The Engineering Thread

Shelga · 21-09-2006 11:28PM

Ok I have just read my last post, I realise that makes it sound like I didnt give a second thought about my first CAO choice, but you know what I mean... I did plenty of research about what I'd be studying, it's just not the same as talking to actual students.

kayohore · 21-09-2006 11:39PM

I can't comment directly about the course; but I do know a good few engineers professionally and know for a fact several were able to manage college and part-time work perfectly fine.

The only advice I can give is to try it and see how you go; just make sure you sort your priorities out before you do. Some people can work and study just about every god-given hour and get by fine, others cringe at the thoughts of actually WORKING while in college. The horror!

Nietzschean · 22-09-2006 04:05AM

kayohore wrote:

I can't comment directly about the course; but I do know a good few engineers professionally and know for a fact several were able to manage college and part-time work perfectly fine.

You say professionally? i.e. they are all finished? engineering courses are all different i.e. if they went somewhere else its pretty meaningless. Also the courses change pretty frequently so its still probally meaningless.....

Carnivore and Myth are current eng students so i dunno they are probally the most relyable source of info. While i'm sure its possible to do a part-time job, in most high load courses wheither people have managed them or not it has dented their grades by more than a little.

Endymion · 22-09-2006 08:45AM

kayohore wrote:

I can't comment directly about the course; but I do know a good few engineers professionally and know for a fact several were able to manage college and part-time work perfectly fine.

Few engineering Degree's have compulsory common years these days, let alone two years common. In my opinion studying four different and distinct disciplines of engineering is what makes the first two years difficult and time consuming. You really have to spend your time wisely, and there's allot of very different material to take in. I think I sat something like 8 -9 exams at the end of first year, and a similar number at the end of second. I knew pretty much no one with a part time job in first and second year.

All that said you're lucky that they combined chemistry and physics, these two had the highest failure rates when I was going through first.

Again, I know people that have taken on part time jobs and college, and managed to get through, some have done well enough. However it's always pretty sad seeing a smart guy without a clue because he's skiping lectures due to work committments or falling asleep due to all nighters. Even worst when you're in a group with him/her.

If you absolutely have to work, make it the weekends, and get something quiet where you can do out lab reports or assignments.

kayohore · 22-09-2006 09:22AM

You say professionally? i.e. they are all finished? engineering courses are all different i.e. if they went somewhere else its pretty meaningless. Also the courses change pretty frequently so its still probally meaningless.....

Some recently finished, some not-so recently. I'm not disputing the amount of time required to do well on the course, merely trying to get the point across that people manage in different ways. And also not everyone has the luxury of being supported by their parents.

Poor Shelga nearly has his mind made up before he even begins the course, rather than finding out for himself how he manages with part-time work. As I said, some people can manage fine.

Anyway, best of luck whatever you decide to do Shelga.

Endymion · 22-09-2006 01:15PM

There are some inherent difficulties which arise purely from the fact you're starting a course like the Trinity engineering one, and you're unsure of how things actually work. These do subside with time, if you can out last them. Drop out rates are fairly high in the first term.

But meh, I think pretty much all that can be said has been said wrt part time jobs. You'll have to see for yourself.

Shelga · 22-09-2006 02:47PM

Poor Shelga nearly has his mind made up before he even begins the course, rather than finding out for himself how he manages with part-time work.

Ahem... Shelga is a girl... Thanks for the sympathy tho! & thanks to everyone for the help. Aside from the job issue, I just want to get in the damn place at this stage!!

irishguy00 · 22-09-2006 03:04PM

I knew Shelga was a girl!!! My instincts were right. I am honed to women like a paedophile to a group of children...

Oh god, what a horrible analogy. Sorry to any children, or paedophiles

Endymion · 22-09-2006 03:52PM

One thing I think I should add, which I was thinking about earlier. In secondary school the attitude is often "learn everything off" learn, study, learn, study, learn study. That approach will fail you completely in this course as they try and focus on cencepts rather then memoriesing large volumes of information. Also the range of subjects are so wide that there is no way you can learn every details of every subject, and most courses are only an introduction briefly touching of certain topics, then moving on.

I remember a lab I did in first year about radio trancievers, which I hadn't a clue about nor had i had any lectures on it. We where just thrown into the deep end and expected to sink or swim. The matierial for the lab I only covered in third year, and some students will never cover it. You'll get allot of that in first year, struggling though labs with the barest of ideas about whats going on and what you are ment to do. Sure every single chemistry lab my lab partners pulled my though. It can get you down and make you feel delusioned, but nearly everyone is in the same situation.

Concepts and techniques, thats what it's all about. You understand the concepts and techniques for problems solving, and you'll be able answer pretty much every question asked in the exam. If you can only asked stuff you've seen before, you'll be pretty ****ed in a couple subjects.

22-09-2006 04:23PM

Some completely random points...

When it comes to exams (you should have two at Christmas, two at 'easter' and lots at the end of the year), remember that just because something came up in the exam papers last year does NOT mean that 'it has been asked' in the last number of years and so won't come up again. This mentality caught several of my friends out who just assumed that lecturers would change how they would set papers similar to the Leaving Cert. College is incredibly different to school.

