Engineering has destroyed my motivation to study and I hate UCL
Hello, first year Engineering student here,
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself. I have no desire to work as an Engineer and the fast pace + workload of Engineering has just totally ruined my enthusiasm for learning.
It's a shame because the people I have met are on the whole great but I feel very uncomfortable with the style of learning and level of support. I just feel like I'm going to end up getting 2:2 overall or even worse, a fail! I just feel demotivated, being eternally stressed out and I don't think the value of this degree will be worth the effort unless I get like a 1st or 2:1 - especially when I hear students from other degrees attend less lectures (heard of a guy that has only 7 hours of lectures a week!) and are enjoying their lives. I don't consider myself having a strong Maths background and I even didn't study Physics or Further Maths at GCE A level yet my degree is packed with Physics and Further Maths elements so why the hell am I studying this? I really have no idea why I chose this degree. I also have know idea how people in my class and other engineering stream are finding it or coping with their studies. Everyone seems so preoccupied with themselves and I don't know whether I will be able to get help from others - I have made 'friends' at university but they are more like acquaintances than actual friends.
I don't know what to do TSR. I'm sure I'll slug through this year and come out with a 3rd or some **** but I'm unsure if it's really worth putting in a diehard amount of work and having a totally **** time if all it leads to at the end is failure, misery and possibly expulsion from UCL. If I fail this year will I be able to transfer to something like BSc Human Sciences at UCL or will UCL just kick me out of their university upon failing?
It's a shame, because coming from a **** school and background all the way to UCL is such an achievement to so many. I wish I got rejected so I wouldn't have to be wasting so many years and do a lot less work studying something like BSc Biology (which I would love to study) at somewhere like Queen Mary or similar.
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself. I have no desire to work as an Engineer and the fast pace + workload of Engineering has just totally ruined my enthusiasm for learning.
It's a shame because the people I have met are on the whole great but I feel very uncomfortable with the style of learning and level of support. I just feel like I'm going to end up getting 2:2 overall or even worse, a fail! I just feel demotivated, being eternally stressed out and I don't think the value of this degree will be worth the effort unless I get like a 1st or 2:1 - especially when I hear students from other degrees attend less lectures (heard of a guy that has only 7 hours of lectures a week!) and are enjoying their lives. I don't consider myself having a strong Maths background and I even didn't study Physics or Further Maths at GCE A level yet my degree is packed with Physics and Further Maths elements so why the hell am I studying this? I really have no idea why I chose this degree. I also have know idea how people in my class and other engineering stream are finding it or coping with their studies. Everyone seems so preoccupied with themselves and I don't know whether I will be able to get help from others - I have made 'friends' at university but they are more like acquaintances than actual friends.
I don't know what to do TSR. I'm sure I'll slug through this year and come out with a 3rd or some **** but I'm unsure if it's really worth putting in a diehard amount of work and having a totally **** time if all it leads to at the end is failure, misery and possibly expulsion from UCL. If I fail this year will I be able to transfer to something like BSc Human Sciences at UCL or will UCL just kick me out of their university upon failing?
It's a shame, because coming from a **** school and background all the way to UCL is such an achievement to so many. I wish I got rejected so I wouldn't have to be wasting so many years and do a lot less work studying something like BSc Biology (which I would love to study) at somewhere like Queen Mary or similar.
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You would probably know something about this.
If you don't want to work as an engineer then don't study it.
Motivation is a key part to engineering, being motivated to solve problems when your tired, being up at 1am finishing off an assignment because you dont want to go to sleep until its perfect. At my college, the people who got the best grades werent the smartest, sure being smart help. But, the people who did the best were those who had mad motivation.
Check some youtube videos about motivation or speak to a lecturer. Good luck
Check some youtube videos about motivation or speak to a lecturer. Good luck
Original post by Smack
If you don't want to work as an engineer then don't study it.
Would you be able to offer me any sort of advice on how to revise for Engineering? What is the key to surviving Engineering? How did you prepare for exams? What sort of materials did you use to enhance your knowledge and understanding? At the moment I'm not really sure how I'm going to be able to get enough practice. I'm baffled at the Maths and I don't know whether practicing from the textbook will be worth it.
Original post by Anonymous
Would you be able to offer me any sort of advice on how to revise for Engineering? What is the key to surviving Engineering? How did you prepare for exams? What sort of materials did you use to enhance your knowledge and understanding? At the moment I'm not really sure how I'm going to be able to get enough practice. I'm baffled at the Maths and I don't know whether practicing from the textbook will be worth it.
