All college students have their own struggles, whether it be school, relationships, or extracurricular activities. When entering college I had such high expectations for myself within my degree. Little did I know AP classes in high school and any college courses were extremely different in rigor. As a student struggling to receive two degrees in physics and chemistry, there are some essential things that I’ve learned during my undergraduate career that I feel I should share with anyone interested in any Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics degree.

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10. Get used to multiple labs during the semester.

If you are one of the few that have decided to dedicate your undergraduate life to attempting to get a STEM degree realize that there will always be another lab you need to add to your schedule. With that being said, I encourage you to always carry the following in your backpack or car (if you’re a commuter): socks, tennis shoes, goggles, pants and, for my females/guys with long hair, always have a hair tie. I don’t know how many times I have forgotten I had a lab and had to call/text all of my friends trying to pull together lab appropriate attire. Since I assume that you will always be running 1,000 miles an hour trying to keep your life together it is easy to forget about lab that only happens once a week. However, although labs can often seem like a drag, keep in mind that these 4 hours once a week help you to obtain lab skills that will stick with you forever. Make the most of it and power through!

9. Never buy new textbooks, unless you want to be broke.

Freshman year of college I fell victim to full price textbooks and I want to help you, and your wallet, from suffering a similar fate. Now understand, these textbooks are usually pretty important, especially for your major courses. Sometimes professors don’t even reference the book during the class but don’t let this fool you. These textbooks are important. Picture this, you have just sat through an entire lecture and you are 75% sure that your professor wasn’t even speaking English, but you have to learn this information, so what do you do. This is when these textbooks come in handy. If you don’t understand what is going on in class please do yourself a favor and use your textbook! This will save your sanity and your grade.

8. Keep your books.

Trust me, I know that when the semester ends and you find out you have passed that ridiculously difficult course the last thing you will want to see that textbook on your shelf, but keeping it around is extremely important. Why you ask. Although you may be at the beginning of your academic career and senior year is furthest from your mind, I promise you this will be important then. When it is time for your senior year there is typically some time of seminar or thesis that is associated with your major. With classes like this, you are typically expected to know everything relevant to your topic. This usually means that chemistry I from freshman year will be relevant once again. Now it is possible that you have remembered every class and every lecture since the beginning, but if you didn’t those old textbooks will come in handy and help you finish senior year strong.

7. Expect to have early classes every semester.

With STEM majors come labs, and with labs come 4 hours where you can’t have any other classes, so when do you get to have class? If you were thinking around 7 or 8 am you would be correct. Early morning classes are a constant struggle, but on the bright side, you get an early start to the day. To add to the optimism, think of these early mornings as training methods for the future, once you are out of college and are a real adult, it is very likely that you will have a job that requires you to wake up before noon. So it’s better to learn how to use an alarm now rather than later, right?

6. Always expect “How do you do that?”

Expect to always get a surprised look from any other student or family member that you meet during your undergraduate career. For some reason, people think that we are crazy for putting ourselves through the stress of being a STEM major, or worse, a STEM double major. In addition to “How do you do that?” , I often hear “Why do you do that to yourself?”. Many won’t understand why, sometimes you might not even know, but remember that you are putting yourself through the headache for a reason.

5. Going out during the semester is almost never an option.

I have so many friends that get the chance to go to dance halls or bars during the week but be assured that that won’t be you in most instances. This probably isn’t what you want to hear, but the truth is that you will have so many homework assignments and lab reports that a social life during the week is unrealistic. Actually, let me correct myself. You can go out, but just like everything else in life, something has to give. It is impossible to add time to your day, so understand that if you spend a lot of time going out and enjoying the nightlife this will mean that you will have less time to study for that big test or finish your last homework problem. Before you change your major, know that you can still have a social life, but it will just have to wait until the weekend. I believe that everything is good in moderation. More than that, balance is essential for a healthy mental state. The stress of your course load will be intense and sometimes you will need to take a break. When you have time please take a moment for yourself.

4. Make friends with your cohorts.

If I haven’t conveyed it enough throughout this list, you need to know that tackling any degree in STEM fields is difficult! Just like any other hardship in life, it is easier to handle when you have support. I have learned that the ones that can support you best with school are those who know exactly how you feel. This means that all of the other students who are taking the same classes are the best ones to lean on when things get too tough. Aside from support, making friends with your classmates is helpful when you don’t understand a topic. Since everyone interprets class concepts differently it is very possible that someone might understand what you don’t. You might be surprised to find out that your fellow nerds will become your best friends.

3. Ask for help when you’re struggling.

When your book fails, and your classmates are just as lost as you, never be afraid to ask your professors for help. These classes are hard and you are not expected to be perfect. There will be many instances where you have no idea what you’re doing, and that’s okay! From experience, I have learned that your professors are a lifeline and a great source of knowledge. Do not be intimidated or scared because you are having a hard time learning. In all honesty, the worst thing you can do is keep going through class with vague understandings of important concepts.

2. Never anticipate more that 6 hours of sleep.

Even when you decide to stay in and study, don’t think that you’ll be in bed by 7 pm . Most professors assume that you will spend at least 3 hours outside of class studying the material that you learn in a lecture that day. Depending on your course load and what other commitments you have, you can easily work til midnight attempting to learn more. Although this isn’t necessarily the most appealing lifestyle, my best advice for sleeping is to be as proactive as possible. Procrastination can be your downfall and if you get too far behind it can be a GPA ruiner. Sleep less now and in the end it will all be worth it. I also suggest naps, if possible, it will help you to get through the day easier.

1. Don’t give up!

I feel like it is best to end this list on a high note. School is tough and the classes you take are the best and worst all at once. There will be times when you wish you would have picked any other major than the one you did, but passing these classes is also one of the most rewarding feelings. Everytime you think that this is “too hard” or you “should just quit”, remember why you started this in the first place. Whether it was to become an engineer, a professor, a researcher, or anything in between, keep pushing on and reach your goal. It will not be all butterflies and rainbows, and you may fail sometimes, I know I have at times, but stay strong for yourself and the people that may be viewing you as a role model. Remember, you can do this and you will be victorious.

I hope that this list has given some insight into the life of a double major. I also hope that I have not scared you away yet. Stay strong and good luck on your STEM endeavors.