Of course, the converse also applies - if something has been asked recently, there is no way of knowing that it will definitely come up in your year. If you are looking for any hints for exams, the last few weeks of a course are the handiest as the lecturers have, at times, given hints as to what will come up.

On the point Carnivore just made about labs I completely agree... because you'll be in a class of 160 - 200 people you might find that labs make sense about 3 months later than when you did the lab since you probably won't have covered some labs in lectures. This can be advantageous to you, or not. If you haven't covered it in class, it means that you have to go and research what the hell the lab is about, because when you're writing up a report you won't really know what's going on otherwise.

Because there's no-one to push you along in College, you tend to learn a lot about yourself and your capabilities, especially for a lot of people it is their first time away from their parents.

Oh, and on the job point I'd agree with Carnivore and others on how you have a lot of hours so it won't be easy, but it isn't impossible. Don't kill yourself through overworking (job, I mean) but at the same time if you can find a balance, than so be it.

fiddlestick · 22-09-2006 05:32PM

Yeh very long days...dont make the same mistake i did by taking half days when you should have been staying around for tutorials.
Tutorials are VERY important for a reason.
Submit every lab report even if you dont understand the lab in the first place. Youll do some telecomms labs that you wont learn the theory for until 3rd year, but all the same submit something...that goes for every lab and marked tutorial/continous assesment. At the end of the year lecturers really really hate doing repeats, so if you are borderline fail/pass and have some continous assesment marks, they'll pass you.
With respect to 1e2. it can be a hard subject for first years. You will have exams at christmas and easter. Try and study for them they really take the load off the summer exam.

All this advice is the opposite to what i did in first year!
Needless to say, I failed 1e2,1e4,1e6,1e7,1e8 .
Do the maths...a small bit of work during college leads to a repeat free summer.
However the biggest advice i can give is, if it all catches up on you and you feel snowed under with work, dont give up!keep your chin up....after failing five in 1st year I graduated with a very good degree 3 years later!
Join socities, drink alot (your an engineer...its what they do) and have fun.

Aero787 · 24-09-2006 10:00AM

Can you take a French language module as part of your course? For example "French for Engineers"?

Barry Aldwell · 24-09-2006 02:30PM

There is the option to do a foreign language module in second year.....French isn't one of the options though, at least not this year.

Newb · 24-09-2006 07:39PM

Hi all,

I am starting Engineering this Oct and I was wondering if reports must be bound in any special way - such as Swing Clip Files - or will just stapling everthing together be fine with the lecturers?

Newb

Attractive Nun · 24-09-2006 07:49PM

Best question ever.

Barry Aldwell · 24-09-2006 08:40PM

Erm.......I'm sure the lecturers in question will tell you when the time comes......

Endymion · 25-09-2006 05:48PM

Newb wrote:

Hi all,

I am starting Engineering this Oct and I was wondering if reports must be bound in any special way - such as Swing Clip Files - or will just stapling everthing together be fine with the lecturers?

Newb

Dear god no. You've far to many reports and writeups and assignments for that carry on. That said some people like to put project write-Up's in those little folder things, it's not needed.

Endymion · 25-09-2006 05:59PM

oh, wrt the langauage thing, You could do French and german. However Things may have changed due to ARAM.

Newb · 25-09-2006 06:14PM

Thanks Carnivore

Carnivore wrote:

Dear god no. You've far to many reports and writeups and assignments for that carry on. That said some people like to put project write-Up's in those little folder things, it's not needed.

fiddlestick · 25-09-2006 08:09PM

Newb wrote:

Hi all,

I am starting Engineering this Oct and I was wondering if reports must be bound in any special way - such as Swing Clip Files - or will just stapling everthing together be fine with the lecturers?

Newb

Staples are fine. The last thing you need when marking 40 reports is to be ripping apart folders. Remember to be neat. if you are writing, do so legibly, for gods sake dont mix black pen and pencil!
If you type, USE SPELLCHECK,you would think this is obvious.
And no smart remarks about my spelling or grammar!

Tacitha · 26-09-2006 09:32PM

In fact, our thrifty department has a box in the office labelled "free folders".
Guess where they come from...

Jim_No.6 · 27-09-2006 03:41PM

Don't bother freaking out before it all starts, just make sure that you go to most lectures, and collect notes for the ones you miss quickly (before your friends lose/file them) It's almost impossible to get a set together right at the end of the year.

Reads photocopying is your friend - TCD Kopycat is not. If there's a good book in the library, for gods sake photocopy the chapter 4+ weeks before the exam! It will disappear/ be blocked from renewing by someone. Oh, and pay attention at your library briefing; I'm still asking them stupid questions 3+ years on.

As others have said, unless you're specifically asked for one, a folder will just annoy the marking postgrad/lecturer.

For 1E3, join Netsoc, and use Matrix instead of the College macs for your programming. Saves a load of hassle, and it means that you can get at your files easily from anywhere.

