What is it like to be an undergraduate senior at a top engineering university? To find out, follow me along a typical Monday at Purdue University!
I start off my day around 8:00 am. Being an upperclassman has its perks, like living off-campus. Don’t worry; living in an off-campus apartment is an option for all students no matter your grade level. But because I live off campus, I use the campus bus system as my main form of transportation from day to day. One thing I love about Purdue is that the city bus system is free for all students with your student ID!
My daily routine is very typical with the basic showering, teeth brushing, and breakfast. I like to also use this time to catch up on any notifications I may have missed while sleeping. This ranges from social media, Brightspace grade updates, and other miscellaneous school-related emails. Mondays are a slower day for me because my first class does not start until 10:30am. After getting ready for the day, I head out to the bus stop near my apartment complex and head to class.
My Morning at Purdue
My first class of the day is Power Electronics or ECE 433. I’m taking this class to fulfill one of my last Computer Engineering electives. This class is considered a smaller lecture engineering class at Purdue. There are about 70-80 people in this class, but some engineering classes can be as large as 200 students in a much bigger lecture hall. A great thing about being a senior in engineering means that your classes are usually smaller because the content is more specific to your own interests. Learn more about Purdue’s Computer Engineering program here.
When it comes to taking notes in class, many people use technology like laptops and tablets. I personally started using an iPad and Apple pencil to take my notes this year because it has allowed me to save money on school supplies and put my notes for all my classes in one place for easy access! It is still very common for people to traditionally take notes on paper in engineering classes so don’t feel pressured to change up what may already work for you!
An Afternoon at Purdue
After my class, I head to my Senior Design lab in the Electrical Engineering building to work on my Senior Design project. My team is specifically working on creating a modified electric skateboard that can detect and warn the user of objects in their path. I wanted to work on testing my components by soldering them to a small protoboard.
After working on my project for a bit, I usually spend my time in the ECE student design studio which is by far my favorite place to study on campus. This is a lounge exclusive to Electrical and Computer Engineering students in the MSEE building. I spend my study time going over my notes from class that day and working on my homework for the week. Purdue has many great study spots on campus but another of my favorites includes the Stewart library which is formally known as the HSSE library.
Finally, by 3:30 pm I start my last class of the day which is Software Engineering Tools. This is another small class with only about 20 kids in the class. This class is interesting because I get to learn about different software tools and coding languages that weren’t covered in my previous classes. Great thing about this class is that it is right across from the MSEE building in the Electrical Engineering Building. These buildings are connected by a bridge that can be reached on the 2nd floor. It's great to use especially when the weather isn’t the best on campus.
By 4:30 pm, I am finished my class and then on the next bus back to my apartment to spend the night finishing up homework, making dinner, and preparing for the rest of the week!
My Free Time at Purdue
Mondays are the day I like to use to schedule out the different events and extracurriculars I have going on that week.
On Tuesdays, I like to go to Purdue Fashion Organization Club meetings. We get to do things like watch and discuss fashion documentaries, learn to sew, tie-dye clothing, or decorate tote bags.
On Thursdays, if the weather permits, I walk around the weekly farmer’s market that is on the Memorial Lawn on campus. You can get everything from clothes from local businesses, fresh produce, hot food from local restaurants and bakeries, and new plants! I love coming here with friends in between classes or grabbing a bite on my off day.
Weekends at Purdue
When it comes to the weekends, there’s always an event going on. Some of the different organizations like ASA (African Student Association) which I am part of, usually has movie nights, game nights, bowling days, or immersion nights which allow for people to learn about what the club does. Going to these events is a great way to meet people and to get out of the house, so I definitely recommend!
Written by Insherah Neizer-Ashun, PathIvy Purdue University Ambassador