As a freshman straight out of school, you are now on your way to embarking on this exciting new chapter of your life. After all the hard work and studying relentlessly, you finally cracked the entrance exams and fared well to join the engineering college of your choice.
Some may choose a college in their hometown, while some might move out and join engineering colleges in other states. Though there are freedom and independence, with the newfound freedom comes more responsibilities.
Besides gaining academic knowledge, the students must also brush up on a few things before getting into any of the best engineering colleges.
Self-confidence
A new environment always changes the personality of an individual. Everything that is happening around might be a bit overwhelming. To accomplish something, you need to work hard. An engineering student is never out of pieces of advice.
In the process of taking in all the advice, a student might start doubting his ability. Focusing on self-confidence will help a student to be more decisive and thoughtful to make decisions.
Get involved and be a proactive learner
Get involved in making yourself better in the areas you are good at. Make a study group with like-minded students and do not shy away from wanting to know everything. Make use of the library and do your research independently. Do not wait for someone to tell you what to do; you need to take control of the situation and prepare for the future. It is true that you probably won’t use everything you learn, but it shouldn’t be an excuse to skip classes. You will never fully understand the things you are going to study; it’s better to put the knowledge you receive to the test and gain experience.
Think about the direction you want to go
By letting others and societal expectations define you, you are compromising on your talent and the journey you chose for yourself.
If you recognize that engineering isn’t for you, there’s no shame in re-examining or reviewing this path. At the end of the day, if you don’t enjoy what you do, then that place is not meant for you.
Engineers only design and build
As an engineer, you wouldn’t have to speak, write, or make presentations because engineers only design and build things. Completely wrong! You can present your work when you prepare on your presentational skills like writing and speaking as it will give you a better understanding of the idea that you worked on.
Start your portfolio
Let your portfolio speak for you. Document every project that you work on and detail it. Keep records of what you did starting from a drawing, technical reports, field testing, hands-on design, this way you can show your skills to your future employers.
There will be tough classes
Colleges are very different from high school. The engineering lectures in colleges are more practical, pragmatic, and not easy at all. You have to work smart rather than working harder. The materials are challenging, but that does not mean the courses are unmanageable. Present the problems to the lecturers on the topics you learned or assignments that you have worked on and have the professor explain the areas that are not clear to you.
Learning outside the classroom
The students who can bridge the skill gap and project themselves as well equipped on the projects will surely be preferred by employers. There are many courses and certifications available for the students. Technology is continually evolving, and students need to look outside the university and get access to cutting-edge technology exposure.
Prepare for internships
It is essential to prepare for internships in the junior years. Build projects and attain experience using tools and languages. It helps to build a good resume. Students do not necessarily learn everything in the classroom, talk to their seniors or professors and understand the domain that interests you, this will help you learn something new every day.
To conclude, students must make wise decisions, rank their priorities, practice and master the skills, study for knowledge and not just marks, keep everything well organized and make use of the technology to gain online information.