I'll vaguely counter Myth's statement about the exams - they're a good guide, but far from guarantees of questions. Then again, some exams (you'll see) are quite similar from year to year

Take note of the difficulty level (if you fancy it, look at the questions as you're covering the stuff) and you should be fine walking into the exams.

If you haven't done any Chemistry (like me) be prepared to spend a *long* time in the Library on the subject. Collar someone who did, and bribe them to help. Don't bother looking at either LC textbooks (too simplistic) or Silberberg (too complex) - I found that a mix of books, all open on the same page was my best bet. Can't remember any titles though, sorry! Keep up, and you should be fine though. Again, if there are other people you know in the same situation, get together in some kind of study group.

As for the Physics write-ups; if they're still the same; don't waste ages on error-calculations - lash them into excel (or some other software) and you'll be sorted in no time. Same goes for almost any calculation you do for the labs - you'll probably be doing it a fair bit - automate! {If you can be bothered, one guy in our year made a program to do his Matrix operations, which was great for homework, but it pays to be fast at them on paper in the exam}

Here's some great final advice: for your tutorials, go to one of each session (it's not tightly regulated) You'll get to see who can offer the most help/seems to know the most stuff (usually the lecturer themselves, but some postgrads can be better) Go to *everything* 1/2 weeks before the exams, as there will be some heavy discourse on exam technique/structure/questions. I have a friend (Hi, Carnivore!) who skipped the last 2 weeks last year, and ended up missing 6(?) or so bonus lectures in one subject.

Incidentally, I have a couple of the first year textbooks and a drawing board going cheap if any of you still need the stuff. (PM for details) {I know that this is FS and all that, but it's relevent, and postering is effort}

Barry Aldwell · 27-09-2006 03:58PM

Jim_No.6 wrote:

For 1E3, join Netsoc, and use Matrix instead of the College macs for your programming. Saves a load of hassle, and it means that you can get at your files easily from anywhere.

This is what I did, but it's only a good idea if you can get your head around command line interfaces, and unix in particular. If the limit of your computer experience is bebo, boards.ie and MSN, it may be best to stick to the (much hated) macs.

Boston · 27-09-2006 04:15PM

Jim_No.6 wrote:

Here's some great final advice: for your tutorials, go to one of each session (it's not tightly regulated) You'll get to see who can offer the most help/seems to know the most stuff (usually the lecturer themselves, but some postgrads can be better) Go to *everything* 1/2 weeks before the exams, as there will be some heavy discourse on exam technique/structure/questions. I have a friend (Hi, Carnivore!) who skipped the last 2 weeks last year, and ended up missing 6(?) or so bonus lectures in one subject.

I skipped 1 week I and yes he covered at least six lectures plus a tutorial in that week, plus the week we where ment to have off to study. But I don't regret it, that giving lectures right up to the exam stuff is complete bull****, and I'll do everything i can think of to stop it happening again. We have trinity term off for a reason.

Jim_No.6 · 27-09-2006 04:30PM

Barry Aldwell wrote:

This is what I did, but it's only a good idea if you can get your head around command line interfaces, and unix in particular. If the limit of your computer experience is bebo, boards.ie and MSN, it may be best to stick to the (much hated) macs.

I disagree - it's the same command line, after all!
Also: given the level of Unix use in Engineering industry, especially Mech (not to mention Elect/Comp!) you'd be mad not to learn a little.

Boston · 27-09-2006 04:33PM

Jim_No.6 wrote:

I disagree - it's the same command line, after all!
Also: given the level of Unix use in Engineering industry, especially Mech (not to mention Elect/Comp!) you'd be mad not to learn a little.

Jim, You forget it has changed since our day, they don't have mick. They might be using an actual IDE, hell they might even be using PC's.

Barry Aldwell · 27-09-2006 05:25PM

LiouVille wrote:

Jim, You forget it has changed since our day, they don't have mick. They might be using an actual IDE, hell they might even be using PC's.

Nope, Macs, subethaedit and make, for first year.....

Jim_No.6 · 27-09-2006 06:50PM

You guys got SubEthaEdit?! :eek:

Edit: And he showed you how to use 'make'? Unbelievable!

Liou - I doubt that Eng will ever get PCs for that course; not when it's irrelevent which you use- actually, I'd argue that using a mac is better than Windows! (in this rare instance). An IDE would be nice for beginners alright - but knowing the college, they'd want to pay for one, and then decide that it's too expensive

Soo... back on topic?

Boston · 27-09-2006 07:05PM

I'm telling yea, they don't have mick

Nietzschean · 27-09-2006 07:13PM

actually i don't think it would cost anything more given trinity's site licences to have IDE's on every pc machine, though i believe they are there already(well public in ham end and cs ones).

But regardless, i'm guessing they make them use mac's because they don't have unix boxes to make them use, its to get people used to different things. And IDE's are only usefull for some stuff, and arn't really beneficial for doing helloworld type apps(unless you are so lazy as to use insert function features...)

The Engineering Thread

Comments