More bizarre assumptions of mine continuing from part 1.
- Wood shop = engineering. Likewise, car mechanics = mechanical engineering (fyi, not true). This was a very misleading stereotype that really turned me away from engineering initially. I was terrible at Tech Ed. in middle school and I’m more book smart than street smart so I formed this narrow-minded perspective of what engineering actually is. Basically, engineering was nowhere close to my radar and I never thought to look into it until junior year of high school.
- I’d be very indecisive and couldn't commit to such an intensive major – I was indecisive in high school so I didn’t expect that to change in college. Luckily, it did, as I realized that I had to be accountable for my own education and successes (or failures). I learned what to prioritize given how over-stimulating college can be, and this made me much less passive. It’s better to make a decision and learn from the mistake than to just dwell on what could happen. It’s still hard to think very far ahead and know what my life path will be, especially because I realize how many options there are as I get deeper into my education. Mistakes and mediocre decisions are just part of the ride.
- These strange diagrams or any variations of it. You can’t simplify everyone's life into shapes.
- I’d easily get internships because engineering is a marketable major – I’ve had great internships but I had to put in a ton of work to get them. I did lots of research on companies, went to career services for resume and interview prep, networked with alum and recruiters at career fairs, and had to be very introspective to figure out what I want out of my internship. Sad but honest truth about the working world.
- I’d make friends, but I wouldn’t find my best friends for awhile – sorta true, mostly because it takes many shared experiences to start calling someone your best friend. But, the people who turned out to be my best friends I met in the first month of college.
I could go on and on about the strangely specific life I thought I would be leading as a college student. Hopefully some of my dispelled fears can help you with yours.
Feature image credit: "Gears-1" by Alex Saunders licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0