work load and sorority commitment
 

i wasn't quite sure which board to put this on...so i flipped a coin and settled on greek life.

anyways, i'm going to be attending university of tennessee in the fall in the college of engineering and i also intend on rushing. so i was curious if any gc-ers are engineers too and how they handled it.

thanks a mil

One of the best parts of being in a sorority is learning to manage your time. My own chapter was full of future engineers, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, lawyers, and other "stressful" majors. The chances are very good that, if you get a bid, your GLO will include study hours for New Members.

Good luck - and keep studying!

thanks...because thats the only thing i was really worried about for next semester was juggling it all

Buy a planner.

Problem solved, now get out of my house.

Well I'd say that all people who are in college would consider their choice of majors to be very stressful and demanding at all times. Honeychile is correct in saying time mgmt. is the best way to go. Elephant Walk is correct as well a planner is a major helper in making the best time mgmt choices for yourself. As for me, I found that with my Big Sisters in many of my major classess was the best way for me to stay focused and grounded as to taking care of my responsibilites and getting my papers, files, ect done when I was pledging.

the trick is to balance your priorities and not juggle, if you juggle, your bound to drop the ball. this cliched advise is brought to you from 3 hour meeting from DU HQ about time management.

balance, balance, balance.

i'm a journalism major, so i'm working constantly on projects- it's tough but worth it!

as for engineering, i know two girls in other sororities who are engineering majors and they are doing great! it just takes dedication and knowing how to prioritize.

Two of our VPs were Electrical Engineering majors (and in the Honors program). It can be done. It goes back to Plan the Work and Work the Plan. If you have it in the schedule to study everyday between X and Y, stick to it.

LOL!!!!!! But for real, I was a bio major, and it was a lot of work. you will have to prioritize as well when/if you do become a member of the org of your choice. gL:)

I usually found myself performing better when I had a lot to do. What worked best for me, is that if (most of the time, WHEN), I had a large project, I would immediately set out and break it down into smaller incremements, setting up personal deadlines along the way.

It's a great way to succeed in any major that might require a number of huge projects/papers/presentations. I was an English/Journalism major, and I had several competing class priorities, as in a paper/article due each class, a larger one each week, a few bigger ones per semester, and then the final. Your coursework as an Engineering major may require the same sort of dissecting into smaller, more digestible segments.

Doing so will help decrease the "OMG" night-before-do-or-die-cram sessions.

I think that this advice works well for any major. Planning makes everything go so much smoother, and when you do have emergencies arise, you will be more likely to have the time and effort to focus on the unexpected.

I'm an Electrical Engineer. While I was active (alum now) I had two jobs, homework, sorority, and family to deal with. I was one of the most active members at the time too. All that one need to do is learn how to manage your time. Engineering can be more demanding then some of the other major and some girls never understood that but TIME MANAGEMENT is your best friend. I you don't have time management skill, I'm sure that you can take a class at the university that will help you develop it. I was also VP in the Engineering Council while active in the chapter. For me the first two years where easier to manage and my last year was the hardest (senior project was not fun). The thing that really helped was that we would get a list events that where planned for the semester (most of the time), if not we would get at least two weeks notice.

Also when I joined there where two other EEs in the chapter. One was VP for Recruitment at the time. My chapter also had a CE as chapter president.

I advise students at a technical university (programs are engineering and architecture), all of the sisters except one is in an engineering degree - electrical, civil, etc, and that's the entire chapter.

It can certainly be done....

I have about a million pre-med sisters, a large amount of who are studying for the MCAT and on e-board. It is possible to juggle everything. You will run into problems here and there with conflicts (my big missed our date night as the LSAT was the next morning...) but for the most part, if you want to make it work, you can. It seems as if most people actually thrive under pressure anyway. I say you go for it!

I wish more people had gotten my GREEK reference.

ahaha I get it now...after you pointed it out. Ugh. How blonde of me...

Hey girl,
First of all you're making an awesome choice rushing! Whichever sorority you end up joining, you're going to love it and gain so much through your experience! As for time commitment... I rushed this fall and absolutely love every aspect of greek life. However, you're going to have to rank your commitments and understand which ones are the most important and will benefit you in the long-term. That being said, your sorority will be pretty high up there, but you shouldn't forget about your grades; chances are your sorority will have study hours or a minimum GPA so without strong grades, you won't be able to participate in social events or live in-house.
The great thing about being so involved in greek life and other campus activities is that it teaches you how to organize your time wisely; I learned a lot through my mistakes my first semester, which is what will happen to any incoming freshman. Anyway, good luck with rush and I hope you love college!

It's just time management: this semester (and this past semester), I took 18 credits, worked, and was VP of my sorority, in addition to studying for the MCAT i'm taking in march. You can definetly do it.

I think it's also really important (in addition to time management) to know how to say "no". You cannot do everything, especially when you are THAT busy. Learn what to say no to (and how) and it'll be fine.

Also make sure to schedule "me" time and time for your best friend and/or significant other. My best friend and boyfriend sometimes feel ignored, but if I put them first whenever I can, it helps out a lot.

Good luck!

I know I do!

All majors can be a pain. I'm an art major and we don't get a lot of credit, but that's the one building on campus that stays open all night. Studio classes are long and the hours needed to do WELL after class time are even longer. I'm lucky that my chapter has a lot of art majors and theater majors (they have the same problem) so they understand, but EVERY sorority wants their members to do well academically, so even if there are few in the engineering program they will still try to help you do your best. It's about priorities and time management. You'll learn, but your sisters will help you. The most important thing to remember is to always ask for help when you need it! Don't think you shouldn't...they'll support you.