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By: Emilia Mrugala
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Entering the first semester in your declared engineering major post-ETAM can be quite daunting. Within the first class in your new department, you search around the room and try to find a familiar face. Suddenly, you come to the realization that everyone surrounding you will most likely be in the same classes as you for the next three years. How do you make friends in your new classes?
As a chemical engineer, I had the opportunity to participate in a Sophom*ore Retreat before the fall semester started to meet some of my classmates and learn from different companies in the industry. I am very grateful to have been able to meet and become friends with those at the retreat because it allowed that first day of classes to go smoother with familiar faces. If your department provides this, I highly recommend it. Otherwise, feel free to follow the tips below!
A quick handshake never hurts, and if your peer finds it strange, at least you are practicing your handshake for career fairs!— Emilia Mrugala, chemical engineering
Depending on the orientation of your classroom/lecture hall, I highly recommend introducing yourself to those around you. A quick handshake never hurts, and if your peer finds it strange, at least you are practicing your handshake for career fairs! Small talk I like to include when I first meet someone, and honestly, when I see them again, is getting to know where they’re from, their hobbies, their organizations on campus, and maybe what they did that past weekend. After learning about them a little bit, you may find things in common and you may not. But at least you introduced yourself, and there is one more familiar face in the classroom.
In terms of creating study groups and working together, a lot of professors allow you to work on homework or lab assignments in groups, so developing a hardworking yet friendly group is key. Some of my best memories from the semester are working late at night with my friends and homework groups and struggling through thermodynamics while also cracking jokes here and there. Having a group that is also your friends will allow you to look forward to working long hours on homework together because the company makes it worth it. Working in common areas in your department building is also helpful because you can run into other groups and get to know them better.
Engineering organizations are a great way to meet other engineers as well! Regardless of whether it is a professional or social organization, finding camaraderie in engineering is great to help get through long nights and tough classes. I recommend joining your professional societies for your major to not only hear about different companies and industries for you to pursue, but a lot of times, there are fun activities and social events to meet your peers. If you are a freshman and do not know exactly which engineering field you want to pursue, the engineering body is so large on campus that it is not difficult to meet engineers in non-engineering organizations, too!
My last piece of advice is transparency. Don’t let your struggles consume you. When things get overwhelming in your classes, feel free to reach out to your peers and see if they feel similar or if they can help you out with a concept. At A&M, we love to quote, “Aggies helping Aggies,” and what better way to practice that than by helping explain difficult concepts from lectures. We are all human, we all go through difficult times in our academic lives and personal lives. Being transparent with yourself and your group on how you are performing and understanding in your classes will allow an environment that values communication and understanding. As always, stay kind, keep trying, and never be afraid to ask for help.
About Emilia Mrugala
Chemical Engineering, Class of 2025
An adventurous and creative engineer from Houston, TX who enjoys reading, photography, traveling, and playing Just Dance.
If you found this blog post interesting, you may consider reading “What is Zachry Leadership Program” and “Making Small Talk as an Engineer“.