I recommend engineering mathematics by ka stroud, ive heard people call it the engineering maths bible and from personal use i think its great @TeeEm
Original post by BlackSweetness
Motivation is a key part to engineering, being motivated to solve problems when your tired, being up at 1am finishing off an assignment because you dont want to go to sleep until its perfect. At my college, the people who got the best grades werent the smartest, sure being smart help. But, the people who did the best were those who had mad motivation.
Check some youtube videos about motivation or speak to a lecturer. Good luck
Check some youtube videos about motivation or speak to a lecturer. Good luck
Engineering really does test your motivation/patience.....at some point you will feel just like OP (me included this very term actually)
OP i know it's hella stressful and it's definitely not for the faint hearted....if you really don't want to be an engineer then have a long think about your career aspirations...but i would recommend just sticking through the pain because it will be worth it in the end
Original post by a10
Engineering really does test your motivation/patience.....at some point you will feel just like OP (me included this very term actually)
OP i know it's hella stressful and it's definitely not for the faint hearted....if you really don't want to be an engineer then have a long think about your career aspirations...but i would recommend just sticking through the pain because it will be worth it in the end
OP i know it's hella stressful and it's definitely not for the faint hearted....if you really don't want to be an engineer then have a long think about your career aspirations...but i would recommend just sticking through the pain because it will be worth it in the end
Definitely, id go as far as saying without motivation you cant be an engineer
Original post by Anonymous
Hello, first year Engineering student here,
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself. I have no desire to work as an Engineer and the fast pace + workload of Engineering has just totally ruined my enthusiasm for learning.
It's a shame because the people I have met are on the whole great but I feel very uncomfortable with the style of learning and level of support. I just feel like I'm going to end up getting 2:2 overall or even worse, a fail! I just feel demotivated, being eternally stressed out and I don't think the value of this degree will be worth the effort unless I get like a 1st or 2:1 - especially when I hear students from other degrees attend less lectures (heard of a guy that has only 7 hours of lectures a week!) and are enjoying their lives. I don't consider myself having a strong Maths background and I even didn't study Physics or Further Maths at GCE A level yet my degree is packed with Physics and Further Maths elements so why the hell am I studying this? I really have no idea why I chose this degree. I also have know idea how people in my class and other engineering stream are finding it or coping with their studies. Everyone seems so preoccupied with themselves and I don't know whether I will be able to get help from others - I have made 'friends' at university but they are more like acquaintances than actual friends.
I don't know what to do TSR. I'm sure I'll slug through this year and come out with a 3rd or some **** but I'm unsure if it's really worth putting in a diehard amount of work and having a totally **** time if all it leads to at the end is failure, misery and possibly expulsion from UCL. If I fail this year will I be able to transfer to something like BSc Human Sciences at UCL or will UCL just kick me out of their university upon failing?
It's a shame, because coming from a **** school and background all the way to UCL is such an achievement to so many. I wish I got rejected so I wouldn't have to be wasting so many years and do a lot less work studying something like BSc Biology (which I would love to study) at somewhere like Queen Mary or similar.
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself. I have no desire to work as an Engineer and the fast pace + workload of Engineering has just totally ruined my enthusiasm for learning.
It's a shame because the people I have met are on the whole great but I feel very uncomfortable with the style of learning and level of support. I just feel like I'm going to end up getting 2:2 overall or even worse, a fail! I just feel demotivated, being eternally stressed out and I don't think the value of this degree will be worth the effort unless I get like a 1st or 2:1 - especially when I hear students from other degrees attend less lectures (heard of a guy that has only 7 hours of lectures a week!) and are enjoying their lives. I don't consider myself having a strong Maths background and I even didn't study Physics or Further Maths at GCE A level yet my degree is packed with Physics and Further Maths elements so why the hell am I studying this? I really have no idea why I chose this degree. I also have know idea how people in my class and other engineering stream are finding it or coping with their studies. Everyone seems so preoccupied with themselves and I don't know whether I will be able to get help from others - I have made 'friends' at university but they are more like acquaintances than actual friends.
I don't know what to do TSR. I'm sure I'll slug through this year and come out with a 3rd or some **** but I'm unsure if it's really worth putting in a diehard amount of work and having a totally **** time if all it leads to at the end is failure, misery and possibly expulsion from UCL. If I fail this year will I be able to transfer to something like BSc Human Sciences at UCL or will UCL just kick me out of their university upon failing?
It's a shame, because coming from a **** school and background all the way to UCL is such an achievement to so many. I wish I got rejected so I wouldn't have to be wasting so many years and do a lot less work studying something like BSc Biology (which I would love to study) at somewhere like Queen Mary or similar.
Talk to your uni, can you swap to Biological sciences at UCL?
