Finding My Path: How My First Semester at Purdue Guided Me to the Right Engineering Major

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    Have you looked through a list of all the engineering majors out there and thought, “How am I supposed to pick the right one?” That question flooded my mind as I filled out college applications, and even as I began my journey here at Purdue. My first semester of college was already a huge change as I moved a thousand miles away from home, and on top of this, I was worried I wouldn’t know how to choose the right engineering discipline. Yet, I’m happy to say that the resources provided to first year engineering students truly guided me and helped me realize that I want to pursue Biomedical Engineering.

First day at Purdue: excited, nervous, and still figuring it all out

    Specifically, I am going to focus on the EYM (Engineering Your Major) program that I completed during my first semester, which helped me discover the engineering discipline that fits me best. To be honest, initially I was kind of skeptical, I wondered, “Could this short program truly help me realize what major I want to pursue?” Yet looking back now, Purdue’s EYM program truly showed me what my engineering calling is, and I am confident that I am making the right choice.

    Purdue’s EYM program is a series of seminars and resources that are specifically designed for first year engineering students at Purdue to learn about all the different majors that Purdue Engineering offers. The purpose of this program is to help students who, like me, have no idea which major they want to pursue, as well as to further educate students who already have an idea of which major they are interested in. What makes EYM unique is that it combines structured learning with real interactions with students and faculty, making the exploration feel real and personal.

    The way this program works is that all students are assigned short videos that they must watch which explain each engineering major at Purdue, and then take a short quiz to review their learning. These videos, although short, are extremely useful as they expand on which classes Purdue students in this major take, what resources Purdue offers for their major, and even different career paths and opportunities that are presented after graduation. In addition to the videos, students are required to attend a certain number of in-person info sessions hosted by the engineering discipline of their choice, where both faculty members and current students give a presentation on the major and open the floor for questions.

    For me, the “aha” moment came during the biomedical engineering info session, where I finally realized which path felt right for me. I realized this was the field for me because I was fascinated by the biomedical engineering students’ experiences, intrigued by the classes that Purdue BME majors take, and I could see myself pursuing a career in this field. Most importantly, I realized I could use my engineering degree not just to solve problems, but to make a real difference in someone’s life.

    One piece of advice for all incoming freshmen who don’t know which major they want to pursue: don’t worry. I used to feel like everyone had everything figured out by the time they applied to college, but the truth is, most people were just like me and had no clue what kind of engineering they were into. I encourage all first-year engineering students to take advantage of the resources Purdue offers, and pay attention to the EYM videos and info sessions because you’ll be surprised how much you can get out of them.
    
    Looking back, I realize that my first semester taught me more than just calculus and chemistry; it was the start of finding my place in engineering and helped me discover what impact I want to make.

If you have any other questions, comments or want to find more about First Year Engineering tag us, leave a comment, or follow us!

Sofia Abbondati, FYE '29

WE Link Leadership Team 

 

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