The ‘why’

Student experience 13 December 2017

Professionals whose careers require a lot of specific and practical knowledge are comparable to magicians. There is no apparent motivation behind their vast knowledge; their methodologies are mysterious to the uninitiated and the sheer involvedness of their projects makes the final result seem nothing short of magical.

Remember, good solutions are the ones you do not pay attention to!  This is precisely the case with Electrical Engineering. Seeking to study this field involves certain challenges. Arguably, the most significant one is to stay loyal to the reasons that led you to choose this path. What I call, ‘the why’.

Allow me to elaborate. The majority of those who consider studying Electrical Engineering do so because they have a general interest in science. Others approach it with a background in programming. Personally, my ‘why’ emerged much earlier, before I was exposed to high-school level education. I remember from very early on being fascinated with electronic boards. I was flooded with questions every time I looked at PCBs. “How is this possible?” I remember asking myself, “What kind of magic is contained within these tiny blobs?”

“But in what sense does identifying the ‘why’ aid me in facing any potential academic challenges as an engineering student?” you ask. Sure, having a source of motivation that is tied to personal experience is fairly important in every field of study, but why engineering in particular? To sufficiently answer that, one must first appreciate the two fundamentals of an undergraduate engineering course: diversity and complexity.

Leaving your comfort zone

There will be times, especially during the first years of your study, during which understanding electromagnetic phenomena and their abstract models will be as important as writing C programs. From understanding chemical processes used in nanometer-scale microdevices to large-scale high-voltage network analysis, there will be courses that take you outside your comfort zone, regardless of your educational background.

The natural consequence of the curriculum diversity is that there is no guarantee for evenly distributed academic performance. This signifies a major paradigm shift from high-school level education, where academic success is generally co-related in scientific subjects. In simple terms, at school if you are skilled at Maths, you are almost guaranteed to have a good performance in Physics or Biology. This is not the case in University, though.

Certain compulsory courses may seemingly cause you to deviate from areas that may have been of particular interest. Do not let this intimidate you. It is important to possess adequate humility to recognise that everyone has to work on something that is apparently trivial to others.

Rewire your brain

Once you have arrived at university, never allow yourself to fall into the trap of blaming “lack of talent” for not having an immediate understanding of engineering concepts. Learning is accomplished by rewiring neurons in your brain in an efficient way, such that a shorter path is required every time that piece of information needs to be accessed. Everyone has this capability. Do not try to undermine yourself because you have to work harder than others. Trying to justify to yourself why you do not have the ability to learn something only wastes time that could have otherwise been spent on advancing your knowledge, disproving your self-proclaimed inability!

When it comes to the level of complexity of certain modules, I am not here to give you study tips. I will not tell you to revise earlier, find quiet study rooms or drink green tea while studying to expand your attention span (I’m uncertain of the latter). However, poor performance does not always stem from the intrinsic complexity of a subject. It sometimes emerges due to the intimidating mental picture that we individually paint in our head. Procrastinating in this case is merely a symptom, which arises from our personal fears. “This is too hard for me” usually followed by a set of papers hitting the back of the desk.

Why Maths?

Is there a way to liberate ourselves from these thoughts? Let me share a story with you. During one of the first lectures for Electromagnetic Fields, a second year course, Professor Tony Peyton said the following: “This course heavily relies on many advanced concepts of Maths and Physics. Do you know why we teach you Maths and Physics?” he asked. The whole lecture theatre remained silent. The professor waited for a moment scanning the theatre with his eyes. He smiled and said: “Has anyone of you ever seen an electron? Have any of you ever touched a magnetic field? How can you aspire to be called Electrical Engineers and none of you have seen an electron? How can you make it do what you want to do?” He concluded: ”If you can’t see electrons, let’s try instead to learn the maths and physics behind their motion so we can describe it and use that instead”.

To this day, I keep reminding myself of those words. They serve as a constant reminder that scientific and engineering complexities are byproducts of our inability as human beings to directly experience aspects of the physical world. And what is engineering, but to design according to the physical world? A world shared by everyone. Yes, an unyielding work ethic is essential, but at the same time, having an appreciation for where this intricacy stems from can make the whole process feel that much more rewarding. Knowledge is the route traversed on the way towards mastery. Perspectives are the torch that will illuminate your path when all seems daunting.

Find your ‘why’

This is precisely the reason why I encourage searching and identifying your ‘why’. Studying Electrical Engineering will expose you to areas of study and topics you may have never considered worthy of exploring.

You will be required to demonstrate the knowledge you gained and apply the practical skills you acquired at every level. You will be taken outside your comfort zone in order to transcend it. It is during these times that you should revert to your ‘why’; to keep your courage and remind yourself of the reasons that made you choose this honorable path.

In the midst of complexity, I find myself going back to the time when I would hold a circuit board, wondering about its concealed mysteries. To this day, having taken both Circuit Analysis and Digital Design courses, I still find myself enchanted by the untainted harmony emerging even from the simplest circuits. Then, the complexity of the situation subsides. I remember that deep down, I am still that same kid exploring the world, trying to understand it and have some fun building stuff. That’s my ‘why’.

Rhodes

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