8 answers
esther
Student
California City, California
1
Question
Asked
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how can focus on my field of studies?
I'm Esther, studying civil engineering
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8 answers
Sasha Joogoolsingh
Human Resources
53
Answers
Tampa, Florida
Updated
Sasha’s Answer
Hi Esther,
Civil Engineering is like a versatile toolkit; you never quite know where your journey will take you. It's important to understand your motivation for studying this fascinating field and not to feel pressured into specific courses out of fear of being limited by your choices. Start by reflecting on what aspects of your Civil Engineering studies you have enjoyed the most. Here are some sub-disciplines within Civil Engineering to consider:
- Design and Analysis - Structural Engineering
- Roads & Railways - Transportation & Traffic Engineering
- Environment, water and chemical analysis - Environmental engineering
- Construction Management - Project Management
- Strength of Materials - Material Engineering.
1. Lifelong Learning: Keep yourself informed about the latest trends, codes, and regulations in civil engineering. Participate in professional development opportunities, attend workshops, and seek additional education to maintain a competitive edge.
2. Robust Technical Expertise: Cultivate a thorough understanding of engineering concepts, calculations, and relevant software tools in your specialization. Mastering these technical aspects will empower you to handle complex projects with assurance.
3. Precision and Care: Being detail-oriented is vital in this field. Focus on design specifications, construction documents, and safety protocols. Even minor errors can result in significant issues and jeopardize project quality.
4. Clear Communication: Civil engineers frequently collaborate with diverse teams. It’s important to communicate clearly with architects, contractors, and clients. Effectively sharing your ideas, actively listening, and working together will contribute to successful project results.
5. Flexibility and Problem-Solving: The civil engineering landscape is ever-changing, often presenting unforeseen challenges. Being flexible and possessing strong problem-solving abilities will enable you to address these challenges and devise creative solutions.
6. Commitment to Ethics: Maintain the highest levels of integrity and professionalism in your work. Follow ethical guidelines and conduct your activities with honesty and openness. A solid reputation is crucial for earning the trust of clients and peers.
7. Leadership Skills: As you advance in your career, honing your leadership abilities becomes increasingly important. Inspiring and guiding your team, making informed decisions, and managing resources effectively will distinguish you as an exceptional civil engineer.
1. Build Your Network: Participate in industry gatherings, become a member of your local American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) chapter, and engage with professionals on LinkedIn. Reach out to both recent graduates and seasoned engineers in your target area. Their knowledge and connections can be incredibly helpful.
2. Value Mentorship: Look for a mentor who can provide guidance and address your inquiries. Feel free to request further explanations or additional responsibilities to enhance your skills.
Study Tips:
1. During class, jot down notes freely, even if they look a bit messy, especially with diagrams. Later that day, I would rewrite them in a neat notebook. This process helped me understand the material better. If I had any questions, I would make sure to visit office hours for clarification.
2. Create a specific area for studying where you can concentrate without distractions.
3. Study Groups: Don’t hesitate to connect with classmates. Many of your peers in STEM courses will likely take similar classes as you progress. Building these relationships can be incredibly helpful when you tackle more advanced civil engineering courses later on.
4. Avoid burnout. Remember to pace yourself and prioritize self-care!
Civil engineering can be tough, so staying dedicated and pushing through challenges is key. Always look for ways to grow and improve. Wishing you the best of luck!
Civil Engineering is like a versatile toolkit; you never quite know where your journey will take you. It's important to understand your motivation for studying this fascinating field and not to feel pressured into specific courses out of fear of being limited by your choices. Start by reflecting on what aspects of your Civil Engineering studies you have enjoyed the most. Here are some sub-disciplines within Civil Engineering to consider:
- Design and Analysis - Structural Engineering
- Roads & Railways - Transportation & Traffic Engineering
- Environment, water and chemical analysis - Environmental engineering
- Construction Management - Project Management
- Strength of Materials - Material Engineering.
1. Lifelong Learning: Keep yourself informed about the latest trends, codes, and regulations in civil engineering. Participate in professional development opportunities, attend workshops, and seek additional education to maintain a competitive edge.
2. Robust Technical Expertise: Cultivate a thorough understanding of engineering concepts, calculations, and relevant software tools in your specialization. Mastering these technical aspects will empower you to handle complex projects with assurance.
3. Precision and Care: Being detail-oriented is vital in this field. Focus on design specifications, construction documents, and safety protocols. Even minor errors can result in significant issues and jeopardize project quality.
4. Clear Communication: Civil engineers frequently collaborate with diverse teams. It’s important to communicate clearly with architects, contractors, and clients. Effectively sharing your ideas, actively listening, and working together will contribute to successful project results.
5. Flexibility and Problem-Solving: The civil engineering landscape is ever-changing, often presenting unforeseen challenges. Being flexible and possessing strong problem-solving abilities will enable you to address these challenges and devise creative solutions.
6. Commitment to Ethics: Maintain the highest levels of integrity and professionalism in your work. Follow ethical guidelines and conduct your activities with honesty and openness. A solid reputation is crucial for earning the trust of clients and peers.
7. Leadership Skills: As you advance in your career, honing your leadership abilities becomes increasingly important. Inspiring and guiding your team, making informed decisions, and managing resources effectively will distinguish you as an exceptional civil engineer.
