Are you majoring in engineering but struggling to keep up? Overwhelmed by all of the assignments? I know that feeling all too well. Studying engineering is hard! Here are some common challenges all engineering students will likely face, with advice and engineering quotes to help motivate you through the tough times.
Are you stuck at home trying to navigate studying engineering online because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Maybe you are one of the lucky few whose college is allowing students back on campus, but you are a little nervous to go back.
Studying engineering is challenging. Studying engineering during a pandemic whether it is online or in person is even more difficult. When things get tough, it can feel very isolating because you are either home by yourself or campus is more empty than normal and you are trying to be socially distant from people.
However, know that you are not alone! Everyone is in the same boat navigating this semester amid a pandemic for the first time, professors included!
All of the struggles you encounter during your undergraduate experience is preparing you for the real world.
Here are some of the best engineering quotes that will inspire you. They will help you persevere through those times you feel like giving up. Below are engineering quotes and advice for over coming challenging situations that engineering students will likely face. Hopefully you can use these to help you fight through and keep moving forward.
1. You Just Failed A Test
After studying for hours, you receive your exam back and discover you have failed. There is an instant pit in your stomach. I have experienced this feeling before. However, instead of focusing on the failure, try to focus on what you can learn from it. Thomas Edison summed this up best when he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
In other words, try to identify the things that didn’t work this time, so that you don’t repeat those things next time. Use this failure as a learning experience and move on. Here are somethings you could learn after failing a test:
- You need a different study method. Maybe you should try and learn the material after every class, that way you don’t leave too much to absorb right before the exam.
- If you do not understand something, get help right away so you don’t get behind.
- Now you are familiar with how the professor’s tests look so you can better prepare for that style.
- Seek out on campus resources, such as tutoring centers and office hours (either teaching assistant’s or professor’s).
2. You Are Overwhelmed By All Of The Assignments
Engineering curriculums are very demanding. It is easy to become overwhelmed by all of the projects and assignments you have to do. However, focusing on everything you need to do and thinking you can’t get it all done, will cause you to become paralyzed and not be able to start.
So instead, write out everything that you have to do. Then, start doing. Take it one small task at a time. The more you are able to cross off your list, the better you will feel. Be doing so, you will gain momentum to get through your work.
One way to help shift your mindset when you start doubting yourself is to remember what Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t- you’re right.” Your thoughts power your actions. Getting into the right mindset, that you can get through all of your work, will make a difference!
3. You Just Had An Interview That Did Not Go Well
So you just bombed on an interview. You feel like a sweaty mess that just wants to sprint through the parking lot to your car and hide. Yup, I have been there. A few times unfortunately. Guess what, I am pretty sure everyone has!
One time, I had a really awkward phone interview. It started off with the interviewer asking me to recite the first law of thermodynamics. Now, I know I had learned that at some point, but I did not recall it at the time. I thought for a moment and I guess I took too long to answer the question because the person on the phone said, “I hope you are not trying to look it up online right now.” I wasn’t, but comment threw me off, which caused me to get more flustered. So needless to say that phone interview ended after five minutes and I never heard from them again.
But, guess what? It just means that I wasn’t right for them and they weren’t right for me either. There will be many more interviews in your future, so just remember this wisdom from Thomas Edison, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
Therefore, get back out there and do great on the next interview! Here are some great resources to help you on your next interview:
- How To Overcome A Bad Interview in 5 Steps
- How To Make Your Entry-Level Engineering Resume Stand Out
- Engineering Skill Set List
By the way, is it just me or whenever I think about a bad interview my mind immediately goes to the episode of The Office when David Wallace is interviewing Michael. He asks him about his strengths and Michael says, “Why don’t I tell you what my greatest weaknesses are? I work too hard. I care too much. And sometimes I can be too invested in my job.” It’s hilarious. If you are stressed after a bad interview I recommend watching this episode, you’ll feel better!
