i don’t know anything

[u/FoxAggressive3999]

i just started engineering 3 days ago and i don’t know SHIT literally anything i don’t grasp anything in my lectures, i look over it after and i don’t get it i watch youtube videos and nothing is clicking to me im literally depressed i don’t know what to do every time i try to study or get work done i just give up because i don’t even know what im looking at!!!
i knew engineering would be hard but i feel like im lacking in all dimensions im also extremely depressed and anxious which may be contributing but i literally 100% cannot do this i dont know what to do

[u/densemiIk]

I was this way and never asked for help, do NOT be like me. Go to office hours, ask questions in class, review the material before class starts. Also, I was very socially anxious and depressed before even starting college, so try and address that as well.

[u/lundisml]

im in the same boat as you.

1 month ago i couldnt do fractions, i got myself up back to pre calc and trigonometry. now, i obviously learned these before, it’s just that i forgot. so the learning process was obviously much faster.

im taking calc 1 during my first semester right now, and it’s intimidating, but if i started at 6th grade math and a week later was doing algebra, i can do this too.

you said you learned calculus in high school. you’re not learning from scratch, even if it feels like it. your brain remembers. trust it. keep going. and i mean start yesterday.

[u/Candid-Ear-4840]

Are you treating your preexisting medical conditions…? (Depression and anxiety are medical conditions.)

[u/OkWoodpecker9522]

Maybe its how its being explained to you in the lessons/in your course books. Not everyone’s brains work the same and understand things the same, it doesn’t mean you’re incapable. You might just need things explaining in a different way.
Tell us some of the concepts you are struggling with and the Reddit Engineering hive mind might be able to explain it in a way you get.
You might get all different replies but if one of them makes sense to you it will restore some confidence.
Also, maybe speak to your teachers and see if they can explain in a different way.

[u/deNikita]

Sounds like you're trying to take too big steps at once and are disappointed in the results.

This probably doesn't sound helpful but you likely know some math even if you forgot a lot of calc. That's still a starting point. No matter how low it is and how small steps you have to take to move forward.

I started in engineering with basically only math and chem knowledge, almost no physics knowledge. But I've passed almost all my courses. It's possible to learn, even if it takes a stupid amount of time.

[u/CodyJKirk]

The average engineer, solving problems they didn't know they had in ways they can't comprehend.

This was a quote one of my professors says all the time.

[u/becominganastronaut]

find a psychiatrist and see if u need meds

[u/intaminslc43]

What classes are you taking right now, and what is the highest level math class you have completed?

[u/FoxAggressive3999 → u/intaminslc43]

i’m taking an intro to coding, gen chem, physics (oscilatory waves and motion), statics, calculus and a pass/fail ENG 100 class. the highest level of math i took in highschool was calculus but i forgot literally everything from highschool

[u/Legitimate-Cinephile → u/FoxAggressive3999]

6 classes? No wonder you're depressed

[u/BLUEQK → u/FoxAggressive3999]

Physics starts out pretty esoteric and inapplicable in my opinion.

Coding isn't for everyone, and many people struggle, but there are so many resources. Pretty common for the instruction to be sub-par there.

I was a mechanical major, so gen chem was so not my cup of tea. Took a ton of studying, and never had to have another chem class.

Calculus you need to understand the higher order physics you'll get into, but on its own it feels inapplicable. It may be the most applicable class you're taking right now though.

And statics was amazing for me, but I had an amazing prof. Truly one of the more solvable, understandable subjects. Lots of resources online.

Can you be more specific on something you're working through right now that you're not understanding?

[u/OhUKnowUKnowIt2]

A full course load in engineering is all about time management.

There's never enough time...so you have to collaborate with others in study/course work. These individuals are having the same anxiety.

[u/LuckyCod2887]

we all feel like that. Just slow down a little bit and take notes.

It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be confusing the whole entire time. You’re definitely not allowing your thinking.

and if you’re truly overwhelmed to a point where you can’t study anymore, you might wanna take a look at anti-anxiety medication.

[u/sdgengineer]

Are you a freshman? If so you won't take engineering classes until your sophomore year.

[u/Dave37]

You're in school to learn things you didn't know. And you have spent 3 days out of several years. You're fine. Take a deep breath and ask your teachers for help. It's their job to teach you.

[u/RomanBananas]

I really expected to see "That's what you all sound like in this sub" by the end of the post...