1. Build Your Network: Participate in industry gatherings, become a member of your local American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) chapter, and engage with professionals on LinkedIn. Reach out to both recent graduates and seasoned engineers in your target area. Their knowledge and connections can be incredibly helpful.
2. Value Mentorship: Look for a mentor who can provide guidance and address your inquiries. Feel free to request further explanations or additional responsibilities to enhance your skills.
Study Tips:
1. During class, jot down notes freely, even if they look a bit messy, especially with diagrams. Later that day, I would rewrite them in a neat notebook. This process helped me understand the material better. If I had any questions, I would make sure to visit office hours for clarification.
2. Create a specific area for studying where you can concentrate without distractions.
3. Study Groups: Don’t hesitate to connect with classmates. Many of your peers in STEM courses will likely take similar classes as you progress. Building these relationships can be incredibly helpful when you tackle more advanced civil engineering courses later on.
4. Avoid burnout. Remember to pace yourself and prioritize self-care!
Civil engineering can be tough, so staying dedicated and pushing through challenges is key. Always look for ways to grow and improve. Wishing you the best of luck!
Jody Muniz, P.E.
Project Manager / Forensic Engineer
25
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Jody’s Answer
Hola Ester,
Civil Engineering is a very broad field and that is what has attracted me to Civil engineering. The various fields include Environmental, Hydraulics and Hydrology, Structural, Geotechnical, Transportaion, and last but not least Construction engineering.
My uncles were builders and I wanted to be a builder. Construction is a hard field of work to be successful in. There is a broad misconception that "anybody " can do construction management because of the numerous opportunities in all construction, commerical, industrial, and residential fields. The bar for success is very high in construction due to the broad range of daily challenges of managing the cost, quality, and changes in work scope due to unforeseen obstacles that must be overcome on a daily basis. After 20 years of construction and multiple relocations I got out of construction management and went into consulting. Then I started working 7 days a week for intermittent prolonged periods for various clients to be successful and stay successful. Failure is not an accepted option in consulting and it morphed me against my will when the challenges became very daunting.
I recommend you invest some time in looking at the company websites for companies you think you want to work for. Look at their entry level jobs posted and cut and paste their job requirements and start your own job library of entry-level job requirements. You will see similarities in what the companies seek at the entry level position and it will help guide you in your decisions for your career path. Search the entry-level jobs and make a library of job responsibilities and job qualifications. That will tell you what they want you to do and describe who they are looking for. My advice for future jobs - Apply, apply apply to all the jobs you want. They will always post the requirements for the "perfect" candidate, if that person actually exists, and in the past I have gotten assignments because they needed an engineer, right -now, right-now, and I said to them in my telephone interview - I am available right-now, right now, and you are holding me up, I can start tomorrow. Please stop holding me up. I actually told that to a consulting firm in Houston Tx over the phone when they said they needed somebody immediately. I had just finished building a manufacturer plant for NT Techno in Oxford, NC and I needed a new project. I was born and raised in Texas so I know how to talk to Texans.
For the present , I recommend you start your own personal library of referernce books and web-link resources. It may be many months or years before a particular chellenge gets assigned to you or a fellow student or coworker asks for specific help on a subject matter. When I started workin g as a consultant at NASA as a contractor I was surprised how the cheap the company that hired me conducted their business. They gave me nothing to do my job except an outdated government issued computer at a 40 year old desk built in the 60's. What I was forced to learn was to invest in my own laptop computer and start building my own reference library which has become vast in the past 10 years due to my continuous efforts to increase my own personal computer library. " Free" is my favorite price on the whole entire planet and the vast internet provides vast quantities of free resource documents for numerous fields of study. Researchgate has provided me numerous reference documents for my project assignments through the past years. When I come across a great article , and for example, I was hired to do a strucural evaluation on a fire damaged house. Never done that before, I did multiple google searches and found an excellent article on fire damaged lumber and the criteria for evaluating the extent of damages to framing lumber. What a jackpot that was for me. If I cannot do a free download, I refuse to pay for spontaneous downloads after my credit card got hacked on-line in the past, and caused me alot of personal grief for fake charges that started showing up on my account. So I now cut and paste the articles into my newly created personal source reference word document and I always keep the proper source information and credit the sources. I cut and paste the web link into my new source reference document for return at any time. The freedom of information act allows me to reference and use these sources as long as I use them for research and I don't package and sell them, etc, etc. I keep and use these source reference documents for my own personal library. It may be 5 years when I do another fire damaged house but I wont have to recreate the wheel for the next fire damage assignment I get. So I recommend you start building your own library of reference documents. I also recommend you start building your own network of students who will help you grow in your studies. I would never have graduated had it not been for my friends and fellow students who gave me advice and mentoring when I needed advice to make important decisions. Invest your time in talking to Sr students who are about to graduate, take them to lunch and ask them for advice. Ask them what they would differently and ask them what they have learned in their student journey that helped them suceed, and ask them what they would never, ever do again.
My next advice for you, I also recommend you get your E.I.T. before you graduate. It is not an easy test and I personally loathe multiple choice tests. It took me numerous times "after" I graduated to pass the test and it required alot of travel and alot of stressful time management with my employers who had zero value for me passing this test and treated it as nuasance, on-goimng work assignments, etc. IF you can graduate with an EIT that will put your resume on the top of the stack for future potential employers and it will open doors for potential consulting positions who will view you as a long term and valuable investment for thier firm. The EIT is not an easy test and I have mentored multiple students to pass the EIT and I tell not to pay big dollars for review courses. Take the test your Jr year and IF you don't pass the test, due the necessary preparations and pass thhe test your Sr year. It is very much like a final exam for the entire field of engineering . By your Jr year you will have all the necessary prepararations to pass the test, you just need to study "how to pass multiple choice exams" which you can now learn on youtube.
