I’m aware that I never introduced myself with my last blog, so I suppose I should get that over and done with.
Hi, my names Connor Pearson. I’m studying a Mechanical Engineering/Biology Conjoint. My home town is Napier (about halfway down the East Coast of the North Island). It’s a really great place, especially in the summer, and all of you should check it out sometime. My favourite things to do are eating or doing stuff outdoors.
Now, back to the real important stuff, like what semester 2 in Mechanical Engineering involves. Unlike last semester, there are no electives for conjoint students to skip, so this time I get to take all the papers offered to me. This is also the first time that the Mechanical Engineers split from the Mechatronics. Mechatronics Engineers take a software course (MECHENG 270), whilst we take a second design paper (MECHENG 236).
Based on my one week of classes in my courses for this semester, I’ll try to explain what they seem to involve so far (I’ll give a full breakdown at the end of the semester).
These 4 courses are…
MECHENG 222 – Dynamics. This seems to be an extension of the content from ENGGEN 121 last year, but just with more complex scenarios and problems to solve. The first week has been spent re-capping 121 topics and doing 121 revision exercises in tutorials and the weekly quiz. I definitely needed the help. I couldn’t remember anything from last year (moment of Inertia, which one’s that again!?!?).
MECHENG 211 – Thermofluids. By far the paper I was most looking forward to. The course is broken up into 3 topics. The first is Thermodynamics. From the content of the first week, this seems to be very similar to ENGGEN 140, with pressure cycles and mass flow rates. The later sections are Fluid mechanics and Heat transfer.
MECHENG 236 – Design and Manufacture 2. As someone who didn’t enjoy 235, I was not looking forward to 236. However, it already seems to be more interesting. Less time was spent on the design process, and the topics, from Internal combustion engines to braking and clutch systems sound far more interesting than the gears, tolerances and surface finishing of 235. Plus, the smaller class size makes the lectures more engaging and interactive.
ENGGEN 204 – Report writing for Engineers. The title says it all. Should be a nice change from all maths and logic from my other courses, and as an added bonus, there’s no exam!!
Feeling completely relaxed after a great inter-semester break, second semester crept up on me like a bad joke, and now it’s finally here. It’s only the first weekend back, and I have already been given quizzes and assignments, not to mention a 45% 12-week project (thank you 236…). Second year is a step up from first year, but by this time, I’m used to managing it. Slipping back into the uni lifestyle gets easier and easier with practise. One great thing about Part 2 mechanical, for 2018 at least, is that all your classes are in the afternoon. My earliest class starts at 1pm, so I get the whole morning off to sleep in.
Well, that’s about all I’ve got to say. In the coming weeks, I’ll try and give a better breakdown of the courses as I get more experience with them, and maybe a walkthrough of a typical day of mine.
See you guys in a few weeks.
-Connor