Anatomy of an Engineering Student
Sep. 17th, 2008 01:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crankyoldmanGoing to be busy with thermo after class, that and doing my Wednesday Dining Hall Meal, because it isn't like I'm not already finicky with, um, scheduling.
To think, my sister is even more rigid than I am.
Collicock screwed up the homework, since he programmed it himself, and I have been given a reprieve and it's now due on Monday. Hallelujah. That fixes the End of Week Hell a bit. Just a little bit.
Just to give you an idea of End of Week Hell, and why I sort of disappear during those days especially:
Today (heavy class day)
8:00: Wake up, get dressed very quickly
8:30: Thermo
9:30: Aeromechanics II with Collicock
10:30: Hang in the Thermo Help Room, make sure I'm not insane
11:30: Eat something, switch out books, adjust outfit a little (usually add more layers)
12:30: Differential Equations II
1:30: Spend a half hour either in a lab making sure that profs haven't emailed anything new or goofing off
2:00: Eat something again, metabolism will eat me otherwise, if there's time look over things not due so immediately
3:30: Dynamics
4:30: Structural Design
5:30: Dining Hall Meal, which also means doing Thermo homework, and starting Aeromechanics if I pull a miracle and finish Thermo
8:00: Leave Dining Hall because they kick me out
8:15: Talk to girlfriend, if she's online, if not, hey there's always homework
12:00: When I typically can't keep my eyes open any longer
Tomorrow (no class day)
7:00: Attempt to get up
9:00: More likely when I get up, unless I've had a really sleep-deprived week, then the cleaning lady (Penny, she's such a doll) wakes me up anytime between 10-12 because she's taking out my trash. I generally try to avoid this, though
9:30: Take food and overstuffed backpack to Aero building, as room is distracting
1:00: If I have been keeping up with Thermo, typically it's done by now. Switch gears to Aeromechnics in earnest, as it's due every day I have class (MWF) and can't ignore it even if I want to really badly.
2:00: Typically get hungry again, eat something unhealthy, but tasty.
3:00: Aeromechanics TA office hour, I've usually spent ~1.5 hours being confused at this point, as Collicock's problem statements are never very clear. TA usually makes me draw on the whiteboard, as I tend to be the only person in there and we make fun of Collicock's bald spot.
4:00: Office hour ends, I go to sort it out for myself.
6:00: Likely when I get it done, even with help.
6:30: Food again.
7:00: Start on Dynamics. If I'm lucky. Usually it's 9pm by the time I have time to start it, especially really busy weeks (like last week).
2:00: Usually when Justin and I call it a night, so I can not sleep through Thermo in the morning.
Friday (the return of heavy class day)
8:20: Wake up for Thermo, panic.
8:35: Ha, I live on campus, and I have a bike. Get to Thermo, slide in back, try not to fall asleep.
9:30: Really try not to fall asleep in Aeromechanics.
10:30: Head over to Justin's lab, make sure we didn't hallucinate the homework we worked on the night before, still likely have half of it left.
12:30: Go to Differential Equations, attempt to not fail quiz. Generally successful, as I show all my work. Always.
1:30: Frantic printing off of Matlab scripts and graphs, and BSing derivations for Dynamics homework.
3:35: Get to Dynamics, have TA glare at me and Professor California smile. Pull out Chuck Norris folder (you can get them at Wal-Mart, apparently) and hand homework to TA, who sits next to me.
4:30: Have a mantra in my head to keep me awake, "you took this class for an easy grade, not for it being interesting, easy grade means graduation". Usually manage to stay awake until the last ten minutes.
5:30: Head home, pass out.
9:00: Wake up, figure out food situation, see if girlfriend's online, usually watch a movie, plan out how to not waste the weekend and get the lab report done. Said plans usually fall through.
I know, you're thinking, "well just start your homework earlier!" Um, no, it doesn't work like that. See, I have one class that has homework due EVERY CLASS, so I have to work on that nearly constantly, two classes that have stuff due on Fridays, one of which I hate, the other I love, one class that doesn't have homework, but instead has QUIZZES, so I have to do practice problems and spend a lot of time looking through older math books to understand things I forgot, and one class that will randomly be like, "oh hey, write a paper over this" (but that's my easy one, I tend to ah, write the paper in the break before the class before it XD).
Oh, and lab. That's a whole other beast.
Thing is, I can keep up with all this, but it like... it works weirdly. I end up doing my homework for my favorite class last because it's my favorite class; I don't have to spend a lot of extra hours understanding it, because it comes to me easier. Is it a gamble? Yeah. But it's been working. Last week I had EVEN MORE piled on the last few days because I lost my Tuesday to a lab report and that job fair BS.
I miss socializing and writing, but I make up for it by reading during my quick meals and talking to Drak, because hey, we're in a relationship and I can always make time to talk to her. I don't want to turn into a COMPLETE workaholic after all.
Anyway, this isn't a complaint, I just sort of wanted to parse the whole THIS IS MY LIFE thing. I'm glad that we've got a decent task division for PDM, because I didn't want to quit that. XD
But wow. Looking at that is kind of daunting. I think I've overstepped my free half hour and need to grab some food and possibly read some more Mrs. Dalloway. God, I envy you kid that get grades for reading stuff. XD
~Cendri
To think, my sister is even more rigid than I am.
Collicock screwed up the homework, since he programmed it himself, and I have been given a reprieve and it's now due on Monday. Hallelujah. That fixes the End of Week Hell a bit. Just a little bit.
