Hi everybody!
So sad that this will be my last post as a Part II Blogger 😭 I’m really going to miss giving really insightful (?) insight (??) to the internet, but I hope you will enjoy this last post, and hopefully will answer any of your remaining questions (<- so hopefully I’ll see you next year in Engsci 🤨)
A quick rundown on what this post will be like- I’m going to quickly zoom through all the questions that I generally get asked but hey if you still have any burning questions after this blog, hmu! I’ll always be down for a yarn 💖
semester two
As some of you might/might not know, Engsci semester two is mainly electives (of which there are many to choose from- BUT dont worry! I made a post about it last time ;))
The way it works is like this; you have two elective slots (unless you are a conjoint then you have one conjoint paper and one elective) and then you take ENGGEN204 (the super fun teamwork course) and ENGSCI263.
ENGGEN204 is basically like a business course, for our year we had three big assignments that you completed in a team of 8 people (this team is set for the whole semester). Not a very traditional engineering core course but it does teach you how to work in bigger groups of very different people.
ENGSCI263 is basically a hybrid of all the semester one courses. It basically takes all your knowledge learnt from concepts and python coding to do two big projects over the semester. It is cool in the sense you get to use what you’ve learnt, rather than just letting everything go after your exam, but I would not say it was the easiest course I’ve ever taken. It will, however, be a very big indicator as to what Engsci really is, and the possible things you could be doing in industry. The projects that my year did were
- Analysis on Truck Routing (which is definitely much cooler than it sounds): you basically model and optimize truck routes to maximize efficiency and when write a formal report about it (the execution of this project was hands-down more fun than the report, but that’s not to say the report was not bad…)
- Analysis on Thermal Injection: now this project used the occasional concept introduced in BIOMENG221, which was very interesting to say the least. It was not as coding intensive as the truck routing project but it made me think a lot more about the physics behind geothermal fields…haha…
maths in engsci
Okay, I have been asked many times (twice) about if Engsci was super math heavy.
The truth is… no.
There is not any more math than there is in any other specialisation. Don’t just take a second-year’s opinion for it, I have heard the same stance from people in fourth year. You do not have to be an abacus mental math god to succeed in Engsci, you just have to know how numbers work (which is pretty basic knowledge for an engineering student). The reason why you hear that Engsci is just math and coding is because we use numerical methods and coding to solve higher-level problems. Of the two projects I did last semester, I barely had to pull out my calculator to crunch numbers, but I did have to know how numerical methods converged.
So, don’t let being bad at math stop you from choosing Engsci, I still need to pull out my calculator to do 6 + 8.
what’s the difference between engsci and software
Wow! That’s a really good question!
Let me lay out the similarities for you first- both specs do a lot of coding.
Yep. That’s It.
Engsci is so much more than just coding- you are using code to solve other problems. You use code to sort through and analyze data. You use code to generate possibilities and probabilities. You use code to find optimal values from those possibilities and probabilities! Code in Engsci is very much a helping hand, and one to make your life easier. This is opposed to coding in software which has emphasis on coding as a platform to make things- like apps.
So, yes you need to learn how to code, but no it is very very different from software.
However, you can get software internships as an Engsci student (peep the next section)
internships
Right. So here’s the tldr on internships.
Internships will always be harder for a second year. No matter what anyone says about any spec, all second years struggle with getting an internship, simply because they are not third years (or penultimate). Companies just prefer interns with more knowledge under their belt and ones that they can bring into a grad role soon afterwards 😛
So don’t be concerned about getting an internship in your second year, because there are plenty of alternative ways to get your hours before graduation. And even if you don’t get the required 800 hours before graduation,,, you can just have your ceremony later :3 it really is no stress and no one is going to berate you for not getting an internship summer of second year.
