How do you balance your academic workload with co-op placements and extracurricular activities?
Being an engineering student, it is easy to get overwhelmed with everything that’s going on around you. Creating a structure that works for you and allows you to work efficiently without burning out is crucial. For me, it is really hard to be productive at my student house. So, during the weekdays, I try to finish up most of my coursework on-campus which allows me to establish boundaries between my work life and personal life.
Another trick that has worked wonderfully for me is finding friends within engineering who can relate to my struggles and help me stay on course. During midterm or exam season, my friends and I often study together as a way of keeping each other accountable. Outside of exams too, I’ve found that I work best when I’m accompanied by my friends. Every so often, my friends and I body-double and work on our individual assignments or tasks while being in each other’s company.
What tools or strategies help you stay organized, manage your time and prioritize tasks effectively?
Google Calendar is my saviour! I jokingly tell my friends that if it’s not on my calendar, it’s not happening. In all honesty, though, my Google Calendar helps me stay on top of everything and make sure I don’t miss my appointments or meetings. With club meetings, group project meetings, work meetings and more, it’s really easy to let something slip by if you’re not meticulous about adding it to your calendar or whatever application you use to keep a track of your activities.
I’m also a huge lists person so I have multiple lists with tasks – one for chores, one for university work and another for all other tasks. I’ve realised that having different lists helps me focus on one aspect of my life (chores if I’m home or university tasks if I’m at the library) and not get overwhelmed with the number of things I have to do. I also rank my tasks based on how long it will take me to finish it, when it’s due and how important it is. For someone like me who can get overwhelmed easily with a long list of tasks and also procrastinates a lot, this system has been the most effective thus far.
Can you share a challenge you faced in balancing academics with other commitments and how you overcame it?
Around my second year of university, my mental health started declining and being south-asian, I did not know who to reach out to for help. In south-asian culture, mental health is deeply stigmatised so recognizing that I am struggling and getting over the shame to reach out for help was a huge obstacle. Very often, young people are just told to ‘toughen up’ and ‘power-through’ hard times and while this may work for some people, in most cases, individuals need compassion and support to recover.
McMaster’s Student Wellness Centre has a wide array of services available for students. From group therapy to individual counselling, all students can access these resources as often as they would like. I started seeing an SWC counsellor in my second year to help me process my emotions and feel less overwhelmed. Recently, SWC has started offering same-day counselling appointments and has rolled out a new service – TalkSpot. TalkSpot and Kayleigh have been a wonderful resource specifically tailored for engineering students.
In addition to this, I’ve found that I tend to procrastinate a lot by finishing up tasks I like or am excited about (which are often lower priority) instead of higher priority tasks that would require extra effort or are not as enjoyable. In the past, I’ve noticed that I would diligently finish up all club-related tasks or group project related chores and use them as an excuse to avoid working on assignments or studying for courses I disliked. To avoid this practice, I have been trying to block out time in my calendar for specific tasks. Finding a balance is hard but keeping track of how much time you’ve spent on each aspect of your life is essential. For example, if I spend an entire weekend on social activities, I would try to dedicate more time during the week to studying or vice versa.
How do your co-op and extracurricular activities contribute to your academic and career success?
I’m a huge fan of co-op placements because they allow you to apply the skills you learn in the classroom to a workplace setting and get a taste of what your potential career in that field would look like. McMaster has a unique co-op program that allows its students flexibility in choosing the length of their co-op terms and when they wish to do them. In my case, I started university in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic so due to complications resulting from me being an international student, I could not do a co-op placement in Canada during my first two years of university.
The tech field is also so vast and offers a range of career paths. I did not wish to enter my upper years of university without having a clear idea about how I wanted to direct my career. So, after finishing my second year of undergrad, I decided to take some time off and do two consecutive co-op placements at different companies. This gave me the opportunity to explore different roles and figure out what I liked and disliked before entering my upper years and choosing from a variety of technical electives.
As for extracurricular activities, I have been a part of multiple clubs and societies within Mac Eng. This has allowed me to hone my skills and build connections with people I would not have known otherwise. Being engaged in the student community and working with different teams and groups of people gives an individual the chance to learn how to navigate situations in a professional manner. From learning how to run a conference like I.D.E.A. to traversing group disagreements, these experiences help build strength of character and give you more than enough anecdotes to refer to in behavioural interviews.
What advice would you give to students struggling to balance their studies with other responsibilities?
First of all, go easy on yourself. University is hard and it’s a huge transition from high school. It’s okay to want to perform well but remember to have realistic expectations from yourself. There will be tests you might not perform as well on or midterms you might fail but you will get through it. All your seniors have.
Second, although grades matter, being a well-rounded individual is more important. Get out of the classroom and take advantage of all the resources available to you. Always wanted to try 3D printing? Book a slot at the Thode Makerspace and experiment! Want to build autonomous robots that fight each other? Join Sumobot! The McMaster Engineering Society (MES) has dozens of clubs that cater to every possible interest or hobby. If you can’t find a club for your specific hobby, go and start one! University is like a huge sandbox where you get to experiment and figure out who you want to be. Make the best of these years.
Lastly, remember to take breaks! Socialising is just as integral to a healthy university life as everything else. Go on adventures and create plenty of memories with your friends.
Sumanya’s top tips for balancing academics and everything else:
Create boundaries: Separate your work and personal life by establishing clear boundaries, such as completing coursework on campus.
Use organizational tools: Rely on tools like Google Calendar and categorized task lists to stay organized and prioritize tasks effectively.
Seek support: Don’t hesitate to seek help if you’re struggling; McMaster’s Student Wellness Centre offers various resources, including specialized support for engineering students.
Get involved: Engage in co-op placements and extracurricular activities to apply skills and build connections.
Be kind to yourself: Set realistic expectations and remember to enjoy your university experience by exploring interests and taking breaks.
At McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering, we’re here to support you in balancing academics with the many other opportunities university life offers. If you have questions or need support, feel free to email us at engcar@mcmaster.ca.