I failed the EIT exam multiple times ( I made a 60, a 65, a 67, and a 69 - repeated results for repeated actions) in multiple locations before I woke up and said - After multiple repated failures, what do I need to change and do to pass this test. Lastly, I studied how to pass multiple choice tests and I changed my test taking methods and I finally passed the EIT examination.
Ester, you have chosen a great field to be in. If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island I would want civil engineers to be with me to help me build the needed infrastructure for buildings, water sources, highways, and airports.
Welcome to the tribe and stay positive on a daily basis, no matter what happens. You will be successful Esther, your future choices will help determine how successful you want to be.
Cheers !!
Research entry level positions for job qualifications
Start building your own personal library for resources
Talk to Sr students and ask them for lessons learned and advice for success
Research and Pass the EIT exam to open vast opportunities
Find what you love doing. Passion makes work fun and it is no longewr work. Stay Positive no matter what happens.
Civil Engineering is a very broad field and that is what has attracted me to Civil engineering. The various fields include Environmental, Hydraulics and Hydrology, Structural, Geotechnical, Transportaion, and last but not least Construction engineering.
My uncles were builders and I wanted to be a builder. Construction is a hard field of work to be successful in. There is a broad misconception that "anybody " can do construction management because of the numerous opportunities in all construction, commerical, industrial, and residential fields. The bar for success is very high in construction due to the broad range of daily challenges of managing the cost, quality, and changes in work scope due to unforeseen obstacles that must be overcome on a daily basis. After 20 years of construction and multiple relocations I got out of construction management and went into consulting. Then I started working 7 days a week for intermittent prolonged periods for various clients to be successful and stay successful. Failure is not an accepted option in consulting and it morphed me against my will when the challenges became very daunting.
I recommend you invest some time in looking at the company websites for companies you think you want to work for. Look at their entry level jobs posted and cut and paste their job requirements and start your own job library of entry-level job requirements. You will see similarities in what the companies seek at the entry level position and it will help guide you in your decisions for your career path. Search the entry-level jobs and make a library of job responsibilities and job qualifications. That will tell you what they want you to do and describe who they are looking for. My advice for future jobs - Apply, apply apply to all the jobs you want. They will always post the requirements for the "perfect" candidate, if that person actually exists, and in the past I have gotten assignments because they needed an engineer, right -now, right-now, and I said to them in my telephone interview - I am available right-now, right now, and you are holding me up, I can start tomorrow. Please stop holding me up. I actually told that to a consulting firm in Houston Tx over the phone when they said they needed somebody immediately. I had just finished building a manufacturer plant for NT Techno in Oxford, NC and I needed a new project. I was born and raised in Texas so I know how to talk to Texans.
For the present , I recommend you start your own personal library of referernce books and web-link resources. It may be many months or years before a particular chellenge gets assigned to you or a fellow student or coworker asks for specific help on a subject matter. When I started workin g as a consultant at NASA as a contractor I was surprised how the cheap the company that hired me conducted their business. They gave me nothing to do my job except an outdated government issued computer at a 40 year old desk built in the 60's. What I was forced to learn was to invest in my own laptop computer and start building my own reference library which has become vast in the past 10 years due to my continuous efforts to increase my own personal computer library. " Free" is my favorite price on the whole entire planet and the vast internet provides vast quantities of free resource documents for numerous fields of study. Researchgate has provided me numerous reference documents for my project assignments through the past years. When I come across a great article , and for example, I was hired to do a strucural evaluation on a fire damaged house. Never done that before, I did multiple google searches and found an excellent article on fire damaged lumber and the criteria for evaluating the extent of damages to framing lumber. What a jackpot that was for me. If I cannot do a free download, I refuse to pay for spontaneous downloads after my credit card got hacked on-line in the past, and caused me alot of personal grief for fake charges that started showing up on my account. So I now cut and paste the articles into my newly created personal source reference word document and I always keep the proper source information and credit the sources. I cut and paste the web link into my new source reference document for return at any time. The freedom of information act allows me to reference and use these sources as long as I use them for research and I don't package and sell them, etc, etc. I keep and use these source reference documents for my own personal library. It may be 5 years when I do another fire damaged house but I wont have to recreate the wheel for the next fire damage assignment I get. So I recommend you start building your own library of reference documents. I also recommend you start building your own network of students who will help you grow in your studies. I would never have graduated had it not been for my friends and fellow students who gave me advice and mentoring when I needed advice to make important decisions. Invest your time in talking to Sr students who are about to graduate, take them to lunch and ask them for advice. Ask them what they would differently and ask them what they have learned in their student journey that helped them suceed, and ask them what they would never, ever do again.
