It's a common stereotype for engineers to be socially awkward. I was scared that all of the engineers I would run into would be strange. However, almost all of the engineers I've met have been extremely normal people who could carry on a conversation.
This shouldn't be surprising to me. Engineers need to be able to network and communicate in order to get work done. In "How to be a Star at Work", Kelly states that networks help fill knowledge deficits. Networking aids.productivity since it's impossible for one person to know everything. By networking, one can save themselves a ton of time and stress.
What I Don't Know
Most of what I don't know pertains to EC 110. Though many of my peers are superstars in this class, I'm among the part that doesn't understand what's going on. For me, homework that should only take a couple of minutes can span over hours. My first exam is on Monday and I'm not ready for it at all.
An Opportunity
Before the school year began, I signed up for an organization called International Buddies in Engineering (IBE). IBE is a program that involves american students mentoring an international student in order to help the international students adapt to university life. Despite being a freshman, I joined anyways to get involved in an organization. Ironically, my international buddy Shawn is a senior, so it's difficult to know who is actually the mentor. However, both of us are electrical engineers. This creates a great opportunity for me. I can ask him for help about ECE 110 problems. Perhaps he could show me his research on MRIs later on in the year as a glimpse of what I could be doing later on in electrical engineering.
Refilling the Well
Besides finding people that complement another's lack of knowledge, Kelley also states that the network must also be about giving back to other members. The idea of a network is not just to ask for help but to provide it as well. Outside of studying engineering, I play tennis, eat dinner, and hang out with Shawn (in a way, this isn't really giving back since I enjoy all three). In this opportunity, both of us help each other out.
Howdy Darwin! It's great to see that you're networking experience has been going well. Just to let you know, I'm a EE as well, and it just so happens that a course I took last year covered much of the same material that we do in ECE 110, so if ever you need any help with any of that, I'd be glad to work with you and lend a hand.
ReplyDeleteIf I may ask, what's it like with your international buddy? Where's he from? What sort of common ground do y'all share? Seems most interesting to me...
Darwin,
ReplyDeleteThat's such a silly twist in fate. It seems that you both are really taking advantage of this 'mentorship' or, friendship. People say that you get out what you put in and I feel that both of you are benefiting. Even though Kelley said you have to contribute to the network, does that necessarily mean you have to sacrifice? Or does it have to be a non-enjoyable thing? I believe you befriending this student is your contribution to the network! Take for example a job: if you like it, you are still contributing! But, yea. Those are my thoughts.
It's really great that you've found such a valuable resource who can also be your friend. "networking" in the professional sense and the Facebook sense don't always have to be completely separate. Are there any cultural or language barriers you have to overcome with your International Buddy? I think having a common interest and major in electrical engineering will help you overcome that.
ReplyDeleteThat's so funny, I expected the same thing of my fellow engineers. I thought they would all be awkward and not able to talk with other people. For you, was this stereotype based on your experience with engineers before or was it based on what you had heard from others? I know for me, it was based on what I had heard from others because I did not know any engineers.
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