UC Merced Freshman Engineering major - how to balance classes and social life?

[RussellReed]

Hey everyone!
Super excited to be here, paving the way for my fam! Can we talk about balancing classes and a social life? It's a struggle! With new campus resources popping up and opportunities in the valley, it's tough to stay focused on building my rep while still having fun. fwiw how do y'all manage it? any tips for a pioneering, hands-on student like me? i'm aiming for grad school in cali, so gotta get this balance right! excited to hear your thoughts and experiences! let's help each other out!

 

[Zara]

The "balance" myth is exactly that – a myth. Some weeks you'll be all social, some weeks you'll be buried in problem sets until 2am. The key is knowing which week is which and not fighting it.

That said: get a whiteboard calendar. Put it on your wall. Color code: classes (blue), homework blocks (green), social stuff (red). If you see three straight weeks of nothing but blue and green, force yourself to add some red. Your brain needs breaks or it stops working properly. Learned that the hard way after a brutal sophomore spring.

Also – Merced has some underrated hiking nearby. Great way to socialize without the party scene if that's not your vibe. Congrats on being first-gen? Saw that vibe in your post.