Original post by BlackSweetness
Definitely, id go as far as saying without motivation you cant be an engineer
Thanks. Do you know what these students did differently to do the best in their class? Did they get 1st? I have the KA Stroud book and it is really good but I don't know whether it will be enough to save me.
Original post by Anonymous
Would you be able to offer me any sort of advice on how to revise for Engineering? What is the key to surviving Engineering? How did you prepare for exams? What sort of materials did you use to enhance your knowledge and understanding? At the moment I'm not really sure how I'm going to be able to get enough practice. I'm baffled at the Maths and I don't know whether practicing from the textbook will be worth it.
I didn't perform that well, on average, in exams so I'm not the best person to ask I'm afraid, but I found a combination of lecture notes and past papers were sufficient. I got through university with a fairly flimsy understanding of some parts of the degree. Looking back I would probably focus more on drawing relevant diagrams and taking questions slowly, working from first principles where relevant, as well as making use of Youtube resources and this forum.
Original post by BlackSweetness
Definitely, id go as far as saying without motivation you cant be an engineer
The thing is when you start the course you'll have lots of motivation but as the course progresses and things get more and more difficult+ workload increasing + deadlines everywhere....it literally starts to drain the life out of you and all of a sudden all that motivation you had at the beginning will feel like it's non existent!
It's funny because almost all my friends feel the exact same way.....some even wanted to quit! When i graduate and someone asks me would i go back to uni to study engineering and have all these stressful exams i would say hell naw (although there have been some enjoyable times)!
Original post by BlackSweetness
I recommend engineering mathematics by ka stroud, ive heard people call it the engineering maths bible and from personal use i think its great @TeeEm
Original post by Anonymous
Hello, first year Engineering student here,
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself. I have no desire to work as an Engineer and the fast pace + workload of Engineering has just totally ruined my enthusiasm for learning.
It's a shame because the people I have met are on the whole great but I feel very uncomfortable with the style of learning and level of support. I just feel like I'm going to end up getting 2:2 overall or even worse, a fail! I just feel demotivated, being eternally stressed out and I don't think the value of this degree will be worth the effort unless I get like a 1st or 2:1 - especially when I hear students from other degrees attend less lectures (heard of a guy that has only 7 hours of lectures a week!) and are enjoying their lives. I don't consider myself having a strong Maths background and I even didn't study Physics or Further Maths at GCE A level yet my degree is packed with Physics and Further Maths elements so why the hell am I studying this? I really have no idea why I chose this degree. I also have know idea how people in my class and other engineering stream are finding it or coping with their studies. Everyone seems so preoccupied with themselves and I don't know whether I will be able to get help from others - I have made 'friends' at university but they are more like acquaintances than actual friends.
I don't know what to do TSR. I'm sure I'll slug through this year and come out with a 3rd or some **** but I'm unsure if it's really worth putting in a diehard amount of work and having a totally **** time if all it leads to at the end is failure, misery and possibly expulsion from UCL. If I fail this year will I be able to transfer to something like BSc Human Sciences at UCL or will UCL just kick me out of their university upon failing?
It's a shame, because coming from a **** school and background all the way to UCL is such an achievement to so many. I wish I got rejected so I wouldn't have to be wasting so many years and do a lot less work studying something like BSc Biology (which I would love to study) at somewhere like Queen Mary or similar.
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself. I have no desire to work as an Engineer and the fast pace + workload of Engineering has just totally ruined my enthusiasm for learning.
It's a shame because the people I have met are on the whole great but I feel very uncomfortable with the style of learning and level of support. I just feel like I'm going to end up getting 2:2 overall or even worse, a fail! I just feel demotivated, being eternally stressed out and I don't think the value of this degree will be worth the effort unless I get like a 1st or 2:1 - especially when I hear students from other degrees attend less lectures (heard of a guy that has only 7 hours of lectures a week!) and are enjoying their lives. I don't consider myself having a strong Maths background and I even didn't study Physics or Further Maths at GCE A level yet my degree is packed with Physics and Further Maths elements so why the hell am I studying this? I really have no idea why I chose this degree. I also have know idea how people in my class and other engineering stream are finding it or coping with their studies. Everyone seems so preoccupied with themselves and I don't know whether I will be able to get help from others - I have made 'friends' at university but they are more like acquaintances than actual friends.
I don't know what to do TSR. I'm sure I'll slug through this year and come out with a 3rd or some **** but I'm unsure if it's really worth putting in a diehard amount of work and having a totally **** time if all it leads to at the end is failure, misery and possibly expulsion from UCL. If I fail this year will I be able to transfer to something like BSc Human Sciences at UCL or will UCL just kick me out of their university upon failing?
