Specially dedicated to my juniors and my bro ,
And to all the people in Engineering stream- Welcome :)
1.Engineering isn't a fair game!
Yes, sadly the first fact I would point out to you. There is gloing to be favoritism at every point. Your class rep is going to go on pointless holidays and would have a 97% attendence and even if you are on your death bed, your lecturer would clear her throat and say "The mangement has its rules, an absent is a absent." While you feel like punching them on the face, all you can do is smile and say" Yes maam, I completely understand!"
2.Engineering needs a lot of patience.
Everyone is going to irritate you, so you need a lot of patience. You will have to take revenge in a professional way. Any mistake you do by expressing your frustration publicly would be heavily used against you.
3.Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.
You would easily recognize who are going to give you a tough time in college. You ought to smile a lot when you see them. Bashing can be kept after you get your degree. As a token of goodbye.
4.Keep calm, that kid is going to stop asking questions.
All of us know professors aren't geniuses, no matter how many questions you ask, they are just going to say whatever they said again, in a different way, in a detailed way, nothing more and nothing new you will get out of it. When that supposedly 'Good Student' of the college is 'trying to make himself more educated' as he asks questions, you are 'trying to show that profy is dumb' when you ask them questions.
5.First year is very important.
The image of yours that you project for yourself in front of your peers, teachers and in the college environment is very important. First impression is the best and you ought to dazzle them in your attitude!
6.Marks..
That is not going to be fair either. I have seen many people complain that they just get the same marks that they got in the first year, no improvement even if effort is taken. Welcome to The Real World! Most of your GPA's would be around what you got in your 1 & 2 semester. So, study hard in the first year.
7.Circle of contacts.
Very important. Be in contact with the seniors who got placed in your dream companies. Decide where you want to end up at the end of four years, because at the last minute no medical miracle is going to give you what you want. Plan in leisure and work out things in advance. Weigh your options.
8.Have no regrets.
I know it is bad, we all wanted IIT's but they didn't want us, sadly. No point in sitting in some class and wondering what you would have done if you were in there. Rather look at opportunities around you and try to make the best of a bad job.
9.Engineering is beyond Departments.
Do not sterotype yourself. I hate electrical, I wanted mechanical and so and so. Engineering is more about one department, Agreed. But you will have to read about other departments too. You cannot design a car's wiring without knowing how to distinguish between a positive and negative terminal right? Don't restrict yourself, try and know more about everything. And as far as people who think they've chosen the wrong subject as their major-one word- If you don't get what you love, Love what you got!!
10.The Passion-NEVER LET IT DIE.
At the end of the day, things aren't always going to work in your way. But remember that at some point of time you really wanted to be an engineer. Just because of some mistakes and things not happening your way, don't let your passion die. Remember, giving up is always an option, even after you completed your councilling, you could have tore up the letter and sat back home. But you didn't right? So hold on tight to the whole roller-coaster ride! It would be fun, frightful, good, bad, scary- but one thing I can promise, It would be really worth all the pain you took!!
Regards,
SWATHI