4. When You Realize You Have Been Working On The Same Problem For Over An Hour
It can be really discouraging to look at the clock and see you’ve been working on the same problem for an hour or more. However, everyone goes at their own pace and as long as you budget time to work on your assignments it’ll be fine.
When I had a big assignment due that would take me a while, I would try to use one day to devote only to that assignment. This way I wouldn’t get stressed about how long it was taking me, since I knew I wasn’t going to work on anything else that day. Instead of focusing on how much time it is taking, focus on the hard work you are putting into your dream of becoming an engineer.
Albert Einstein understood this when he said, “Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work.”
So next time you are frustrated at how long an assignment is taking, focus on what Einstein said to help motivate you.
5. When You Are Stuck Studying On The Weekend
The majority of my weekends were spent doing school work. I used them as catch up days because I knew I wouldn’t have any other classes or labs to attend.
However, it can be frustrating to think of your weekend being wasted on school, when usually weekends are fun. In these instances I would refer to the engineering quote from Elon Musk, “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.”
It may seem like everything is working against you when everyone else is out partying and you are studying. But know that success will come to those that put in the hard work. So, if you have to do homework or study on the weekend, try to make it more enjoyable so that it is something you look forward to instead of dread. For instance, maybe treat yourself to a coffee or listen to some good music while you work. You could also study with a friend or group of friends.
Then, try to schedule something fun to do to interrupt the studying. This will give you a break and some excitement in your weekend. For instance, if I studied all day, I would make sure I had plans to go out at night.
6. You have A Bad Team Member
Oh the bad team member. I have had my fair share of bad team members working on group projects. Like during my senior year design project. I was working in a team of four on a full year project. Two of my team members were great, but one was not. He didn’t do anything.
We tried letting him choose what he wanted to work on, we tried holding him accountable with weekly meetings with our advisors, he just did not care! His only contribution to the entire project was verifying if our 9V batteries worked or not by licking them (please do not do this). No one told him to do this, he just did it.
Unfortunately, you will not escape the bad team member when you graduate. They are in the real world too. However, in my experience there are less of them at your job, which is good.
So the next time you are faced with this challenge, use Albert Einstein’s advice, “In the middle of difficulty lies, opportunity.”
There is a learning experience to be gained from this frustrating situation. Even though it was aggravating to deal with an uncooperative team member for an entire year, I also learned how to handle the situation.
You see, by holding weekly meetings with our advisors and holding him accountable using the meeting minutes, helped the advisors understand the situation. The whole team got A’s on the project, but the bad team member got a C. So, even though the meetings did not result in him doing work, it helped the advisors hold him accountable.
Looking back, I am grateful for this experience because I learned how to hold team members accountable, which helped when I started my career as an engineer.
7. When You Spend Hours At A Career Fair With No Real Leads
Career fairs can be long and irritating. After spending time preparing for and participating in them, you may not get an interview. I attended every career fair my college offered and not all of them were successful.
Try not to get discouraged and just think of it as practicing for the next one. The more you attend, the better you will get at presenting yourself. You will also know what employers could ask and expect of you. You should read this post if you want to learn more about how to prepare for a career fair.
Use this engineering quote from Thomas Edison to help you keep moving forward, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” In other words, don’t focus on the failure. Don’t let it hold you back. Use it to get even better so that the next career fair will be a success!
Summary
The common theme from the situations in this article is that you will encounter roadblocks while you are studying engineering. However, the key to getting through them is perseverance. The sooner you learn this the better because this lesson is the main concept you have to take away from college that will make you successful in the real world.
Hopefully these engineering quotes and advice will help you overcome the challenges you face. Below is a summary listing the best engineering quotes to inspire you!
- “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison
- “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t- you’re right.” – Henry Ford
- “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison
- “Genius is 1% talent and 99% percent hard work.” – Albert Einstein
- “When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor.” – Elon Musk
- “In the middle of difficulty lies, opportunity.” – Albert Einstein’
- “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” – Thomas Edison
If you enjoyed this article on the best engineering quotes that will inspire you or have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below!