Okay, motivational talk aside, there are many many different types of internships that Engscis can apply to. I cannot list all the companies out here because, I simply do not know them all. It is also pretty easy to find out who is hiring, whether it be online, through club events or just through the grapevine. However, I can tell you somethin really helpful >:)
Because Engsci is so broad and there are so may different ways to customize the degree, you can very well gas it up to suit the internship you are applying for. As long as you can sell the skills you have learnt (maybe also certain passion projects on the side for certain industries) and you slay the interview, there is a very good chance you can get the job. We are not restricted as other specialisations are, you can apply to any field you want and get hired! Some of the common types of internships for engscis are software, data analysis, transport, government and consulting.
So don’t stress about the job availability, Engsci is very versatile and you really don’t need to worry about it ruining your chances at getting a job in the future 🙂
extracurriculars
Moving on from just internships, extracurriculars are great for helping you secure them, probably at least on the same standing of importance as your gpa.
Now, don’t get me wrong, they are not just for getting another line on your CV, but also for enriching your school life and helping you make valuable friends. #bff4lyfers
I won’t give the same spiel that everyone gives as to why you should join a club, but I can list some clubs out that I am in (and love) that you can check out too!
Engineering Revue: I have the biggest love hate relationship with Revue. On one hand its hell for five weeks in second semester, with long rehearsals and assignments clashing all the time. On the other hand, I have gotten so many great memories from it. Because revue is a theatre show, it’s great to get away from the busy grind of uni life and just dance around and have fun. Plus, all of the Revue people (BME Blogger Ashley and I) are super cool and fun and great 😙🕺
WEN: So for all my future Engsci girlies out there, if you haven’t gotten involved in WEN, you should do so, like, ASAP. WEN is great because they have such a great reach across all industries and the emphasis they have on female-empowerment. All the people I have met through WEN have been the sweetest people, plus they hold the sickest events (sorry AUES ;-;). [Don’t worry if you do not identify as female, WEN Allies are welcome too :)]
BESA: Stands for the Biomedical and Engineering Science Student Association. Its a heck of a long name, but hey its the club for all Engsci and BME students. The club is relatively small, but that’s why it’s easier to form deeper connections with more people. And! because it is for Engsci and BME, a lot of the industry and social events will help you bond with people in the Engsci/BME cohort and companies that are looking for Engsci/BME employees 😉
These are just the three that I like (in Engineering), but there are plenty of other clubs that may suit your taste. So don’t be afraid to join that random club you saw at the expo, even if it’s one that none of your friends want to join, because you never know what opportunities it may hold!
burnout, imposter syndrome and the like
Now, I may not be the best person to be giving advice to the internet about burnout and stuff, but I would like to put this in here anyways, especially for those who are high achievers <3
Engineering in general is hard. Honestly, the fact that you’ve made it this far is really impressive in itself. And you might think your gpa is really important so you have to get an A+ in this course or you absolutely cannot fail this test. But honestly, it is okay. Its fine to not have aced that assignment or gotten over 85% for that midsem test. Your university degree, and even more so that particular course is such a miniscule part of your entire working life, and you are worth so much more than your grades.
Now, how to tackle burnout? I wish I had some magical 7 holy steps that you could follow to fix the feeling of burnout but if I did, it would be a miracle. My current solution (I’m trialing it out right now and it’s working!) is to take a step back and do something that you enjoy. No, that does not include doom-scrolling. But something that makes you relaxed and happy. Then, come back to it and maybe also try and motivational pep-talk yourself back into the grind. I know it is hard, and sometimes the motivation doesn’t motivation, but alas, the assignments will still be there in the end, so we have to do them at some point or another. It is, although, okay to ask for extensions or help when you really don’t have enough spoons to get them done.
At the end of the day, don’t beat yourself up too much about grades. You are doing the best you can, so instead be proud of yourself and how far you’ve come.
the end
CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 You made it to the end !!
Thank you so much for even reading this far, and for any other of my blogs that you may have come across :3
Don’t hesitate if you want to ask me any questions, regarding anything at all (spec-wise or just general engineering-life-advice-wise)!
I am usually happy to be approached in person, or over linkedin (just as long as it’s not before 9am because I’ll mentally still be in bed)
See you next time ❤️ Go forth and slay.