Just to give you an idea of End of Week Hell, and why I sort of disappear during those days especially:
Today (heavy class day)
8:00: Wake up, get dressed very quickly
8:30: Thermo
9:30: Aeromechanics II with Collicock
10:30: Hang in the Thermo Help Room, make sure I'm not insane
11:30: Eat something, switch out books, adjust outfit a little (usually add more layers)
12:30: Differential Equations II
1:30: Spend a half hour either in a lab making sure that profs haven't emailed anything new or goofing off
2:00: Eat something again, metabolism will eat me otherwise, if there's time look over things not due so immediately
3:30: Dynamics
4:30: Structural Design
5:30: Dining Hall Meal, which also means doing Thermo homework, and starting Aeromechanics if I pull a miracle and finish Thermo
8:00: Leave Dining Hall because they kick me out
8:15: Talk to girlfriend, if she's online, if not, hey there's always homework
12:00: When I typically can't keep my eyes open any longer
Tomorrow (no class day)
7:00: Attempt to get up
9:00: More likely when I get up, unless I've had a really sleep-deprived week, then the cleaning lady (Penny, she's such a doll) wakes me up anytime between 10-12 because she's taking out my trash. I generally try to avoid this, though
9:30: Take food and overstuffed backpack to Aero building, as room is distracting
1:00: If I have been keeping up with Thermo, typically it's done by now. Switch gears to Aeromechnics in earnest, as it's due every day I have class (MWF) and can't ignore it even if I want to really badly.
2:00: Typically get hungry again, eat something unhealthy, but tasty.
3:00: Aeromechanics TA office hour, I've usually spent ~1.5 hours being confused at this point, as Collicock's problem statements are never very clear. TA usually makes me draw on the whiteboard, as I tend to be the only person in there and we make fun of Collicock's bald spot.
4:00: Office hour ends, I go to sort it out for myself.
6:00: Likely when I get it done, even with help.
6:30: Food again.
7:00: Start on Dynamics. If I'm lucky. Usually it's 9pm by the time I have time to start it, especially really busy weeks (like last week).
2:00: Usually when Justin and I call it a night, so I can not sleep through Thermo in the morning.
Friday (the return of heavy class day)
8:20: Wake up for Thermo, panic.
8:35: Ha, I live on campus, and I have a bike. Get to Thermo, slide in back, try not to fall asleep.
9:30: Really try not to fall asleep in Aeromechanics.
10:30: Head over to Justin's lab, make sure we didn't hallucinate the homework we worked on the night before, still likely have half of it left.
12:30: Go to Differential Equations, attempt to not fail quiz. Generally successful, as I show all my work. Always.
1:30: Frantic printing off of Matlab scripts and graphs, and BSing derivations for Dynamics homework.
3:35: Get to Dynamics, have TA glare at me and Professor California smile. Pull out Chuck Norris folder (you can get them at Wal-Mart, apparently) and hand homework to TA, who sits next to me.
4:30: Have a mantra in my head to keep me awake, "you took this class for an easy grade, not for it being interesting, easy grade means graduation". Usually manage to stay awake until the last ten minutes.
5:30: Head home, pass out.
9:00: Wake up, figure out food situation, see if girlfriend's online, usually watch a movie, plan out how to not waste the weekend and get the lab report done. Said plans usually fall through.
I know, you're thinking, "well just start your homework earlier!" Um, no, it doesn't work like that. See, I have one class that has homework due EVERY CLASS, so I have to work on that nearly constantly, two classes that have stuff due on Fridays, one of which I hate, the other I love, one class that doesn't have homework, but instead has QUIZZES, so I have to do practice problems and spend a lot of time looking through older math books to understand things I forgot, and one class that will randomly be like, "oh hey, write a paper over this" (but that's my easy one, I tend to ah, write the paper in the break before the class before it XD).
Oh, and lab. That's a whole other beast.
Thing is, I can keep up with all this, but it like... it works weirdly. I end up doing my homework for my favorite class last because it's my favorite class; I don't have to spend a lot of extra hours understanding it, because it comes to me easier. Is it a gamble? Yeah. But it's been working. Last week I had EVEN MORE piled on the last few days because I lost my Tuesday to a lab report and that job fair BS.
I miss socializing and writing, but I make up for it by reading during my quick meals and talking to Drak, because hey, we're in a relationship and I can always make time to talk to her. I don't want to turn into a COMPLETE workaholic after all.
Anyway, this isn't a complaint, I just sort of wanted to parse the whole THIS IS MY LIFE thing. I'm glad that we've got a decent task division for PDM, because I didn't want to quit that. XD
But wow. Looking at that is kind of daunting. I think I've overstepped my free half hour and need to grab some food and possibly read some more Mrs. Dalloway. God, I envy you kid that get grades for reading stuff. XD
~Cendri
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 06:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 06:41 pm (UTC)On the other hand, if I had to do all that math and stuff? I would kill myself. It would be faster.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 07:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 09:57 pm (UTC)I think this is why I minored in history, to be honest. I'm just out of liberal arts credits, time, and well, probably brain space at this point.
~Cendri
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 07:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 09:59 pm (UTC)Ahahahaha... no. But DOING this insane schedule for a year means I don't have undergrad (or possibly school at all anymore). There's been a lot of hinting from people at my work for me to go to grad school, but it is sure as hell freaking not going to be for engineering. Great base degree, great work, but I am DONE with engineering school.
Infomatics and education, on the other hand, might be fun. XD
~Cendri
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 10:26 pm (UTC)Good luck!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 11:10 pm (UTC)~Cendri
(no subject)
Date: 2008-09-17 09:54 pm (UTC)