My next advice for you, I also recommend you get your E.I.T. before you graduate. It is not an easy test and I personally loathe multiple choice tests. It took me numerous times "after" I graduated to pass the test and it required alot of travel and alot of stressful time management with my employers who had zero value for me passing this test and treated it as nuasance, on-goimng work assignments, etc. IF you can graduate with an EIT that will put your resume on the top of the stack for future potential employers and it will open doors for potential consulting positions who will view you as a long term and valuable investment for thier firm. The EIT is not an easy test and I have mentored multiple students to pass the EIT and I tell not to pay big dollars for review courses. Take the test your Jr year and IF you don't pass the test, due the necessary preparations and pass thhe test your Sr year. It is very much like a final exam for the entire field of engineering . By your Jr year you will have all the necessary prepararations to pass the test, you just need to study "how to pass multiple choice exams" which you can now learn on youtube.
I failed the EIT exam multiple times ( I made a 60, a 65, a 67, and a 69 - repeated results for repeated actions) in multiple locations before I woke up and said - After multiple repated failures, what do I need to change and do to pass this test. Lastly, I studied how to pass multiple choice tests and I changed my test taking methods and I finally passed the EIT examination.
Ester, you have chosen a great field to be in. If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island I would want civil engineers to be with me to help me build the needed infrastructure for buildings, water sources, highways, and airports.
Welcome to the tribe and stay positive on a daily basis, no matter what happens. You will be successful Esther, your future choices will help determine how successful you want to be.
Cheers !!
Jody recommends the following next steps:
Som Chatterjee
Consultant
17
Answers
Tallahassee, Florida
Updated
Som’s Answer
Hello Esther,
I would encourage you to begin by investing some quality time in pinpointing the key reasons behind your decision to pursue civil engineering. For each reason, try to establish how it aligns with your immediate and future goals, your passions, and your talents. While it's important to enjoy the journey of becoming a civil engineer, it's equally important to foster an environment that enhances your concentration. This can only be achieved when you make a conscious effort towards your goals.
Be your own source of motivation by taking concrete steps daily that help you achieve your short-term goals. For instance, make sure you're enrolling in the right courses, completing your homework consistently, interacting with your professors and classmates, and engaging in discussions about what you're learning. Additionally, try to discover college or local clubs and associations related to civil engineering. Attend their meetings and seek out volunteer opportunities within these groups. Witnessing these daily accomplishments will inspire and motivate you to stay committed to your path. However, there will be days when things get tough, and it's during these times that you should reach out to others or immerse yourself in volunteer work.
As your engagement and involvement in your work intensifies, I'm confident that your focus will naturally follow.
Best wishes,
I would encourage you to begin by investing some quality time in pinpointing the key reasons behind your decision to pursue civil engineering. For each reason, try to establish how it aligns with your immediate and future goals, your passions, and your talents. While it's important to enjoy the journey of becoming a civil engineer, it's equally important to foster an environment that enhances your concentration. This can only be achieved when you make a conscious effort towards your goals.
Be your own source of motivation by taking concrete steps daily that help you achieve your short-term goals. For instance, make sure you're enrolling in the right courses, completing your homework consistently, interacting with your professors and classmates, and engaging in discussions about what you're learning. Additionally, try to discover college or local clubs and associations related to civil engineering. Attend their meetings and seek out volunteer opportunities within these groups. Witnessing these daily accomplishments will inspire and motivate you to stay committed to your path. However, there will be days when things get tough, and it's during these times that you should reach out to others or immerse yourself in volunteer work.
As your engagement and involvement in your work intensifies, I'm confident that your focus will naturally follow.
Best wishes,
Aisha Taylor
Mortgage Closing Specialist
472
Answers
Detroit, Michigan
Updated
Aisha’s Answer
Hey there, Esther! Diving into the world of civil engineering needs a blend of strong study techniques, hands-on experience, and a dash of determination. Here are some friendly pointers to keep your focus razor-sharp:
1. **Map Out Your Goals**: Jot down your immediate and future aspirations in civil engineering. Having a clear vision of your targets can keep you driven and on the right path.
2. **Craft a Study Plan**: Allocate your time wisely with a study plan that gives top priority to your civil engineering subjects and projects. Split big tasks into bite-sized pieces.
3. **Interact with the Content**: Be an active participant in lectures, labs, and group tasks. The more you immerse yourself, the better you'll grasp the ideas.
4. **Gain Hands-On Experience**: Hunt for internships, co-op programs, or volunteer work in civil engineering. Real-life experience strengthens what you absorb in the classroom.
5. **Get Involved in Engineering Communities**: Sign up for civil engineering clubs or societies. Connecting with fellow students and professionals can keep your enthusiasm high and introduce you to fresh perspectives.
6. **Leverage Study Tools**: Make the most of textbooks, online courses, and engineering forums to deepen your knowledge. If a topic is giving you a hard time, don't be shy to ask for help.
7. **Keep Things Tidy**: Maintain your notes, tasks, and projects in an orderly manner. This simplifies studying and ensures you never miss a deadline.
8. **Bond with Your Professors**: Forge strong relationships with your professors. They can provide guidance, mentorship, and even open doors to research or project opportunities.
9. **Hone Your Problem-Solving Skills**: Civil engineering is all about tackling problems. Regularly practicing problem-solving can sharpen your skills and reinforce your learning.
10. **Take Care of Yourself**: Look after your physical and mental well-being. A nutritious diet, regular workouts, and sufficient sleep can boost your concentration and productivity.
By keeping things tidy, actively diving into your studies, and gaining hands-on experience, you're sure to keep your focus intact and shine in your civil engineering program.
