Mechanical Engineering
Hello! Welcome to the Learning Center's Mechanical Engineering page. Here you can find links to the courses we offer tutoring for, as well some other links we think will be helpful. If you'd like to find out more information about tutoring for this semester, including who the tutor is and their schedule, please click the Tutoring Schedule link. If you need help with a specific course, you can find the links to pages below. Otherwise, you can find some general tips and resources below that will help you throughout your college career.
General Tips
Here are some general tips that we think will help you get the most out of you college experience.
Practice effective time management
Engineering is a tough major, and it's easy to get overwhelmed by course work and start to fall behind. Effective management is key to overcoming difficult course loads and succeeding every semester. SupportNet is a great resource for Fresno State students, and they offer many time management tools. Remember that even if your schedule is crazy, you probably have more time than you think if you use it efficiently.
Team work makes the dream work
Good collaboration is a cornerstone of every career, including engineering. So, why not start practicing those team work skills now? Finding a study group is a great way to help you learn material and start making connections with you fellow classmates. Creating a shared drive for your classes is a good way to share notes and ask for help when you need it. When you get into your upper division classes they're all going to have group projects anyways, so the sooner you start building connections with you classmates the better off you'll be. If you'd like to connect with a larger group, check out this subreddit for engineering students.
The grade isn't everything
Getting good grades is important, especially if you're applying for a grad school program. However, it's more important to really learn the material and absorb everything you can. Try to make conceptual connections between the different classes you're taking, because once you get in the field the problems you have to solve aren't likely to be categorized by course. Most importantly, learn how to learn because no matter where your career takes you, they'll always be a new problem solve.
Make a LinkedIn
You're going to need it eventually, might as well jump on it now. Also, it's probably a good idea to start working on your resume if you haven't. If you're not sure how to make a resume, the Career Development Center can guide you in resume building, job applications, and interviews. Additionally, consider applying for internships. They can offer practical work experience, give you insight into what aspects of engineering you like and dislike, and usually pay pretty well. The V.I.P. Program is offered through Fresno State and is a great way to secure an internship. Fresno State also hosts various career fairs throughout the semester, and there are a lot of companies there looking for internships. Or maybe try LinkedIn?
Treat. Yo. Self.
College is super stressful, especially once your first round of exams start to hit. It's easy to get so caught up by everything that we neglect ourselves, and that can often lead to unhealthy habits and behaviors. That's why it's important to set aside time for you to take breaks, relax, and focus on your needs. However, there are times when self-care alone isn't enough to help us recover. Luckily, there are plenty of resources on campus that help you out when you're feeling a little overwhelmed (or a lot).
ASC (Academic Support Coaching) isn't just a great resource for time management, they also have resources for study techniques and test-taking strategies, to name a few. They specialize in connecting you with the resources you need, academic or personal, so if you feel like you need help with something and you're not sure where to go on campus, they can probably help you find it.
The Health Center offers a variety of services for students, ranging from medical checkups to food security. They also provide counseling and victim advocacy services if you ever feel like you need to reach out to someone, even if it's just to talk. If you check out their page, you can find links to those resources and more. You're tuition covers many of those services, so check them out.
The Rec Center is a great place to work out and blow off some steam, and they even offer groups fitness classes if you'd like something more structured.
The Learning Center is where you go if you need help with the actual content of you class, as well as study and test taking tips. If you're reading this you probably already know about it, so tell your friends. Please :)
Those are a few of the resources on campus that can help you out, but there's probably more that aren't listed here. Remember, you already paid for these services with your tuition so you might as well check them out.
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