Andy Wen
About Me: Hello! My name is Andy. I’m EngSci 2T8 + PEY, which means I’ve just completed my first year in Engineering Science. I was born in Shenzhen, China, and have lived in China, Germany, and Canada. In my spare time, I like photography, origami, skiing, reading fantasy and detective fiction, and listening to city pop and jazz/bossa nova. Feel free to chat about any of these — I’m always down to yap about Eragon or some Laufey songs 🙂 I’ve also acted in musical theatre, given a TEDx speech, and broken an arm and a leg (technically ACL).
Why I Chose EngSci: I grew up as a typical STEM kid, but I knew I wanted to go into engineering because I’ve always loved more hands-on activities like arts and crafts; engineering would be the perfect way to combine my technical skills with my fine motor skills, you could say. As to which specific engineering discipline, that is still something I’m hoping to figure out in the next couple of months. Part of the reason I ultimately chose Engineering Science was because of the wide range of different fields you’re exposed to in your first two years in the program. In this past year, I’ve really appreciated exploring the different flavors of engineering – something I’m looking forward to continuing in second year.
My EngSci Experience: I’m sure we all started the year with the impression that it was going to be rough. Now don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying it’s not tough, but it is far from impossible and I was able to find everything I needed and more to help me succeed. The first month, maybe even the first semester, was tough as I adapted to university. The most important thing is to keep calm and find your own groove. Personally, I found I was most efficient when studying at the library with some of my friends. But that may not work for you, so take time to experiment. Remember that in the long term, your first year marks will be about as insignificant as your Grade 9 marks were when applying to university.
I found lectures to be quite helpful in general. But the additional resources were also crucial. For example, I found the CIV102 practicals and office hours to be of tremendous help, perhaps even paramount to my success in that course. Also, don’t underestimate the power of friendship. For assignments that allow collaboration, working with your peers can make the assignments a lot easier and more enjoyable. I would also argue that reviewing for midterms or final exams is far better with friends as you can share notes, help each other with questions, and tackle difficult problems together.
It’s also important to have fun outside of class. U of T Engineering is a very vibrant place with lots of Skule™ spirit — for example, crash with the Lady Godiva Memorial Bnad like I did. Joining clubs or design teams is a great way to pivot your brain away from the coursework. Personally, the weekly Skule™ choir rehearsal helped me mentally reset during some of the busiest weeks. Plus, getting involved is a fantastic way to get to know people across the Faculty.
If you have any questions at all, or would just like to chat about random things, feel free to message me 🙂
Jung Che
About Me: Hey everyone! I’m Jung, an EngSci 2T8 + PEY, which means that I will be going into my second year this upcoming September. I moved to the Greater Toronto Area when I was three and have lived here since. Before that, I lived in Seoul, Korea, and have visited several times since. Outside of school, I like reading, skiing, and hanging out with friends.
Why I Chose EngSci: Like most people, I chose EngSci for its myriad options. In this program, you are required to take courses from all sorts of different fields, thus having the opportunity to explore many different areas of study. As I have always been interested in all sorts of subjects, I figured EngSci would be my best bet at exploring my interests and finding out what truly stands out to me.
My EngSci Experience: Coming into university, we are constantly being fearmongered about how terrible it is, how bad your marks will be, how little sleep you’ll get, etc. This is especially true for the University of Toronto Engineering Science program, which is known to be academically challenging. However, after finishing first year, I can confidently tell you that it is not as difficult as people say it is. Not even close. With the right friends and attitude towards a work-life balance, it is more than possible to not only survive but thrive in this program. I encourage you all to walk into your first year with a positive mindset, focusing on adapting to the new environment as quickly as possible.
Our professors are amazing people who are always happy to help out or chat with students even outside of office hours. All of your courses will be covered from the ground up, assuming you have high school knowledge at most. However, you will still learn a massive amount of new material. Most of the lectures are taught in a very engaging way, which makes it easier to learn, and keeps classes fun.
Many are concerned that due to U of T’s large size and number of students, it will be hard to make friends. In my experience, U of T Eng, and EngSci in particular are very close-knit communities, and it is extremely easy to make friends and connect with your peers. Since all EngScis have the same curriculum in first and second year, you will be seeing familiar faces in every single one of your lectures, and you’ll even have the exact same schedule as many others. This makes getting to know people, hanging out with friends, and coordinating group studying sessions a snap.
If you have any questions or feel like chatting with me for any other reason, don’t hesitate to reach out!