1. **Map Out Your Goals**: Jot down your immediate and future aspirations in civil engineering. Having a clear vision of your targets can keep you driven and on the right path.
2. **Craft a Study Plan**: Allocate your time wisely with a study plan that gives top priority to your civil engineering subjects and projects. Split big tasks into bite-sized pieces.
3. **Interact with the Content**: Be an active participant in lectures, labs, and group tasks. The more you immerse yourself, the better you'll grasp the ideas.
4. **Gain Hands-On Experience**: Hunt for internships, co-op programs, or volunteer work in civil engineering. Real-life experience strengthens what you absorb in the classroom.
5. **Get Involved in Engineering Communities**: Sign up for civil engineering clubs or societies. Connecting with fellow students and professionals can keep your enthusiasm high and introduce you to fresh perspectives.
6. **Leverage Study Tools**: Make the most of textbooks, online courses, and engineering forums to deepen your knowledge. If a topic is giving you a hard time, don't be shy to ask for help.
7. **Keep Things Tidy**: Maintain your notes, tasks, and projects in an orderly manner. This simplifies studying and ensures you never miss a deadline.
8. **Bond with Your Professors**: Forge strong relationships with your professors. They can provide guidance, mentorship, and even open doors to research or project opportunities.
9. **Hone Your Problem-Solving Skills**: Civil engineering is all about tackling problems. Regularly practicing problem-solving can sharpen your skills and reinforce your learning.
10. **Take Care of Yourself**: Look after your physical and mental well-being. A nutritious diet, regular workouts, and sufficient sleep can boost your concentration and productivity.
By keeping things tidy, actively diving into your studies, and gaining hands-on experience, you're sure to keep your focus intact and shine in your civil engineering program.
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
616
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hello Esther,
It's great that you're interested in improving your focus on civil engineering! This field requires strong dedication and a clear understanding of its core principles. Here are some strategies to help you concentrate on your studies:
Effective Study Techniques
Create a Study Schedule: Allocate specific time blocks for each subject. This helps in managing your time efficiently and prevents procrastination.
Find Your Optimal Study Environment: Identify a quiet and distraction-free place to study.
Active Recall: Instead of passively reading, test yourself by recalling information without referring to your notes.
Practice Problem-Solving: Civil engineering involves a lot of problem-solving. Practice regularly to enhance your skills.
Join Study Groups: Collaborating with peers can provide different perspectives and help solidify your understanding.
Utilize Online Resources: Explore online platforms, tutorials, and simulations to supplement your learning.
Building Interest and Motivation
Understand the Impact: Grasp the real-world applications of civil engineering. How your studies contribute to building infrastructure and improving lives can be motivating.
Set Goals: Define short-term and long-term academic goals. This will give you a clear direction and purpose.
Find a Mentor: A mentor can offer guidance, advice, and support, helping you stay focused.
Take Breaks: Short breaks during study sessions can help prevent burnout and improve concentration.
Practical Application
Internships: Gain practical experience through internships to apply theoretical knowledge.
Projects: Engage in personal or group projects to enhance problem-solving and teamwork skills.
Stay Updated: Keep yourself informed about the latest advancements and trends in the field.
Please remember, consistency is key. Small, consistent efforts over time will yield significant results.
Best wishes!
It's great that you're interested in improving your focus on civil engineering! This field requires strong dedication and a clear understanding of its core principles. Here are some strategies to help you concentrate on your studies:
Effective Study Techniques
Create a Study Schedule: Allocate specific time blocks for each subject. This helps in managing your time efficiently and prevents procrastination.
Find Your Optimal Study Environment: Identify a quiet and distraction-free place to study.
Active Recall: Instead of passively reading, test yourself by recalling information without referring to your notes.
Practice Problem-Solving: Civil engineering involves a lot of problem-solving. Practice regularly to enhance your skills.
Join Study Groups: Collaborating with peers can provide different perspectives and help solidify your understanding.
Utilize Online Resources: Explore online platforms, tutorials, and simulations to supplement your learning.
Building Interest and Motivation
Understand the Impact: Grasp the real-world applications of civil engineering. How your studies contribute to building infrastructure and improving lives can be motivating.
Set Goals: Define short-term and long-term academic goals. This will give you a clear direction and purpose.
Find a Mentor: A mentor can offer guidance, advice, and support, helping you stay focused.
Take Breaks: Short breaks during study sessions can help prevent burnout and improve concentration.
Practical Application
Internships: Gain practical experience through internships to apply theoretical knowledge.
Projects: Engage in personal or group projects to enhance problem-solving and teamwork skills.
Stay Updated: Keep yourself informed about the latest advancements and trends in the field.
Please remember, consistency is key. Small, consistent efforts over time will yield significant results.
Best wishes!
Picard Larisse Dona Agon
Data entry Operator
13
Answers
Abomey Calavi, Atlantique Department
Updated
Picard Larisse Dona’s Answer
Greetings! Embarking on a specific career journey demands belief, bravery, and immense drive. If your heart beats for your chosen field of study or if it piques your curiosity, you'll naturally devote your full attention to it, striving to be the best you can be in that area. The road may be fraught with challenges and setbacks, but your determination will forge a way through these obstacles. Ensure that your heart is firmly tethered to your field of study and your ultimate goal. Keep moving forward.
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity => Self-Actualization.
