident Assistant for the McCarthy Honors College. I have also conducted research in the Immersive Audio Lab and have a Sports Business & Management Minor!