Engineering student – India has no dearth of young people vying to be engineers.
In fact, every second person you meet is either studying to become an engineer or is already an engineer. Most of the middle-class parents think that being an engineer is a sure-shot way for their children to do well in life. While there are certain things you feel proud about when you are an engineering student, there are a few things that you are fed up of haring as well.
Most of us have this habit of stereotyping or generalising people to an extent that it starts annoying them.
As an engineering student, you get hear a few good and some unflattering things.
When you are an Engineering student –
- Are you an IITian?
Being a student of any of the branches of Indian Institute of Technology or IIT, India’s premier engineering institute is a matter of pride. But, only a few crack the excruciatingly difficult entrance exams and manage to get into IIT. The lesser mortals end up studying in different colleges. Of course, there is not a death of engineering colleges, so anybody want to get into engineering will find a seat in one of them. But, people need to stop asking engineering students whether they are from IIT because, hey, not everybody gets into it.
- You must be a porn addict
Engineering students lead a stressful life. Classes, assignments, projects, dissertations – they are always dealing with different things at once. The academic pressure takes a toll on them. So, people tend to believe the one thing they must be doing in abundance to release that stress is watching porn.
- You must go to a better college
Everybody wants to get into a good college. Nobody wants to study in a mediocre college. But, friends and relatives often tell them to get into a ‘better’ college. Well, this is something they know already and are trying for the same. There are several entrance exams that determine which college you will eventually get into. Only you know what goes into preparing for these exams. The people, who give you advice on everything, will not sit for them.
- Stop wasting time
One thing you hear all the time is not to waste time. The whole world thinks you are young, so you will engage yourself in unproductive things that will take you away from your duties. You must tell them that while you are a sincere student, you need some time off from studies to rejuvenate yourself and then, start afresh.
- Why do you have a low attendance percentage?
This is something your parents ask you to when they get a letter from your college stating that you have a lower attendance percentage. While you might not want toadmit this, most of the students studying in engineering colleges, end up bunking a lotof classes. This is something you correct at a later stage in your educational career but initially, when you see most of yourfriends doing it, you cannothelp but do itas well
6.You should have tried something else
While engineering is the most favoured career option for most people, with so many people becoming engineers and lesser jobs to accommodate them,people have started wondering whether it is the best career option after all. If you are doing exceptionally well as a student, there is a less chance of somebody discussing with you butif you are an average or above average student, this is something youmust brace yourself for.
- Do you have a girlfriend?
With novels talking about and glorifying campus romances, a lot of people would want to know whether you have a love-life or not. This is a question that would be posed by anybody ranging from your friends to your parents. If you are studying someplace away from home, people would be more curious to know what you are up to. There would be times when even you try hard to convince somebody that you are single, he could not believe you.
- Please solve this equation for me
When you an engineering student, you will be considered be one of the brightest people around by your youngersiblings studying in schools or colleges. They will often pester you to help them with their studies and ask you to help them with solving mathematical or scientific problems or equations. Since they think so highly of you, you will have no option but to oblige them.
- Are you planning to go abroad?
A lot of students after graduating from engineering colleges fancy the thought of going abroad for better prospects. You might have already come across several people who have moved to a foreign country for greener pastures. A higher paying job and a better lifestyle is what attract them to a foreign land. You relatives would be curious to know whether you are planning to do the same.
- When are you planning to get married?
Engineers or prospective engineers are hot properties among people looking for young men to get their and daughters married to. The amount of people asking this question to you depends on how well you are doing in your career. If you are an IITian there would be no dearth of people asking this question to you.
You face a lot of challenges and difficulties on your way to obtain that coveted engineering degree. You have your identity and journey as an engineering student. The last thing you would want is to be stereotyped by people around you and being bombarded with irrelevant and unnecessary questions. Butt, if you do get these questions you must face them and answer them with a smile.