6342
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Hello Esther!
How to Focus on Your Field of Studies in Civil Engineering
Focusing on your field of studies, particularly in civil engineering, requires a structured approach that encompasses time management, resource utilization, and personal motivation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you concentrate effectively on your academic pursuits.
1. Set Clear Goals
Establish both short-term and long-term goals related to your studies. Short-term goals could include completing assignments on time or mastering specific topics each week, while long-term goals might involve achieving a certain GPA or securing an internship in the civil engineering field. Writing these goals down can provide clarity and serve as a constant reminder of what you aim to achieve.
2. Create a Study Schedule
Developing a study schedule is crucial for maintaining focus. Allocate specific times for studying civil engineering subjects, ensuring that you balance this with other commitments such as classes, work, and personal time. Use tools like planners or digital calendars to keep track of deadlines and study sessions.
3. Utilize Effective Study Techniques
Employ various study techniques that cater to different learning styles:
Active Learning: Engage with the material by summarizing information in your own words, teaching concepts to peers, or applying theories to real-world scenarios.
Practice Problems: Civil engineering often involves problem-solving; practice solving equations and working through case studies regularly.
Group Study: Collaborate with classmates to discuss complex topics and share insights.
4. Minimize Distractions
Identify what distracts you most during study sessions—this could be social media, noise, or even cluttered spaces—and take steps to minimize these distractions. Consider creating a dedicated study environment that is quiet and organized.
5. Leverage Resources
Make use of available resources:
Textbooks & Online Materials: Ensure you have access to the latest textbooks and online resources relevant to civil engineering.
Tutoring Services: If you’re struggling with certain subjects, consider seeking help from tutoring services offered by your college.
Professional Organizations: Join organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for networking opportunities and access to industry resources.
6. Stay Engaged with Your Field
Engagement beyond the classroom can enhance your focus:
Attend workshops, seminars, or guest lectures related to civil engineering.
Participate in internships or co-op programs that provide practical experience.
Follow industry news through journals or websites dedicated to civil engineering advancements.
7. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Your physical and mental well-being significantly impacts your ability to focus:
Ensure you get adequate sleep each night.
Incorporate regular exercise into your routine; physical activity has been shown to improve concentration.
Eat balanced meals that fuel your brain—consider foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins.
8. Reflect Regularly
Take time at the end of each week or month to reflect on what you’ve learned and how well you’ve adhered to your study plan. Adjust your strategies if necessary based on what works best for you.
By following these steps diligently, you can enhance your focus on civil engineering studies while also enjoying a balanced academic life.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
A leading organization providing resources for civil engineers including educational materials and professional development opportunities.
National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
Offers insights into engineering education trends and best practices which can aid students in their academic journey.
University Academic Resources
Many universities provide guidelines on effective study habits tailored specifically for engineering students which are invaluable for focused learning strategies.
God Bless You,
JC.
How to Focus on Your Field of Studies in Civil Engineering
Focusing on your field of studies, particularly in civil engineering, requires a structured approach that encompasses time management, resource utilization, and personal motivation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you concentrate effectively on your academic pursuits.
1. Set Clear Goals
Establish both short-term and long-term goals related to your studies. Short-term goals could include completing assignments on time or mastering specific topics each week, while long-term goals might involve achieving a certain GPA or securing an internship in the civil engineering field. Writing these goals down can provide clarity and serve as a constant reminder of what you aim to achieve.
2. Create a Study Schedule
Developing a study schedule is crucial for maintaining focus. Allocate specific times for studying civil engineering subjects, ensuring that you balance this with other commitments such as classes, work, and personal time. Use tools like planners or digital calendars to keep track of deadlines and study sessions.
3. Utilize Effective Study Techniques
Employ various study techniques that cater to different learning styles:
Active Learning: Engage with the material by summarizing information in your own words, teaching concepts to peers, or applying theories to real-world scenarios.
Practice Problems: Civil engineering often involves problem-solving; practice solving equations and working through case studies regularly.
Group Study: Collaborate with classmates to discuss complex topics and share insights.
4. Minimize Distractions
Identify what distracts you most during study sessions—this could be social media, noise, or even cluttered spaces—and take steps to minimize these distractions. Consider creating a dedicated study environment that is quiet and organized.
5. Leverage Resources
Make use of available resources:
Textbooks & Online Materials: Ensure you have access to the latest textbooks and online resources relevant to civil engineering.
Tutoring Services: If you’re struggling with certain subjects, consider seeking help from tutoring services offered by your college.
Professional Organizations: Join organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) for networking opportunities and access to industry resources.
6. Stay Engaged with Your Field
Engagement beyond the classroom can enhance your focus:
Attend workshops, seminars, or guest lectures related to civil engineering.
Participate in internships or co-op programs that provide practical experience.
Follow industry news through journals or websites dedicated to civil engineering advancements.
7. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Your physical and mental well-being significantly impacts your ability to focus:
Ensure you get adequate sleep each night.
Incorporate regular exercise into your routine; physical activity has been shown to improve concentration.
Eat balanced meals that fuel your brain—consider foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins.
8. Reflect Regularly
Take time at the end of each week or month to reflect on what you’ve learned and how well you’ve adhered to your study plan. Adjust your strategies if necessary based on what works best for you.
By following these steps diligently, you can enhance your focus on civil engineering studies while also enjoying a balanced academic life.
