struggle as a freshman...

[XJensen]

whatever happened to summer VACATION?

Taking summers off only extended my college experience to six years. :banghead:

Going to SDSU didn't help either. :cheers:

Glad to hear you are doing better and the paychecks will make it all worth it when it's all said and done.

Josh

 

[swbooking]

haha Aztecs...

Its all about the Toreros .!..!.

 

[Rob Mayercik]

i feel ya man. im taking a summer class right now too, Dynamics. midterm tomorrow and a final next week. whatever happened to summer VACATION?

It dwindles to about two weeks once you leave high school. Out here in the land of working stiffs, it takes at least 5 years on the job to get up to 3 weeks. Just gotta make the time count.

ahhh, the beauty of spandex

You speak truth, my young friend, but somehow "behold, the power of cheese" seems to have a more smooth ring to it. I think the cheese commercial about the moon was the funniest (and, could be argued, the most truth-laden):

For centuries, Man believed the moon was made of cheese.
In 1969, we went there, and found it was made of rock.
We haven't been back since.
Behold, the power of cheese!

Seriously, though, congratulations on sticking it out and not quitting.

Rob

 

[Bent]

Ethan is a freshman this year, leaning in the Physics direction. This thread just became required reading.

 

[MXRethoret]

thought id give this an up, because im sure some parents/students out there are going through the same thing right about this time of year. Remember.... freshman who COMPLETE their first year of college are 90% more likely to graduate. theres something to be said about that...

 

[CherBear]

I am a Freshman right now as well. I completely understand what your son is going through, and that is pretty much how I feel. Here is what I feel is going on.

When I was in HighSchool, I dont think I ever studied for a test. Ever. I was the sort of learner that could sit in class, soak up information like a sponge, then set the curve on the test.

Then I got to college. HOLY CRAP. I was completely unprepared. I was pretty smart in HS, but since I never really had to apply myself, I didnt know what to do with myself. My first calc exam netted me a 34%. No curve. (I am probably going to fail this class).
At the time I was a First Year Engineering student. I realized it wasn't for me. I couldn't handle the math, nor did I really enjoy the subject matter.
I would have to guess this is where your son is at. He feels frustrated because of the difficulty and he doesn't even enjoy what he is learning. I "wanted out" at this point too.

Finally I made a decision to switch majors to Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology. It has alot of the same course work as regular engineering. Just more hands on and LESS MATH! (yay) Plus the job overlap between these two majors is about 85%.

Now I am much happier and feel like I can do this for 4 years.

I would recommend that If he doesn't like what he is doing now. Maybe he should switch majors?

 

[Carol.92124]

Thanks for the bump, Richard...it's all good info!! My son's a freshman in the Engineering College at UCSB (Santa Barbara, for you non-CA folk), and chose to take only 3 classes (one of which only has 20 students) so he could get used to the college concept of learning. Of course, he went in with almost 40 credits from Advanced Placement classes & a 2-week summer program he did at UCSB, so he has a little margin for error without affecting his graduation timeline.

He still managed to crap out (47%) on his first math mid-term (and he's good at math; he says he just studied too far ahead in the book). Just took his second math mid-term (UC's weird "quarters" system, with quarters ending at winter break, spring break, and in June) and says he did much better and anticipates getting a B in the class.

I had him read some of the advice in this thread, and though he says he doesn't need the help right now, he is at least more aware that it's available from a "reality" level rather than just some student handbook saying it's there.