It's a shame, because coming from a **** school and background all the way to UCL is such an achievement to so many. I wish I got rejected so I wouldn't have to be wasting so many years and do a lot less work studying something like BSc Biology (which I would love to study) at somewhere like Queen Mary or similar.
I will agree with @BlackSweetness but I want to say a few general things
A very big proportion of engineering graduates in the UK do not get employed by the engineering industry, simply because there is practically none left.
Most people find STEM subjects hard, so you will be experiencing similar emotions if you were doing maths, physics etc.
My advice is to motivate yourself the best you can, then defer the year and study maths and physics if you feel that is the real issue otherwise painful decisions lie ahead.
I sincerely hope it works well for you.
All the best
Original post by a10
Engineering really does test your motivation/patience.....at some point you will feel just like OP (me included this very term actually)
OP i know it's hella stressful and it's definitely not for the faint hearted....if you really don't want to be an engineer then have a long think about your career aspirations...but i would recommend just sticking through the pain because it will be worth it in the end
OP i know it's hella stressful and it's definitely not for the faint hearted....if you really don't want to be an engineer then have a long think about your career aspirations...but i would recommend just sticking through the pain because it will be worth it in the end
How hard is it to get a 1st in Engineering compared to other degrees?
Original post by Anonymous
How hard is it to get a 1st in Engineering compared to other degrees?
I got a 1st class in my first year, I'm now completing my 2nd year...and I won't lie I had to put in some serious work...wasn't easy but it wasn't that difficult at the same time!
Drop engineering as a course. Waiting till you fail is a waste of time . Study something that interests you instead 😊
Posted from TSR Mobile
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Anonymous
Hello, first year Engineering student here,
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself.
I'm currently doing a BEng at UCL and I am really not enjoying it. I sometimes find myself completely lost in lectures and am generally just not enjoying myself.
Which engineering branch is this?
Hi,I'm sorry to hear you're having such a bad time and not enjoying UCL 
Can't give you any Engineering specific advice, but as a 3rd year Law student at UCL I do know about the stress. I would suggest arranging a meeting with your personal tutor as soon as possible - just send them an email saying its urgent and you need to talk to them about it in person. When you talk to them face to face you might find it easier to talk through your worries.
If you want to change your degree then talking to the personal tutor is the first step. I changed from a ridiculously pressurised double degree to a normal law degree with a year abroad. I had to get my personal tutor on my side to then ambush the faculty dean (who was really harsh and gave me a hard time about changing my degree). But don't be disheartened, your faculty might not be as strict, and even my infamously strict dean of law had been known to let law students swap out of the faculty altogether and into History or Politics degrees.
It sounds like you do like at least the idea of being at UCL and if you might be happier still at UCL, but on a less intense course, that might be a good option for you.Finally, if your personal tutor treats you with disrespect or no sympathy, don't hesitate to complain to their boss, which would be the faculty dean of students. If even they are inept, write to the UCL-wide dean of students. It's not acceptable that a student is this unhappy, they should be doing all they can to help, the deans know UCL has scored badly in student satisfaction surveys recently and so I think they should be willing to help now.
Can't give you any Engineering specific advice, but as a 3rd year Law student at UCL I do know about the stress. I would suggest arranging a meeting with your personal tutor as soon as possible - just send them an email saying its urgent and you need to talk to them about it in person. When you talk to them face to face you might find it easier to talk through your worries.
If you want to change your degree then talking to the personal tutor is the first step. I changed from a ridiculously pressurised double degree to a normal law degree with a year abroad. I had to get my personal tutor on my side to then ambush the faculty dean (who was really harsh and gave me a hard time about changing my degree). But don't be disheartened, your faculty might not be as strict, and even my infamously strict dean of law had been known to let law students swap out of the faculty altogether and into History or Politics degrees.
It sounds like you do like at least the idea of being at UCL and if you might be happier still at UCL, but on a less intense course, that might be a good option for you.Finally, if your personal tutor treats you with disrespect or no sympathy, don't hesitate to complain to their boss, which would be the faculty dean of students. If even they are inept, write to the UCL-wide dean of students. It's not acceptable that a student is this unhappy, they should be doing all they can to help, the deans know UCL has scored badly in student satisfaction surveys recently and so I think they should be willing to help now.
Original post by Nununu
Don't wait till failing talk to someone about changing course, maybe even starting from year one? Maybe Biomedical engineering? does that have less Maths?
I don't know if I will be able to continue studying at UCL if a fail. A friend if mine told me that if you fail UCL will not let you continue studying at their institution and other departments see you as unreliable so they won't take you on. How competitive is BSc Biological Sciences at UCL?
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