Top 3 Authoritative Sources Used:
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
A leading organization providing resources for civil engineers including educational materials and professional development opportunities.
National Academy of Engineering (NAE)
Offers insights into engineering education trends and best practices which can aid students in their academic journey.
University Academic Resources
Many universities provide guidelines on effective study habits tailored specifically for engineering students which are invaluable for focused learning strategies.
God Bless You,
JC.
Jody Muniz, P.E.
Project Manager / Forensic Engineer
25
Answers
Houston, Texas
Updated
Jody’s Answer
Hola Ester,
Civil Engineering is a very broad field and that is what has attracted me to Civil engineering. The various fields include Environmental, Hydraulics and Hydrology, Structural, Geotechnical, Transportaion, and last but not least Construction engineering.
My uncles were builders and I wanted to be a builder. Construction is a hard field of work to be successful in. There is a broad misconception that "anybody " can do construction management because of the numerous opportunities in all fields of construction, commerical, industrial, and residential. The bar for success is very high in construction due to the broad range of daily challenges of managing the cost, quality, and changes in work scope due to unforeseen obstacles that must be overcome on a daily basis. After 20 years of construction and multiple relocations I got out of constructiomn management and went into consulting. Then I started working 7 days a week for intermittent prolonged periods for various cliens to be successful and stay successful. Failure is not an accepted option in consulting and it morphed me against my will when the challenges became very daunting.
I recommend you invest some time in looking at the company websites for companies you think you want to work for. Look at their entry level jobs posted and cut and paste their job requirements and start your own library of entry level job requirements. You will see similarities in what the companies seek and it will help you in your decisions for your career path. Search the entry-level jobs and make a library of job responsibilites and job qualifications. That will tell you what they want you to do and describe who they are looking for. My advice for furture jobs - Apply, apply apply to all the jobs you want. They will always post the requirements for the "perfect" candidate, if they actually exist, and I have gotten assignments becuase they needed an engineer , right now, right now, and I said - I am available right-now, right now, and you are now holding me up, I can start tomorrow. Please stop holding me up. I actually told that to a consulting firm in Houston Tx over the phone when they said they needed somebody immediately. I had just finished building a manufacturer plant for NT Techno in Oxford, NC and I needed a new project,
For the present , I recommend you start your own personal library of referernce books and web-link resources. It may be many months or years before a particular chellenge gets assigned to you or a fellow student or coworker asks for specific help on a subject matter. When I started workin g as a consultant at NASA as a contractor I was surprised how the cheap the company that hired me conducted their business. They gave me nothing to do my job except an outdated government issued computer. What I learned was to invest in my own computer and start building my own reference library which has become vast in the past 10 years due to my continuous efforts to increase my own personal computer library. " Free" is my favorite price on the whole entire planet and the vast internet provides vast quantities of free resource documents for numerous fields of study. Researchgate has provided me numerous reference documents for my project assignments through the past years. When I come across a great article , and for example, I was hired to do a strucural evaluation on a fire damaged house. Never done that before, I did multiple google searches and found an excellent article on fire damaged lumber and the criteria for evaluating the extent of damages to framing lumber. What a jackpot that was for me. I refuse to pay for spontaneous downloads after my credit card got hacked on-line and caused me alot of personal grief for fake charges that started showing up on my account. So I cut and paste the articles into my newly created personal source reference word document and I always keep the proper source information and credit the sources. I cut and paste the web link into my new source reference document for return at any time. The freedom of information act allows me to reference and use these sources as long as I use them for research and I don't package and sell them, etc, etc. I keep and use these source reference documents for my own personal library. It may be 5 years when I do another fire damaged house but I wont have to recreate the wheel for the next fire damage assignment I get. So I recommend you start building your own library of reference documents. I also recommend you start building your own network of students who will help you grow in your studies. I would never have graduated had it not been for my friends and fellow students who gave me advice and mentoring when I needed advice to make important decisions. Invest your time in talking to Sr students who are about to graduate, take them to lunch and ask them for advice. Ask them what they would differently and ask them what they have learned in their student journey that helped them suceed, and ask them what they would never, ever do again.
My next advice for you, I also recommend you get your E.I.T. before you graduate. It is not an easy test and I personally loathe multiple choice tests. It took me numerous times "after" I graduated to pass the test and it required alot of travel and alot of stressful time management with my employers who had zero value for me passing this test and treated it as nuasance, on-goimng work assignments, etc. IF you can graduate with an EIT that will put your resume on the top of the stack for future potential employers and it will open doors for potential consulting positions who will view you as a long term and valuable investment for thier firm. The EIT is not an easy test and I have mentored multiple students to pass the EIT and I tell not to pay big dollars for review courses. Take the test your Jr year and IF you don't pass the test, due the necessary preparations and pass thhe test your Sr year. It is very much like a final exam for the entire field of engineering . By your Jr year you will have all the necessary prepararations to pass the test, you just need to study "how to pass multiple choice exams" which you can now learn on youtube.
I failed the EIT exam multiple times ( I made a 60, a 65, a 67, and a 69 - repeated results for repeated actions) in multiple locations before I woke up and said - After multiple repated failures, what do I need to change and do to pass this test. Lastly, I studied how to pass multiple choice tests and I changed my test taking methods and I finally passed the EIT examination.
Ester, you have chosen a great field to be in. If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island I would want civil engineers to be with me to help me build the needed infrastructure for buildings, water sources, highways, and airports.
Cheers !!
Research entry level positions for job qualifications
Start building your own personal library for resources
Talk to Sr students and ask them for lessons learned and advice for success
Research and Pass the EIT exam to open vast opportunities
Find what you love doing. Passion makes work fun and it is no longewr work. Stay Positive no matter what happens.
Civil Engineering is a very broad field and that is what has attracted me to Civil engineering. The various fields include Environmental, Hydraulics and Hydrology, Structural, Geotechnical, Transportaion, and last but not least Construction engineering.
My uncles were builders and I wanted to be a builder. Construction is a hard field of work to be successful in. There is a broad misconception that "anybody " can do construction management because of the numerous opportunities in all fields of construction, commerical, industrial, and residential. The bar for success is very high in construction due to the broad range of daily challenges of managing the cost, quality, and changes in work scope due to unforeseen obstacles that must be overcome on a daily basis. After 20 years of construction and multiple relocations I got out of constructiomn management and went into consulting. Then I started working 7 days a week for intermittent prolonged periods for various cliens to be successful and stay successful. Failure is not an accepted option in consulting and it morphed me against my will when the challenges became very daunting.
I recommend you invest some time in looking at the company websites for companies you think you want to work for. Look at their entry level jobs posted and cut and paste their job requirements and start your own library of entry level job requirements. You will see similarities in what the companies seek and it will help you in your decisions for your career path. Search the entry-level jobs and make a library of job responsibilites and job qualifications. That will tell you what they want you to do and describe who they are looking for. My advice for furture jobs - Apply, apply apply to all the jobs you want. They will always post the requirements for the "perfect" candidate, if they actually exist, and I have gotten assignments becuase they needed an engineer , right now, right now, and I said - I am available right-now, right now, and you are now holding me up, I can start tomorrow. Please stop holding me up. I actually told that to a consulting firm in Houston Tx over the phone when they said they needed somebody immediately. I had just finished building a manufacturer plant for NT Techno in Oxford, NC and I needed a new project,
For the present , I recommend you start your own personal library of referernce books and web-link resources. It may be many months or years before a particular chellenge gets assigned to you or a fellow student or coworker asks for specific help on a subject matter. When I started workin g as a consultant at NASA as a contractor I was surprised how the cheap the company that hired me conducted their business. They gave me nothing to do my job except an outdated government issued computer. What I learned was to invest in my own computer and start building my own reference library which has become vast in the past 10 years due to my continuous efforts to increase my own personal computer library. " Free" is my favorite price on the whole entire planet and the vast internet provides vast quantities of free resource documents for numerous fields of study. Researchgate has provided me numerous reference documents for my project assignments through the past years. When I come across a great article , and for example, I was hired to do a strucural evaluation on a fire damaged house. Never done that before, I did multiple google searches and found an excellent article on fire damaged lumber and the criteria for evaluating the extent of damages to framing lumber. What a jackpot that was for me. I refuse to pay for spontaneous downloads after my credit card got hacked on-line and caused me alot of personal grief for fake charges that started showing up on my account. So I cut and paste the articles into my newly created personal source reference word document and I always keep the proper source information and credit the sources. I cut and paste the web link into my new source reference document for return at any time. The freedom of information act allows me to reference and use these sources as long as I use them for research and I don't package and sell them, etc, etc. I keep and use these source reference documents for my own personal library. It may be 5 years when I do another fire damaged house but I wont have to recreate the wheel for the next fire damage assignment I get. So I recommend you start building your own library of reference documents. I also recommend you start building your own network of students who will help you grow in your studies. I would never have graduated had it not been for my friends and fellow students who gave me advice and mentoring when I needed advice to make important decisions. Invest your time in talking to Sr students who are about to graduate, take them to lunch and ask them for advice. Ask them what they would differently and ask them what they have learned in their student journey that helped them suceed, and ask them what they would never, ever do again.
My next advice for you, I also recommend you get your E.I.T. before you graduate. It is not an easy test and I personally loathe multiple choice tests. It took me numerous times "after" I graduated to pass the test and it required alot of travel and alot of stressful time management with my employers who had zero value for me passing this test and treated it as nuasance, on-goimng work assignments, etc. IF you can graduate with an EIT that will put your resume on the top of the stack for future potential employers and it will open doors for potential consulting positions who will view you as a long term and valuable investment for thier firm. The EIT is not an easy test and I have mentored multiple students to pass the EIT and I tell not to pay big dollars for review courses. Take the test your Jr year and IF you don't pass the test, due the necessary preparations and pass thhe test your Sr year. It is very much like a final exam for the entire field of engineering . By your Jr year you will have all the necessary prepararations to pass the test, you just need to study "how to pass multiple choice exams" which you can now learn on youtube.
I failed the EIT exam multiple times ( I made a 60, a 65, a 67, and a 69 - repeated results for repeated actions) in multiple locations before I woke up and said - After multiple repated failures, what do I need to change and do to pass this test. Lastly, I studied how to pass multiple choice tests and I changed my test taking methods and I finally passed the EIT examination.
Ester, you have chosen a great field to be in. If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island I would want civil engineers to be with me to help me build the needed infrastructure for buildings, water sources, highways, and airports.
Cheers !!
Jody recommends the following next steps: