very college major has those universal inside jokes and experiences that are just so specific, no matter what school you go to. There’s no bond quite as strong as that of college students in the same major. Four years in the same classes together, learning from the same professors, struggling through every assignment (and surviving!) makes for plenty of relatable moments, whether it is swapping horror or success stories. It really is one of the best ways to make friends on campus.
Not to throw any of our engineering major friends under the bus here… but so many of these laugh-out-loud scenarios are all too familiar, whether you’re a bystander or really going through it. Because as college students, everyone is really going through it.
We’ve gathered the 14 best memes that engineering majors can surely relate to, because sometimes all college students want -- NEED, is more like it -- is to take a break from differential equations and have a good laugh at your own expense. So sit back, relax, and indulge in college memes tailor made for engineering students -- literally!
What happened to the steps in between?
This is like when you study all of the sample problems for your big exam, because you were told that the exam questions will be the same format, just using different numbers. But then you are practicing how to solve the equations, and you cannot seem to follow the same roadmap from the sample problems. And then it’s happening during the actual exam. Which step was skipped? Was a step even skipped? How did the professor get from point A to point B? No matter what, the order of events in math equations always seemed to get lost along the way. It doesn’t help when the professor goes through the problems at warp speed and then erases the dry erase board to make more room before you even finish copying down the problem -- at least we now have iPhone cameras for that!
That awkward moment…
...when the math problem uses your name and “you” are buying an absurd number of a normal item at the grocery store. Seriously though, why are these math equation characters always buying so much of one thing? Is there any way we can make these problems a little more realistic? Do we all have to start buying excessive amounts of produce in one grocery shopping trip in order to actually figure out these math problems? These problems are truly a mystery to students everywhere. With this many items, it is like creating a problem that doesn't even exist. Send help, please.
When your group wants to meet for the third time this week
It’s easy to relate to this feeling, especially when the group projects start to pile up towards the end of the semester. Or maybe you feel this way when your professor schedules ANOTHER study session that you don’t want to go to, but you know that your final grade depends on it. Who hasn’t felt this exhausted before, especially as the end of the semester approaches? Or just as bad, it’s the beginning of the semester and your energy is renewed, and you’re making one too many commitments to things outside of class.
Speaking of group projects...
Speaking of group projects, let’s face it -- everyone has been there. And no one wants to be that person to alert the professor that not every group member is contributing. College students need to stick together! Students need to have each other’s backs because by the time that final exam rolls around, you’re going to need some study buddies.
But still, we have all been here. And wouldn’t college be such a beautiful place if we could all be “Does 99% of the work” person? We can’t always be that, though, and that is OK. Life happens!
The reality of an engineering major
Mechanical, industrial, chemical, electrical, civil, bioengineering… everyone has to start somewhere, and that’s by hitting the books. And studying. And note taking. And then maybe you’ll become Iron Man -- at least in your parents’ eyes. And what more can you really ask for than their praise and approval?
The REALITY reality of an engineering major
Maybe a more accurate depiction of the day-to-day life of engineering majors. Hey, at least people are trying to understand exactly what engineers are going through! That counts for something, right? Regardless, the focus and study skills of engineering majors are quite admirable.
It’s all about the preparation
That preparation often includes thinking about studying, setting up your study space, and clearly much, much more. It’s nearly impossible to get any work done when the vibe isn’t just right -- and when you have not yet walked through everything that could possibly go wrong while studying or taking a test, worrying about absolutely nothing.
For the overachievers
At least now you’ll have some time to get ahead on your next assignment or in your other classes. Maybe you’ll even have time to catch up on some Netflix -- or maybe that’s all you’ll be doing until the next assignment must finally get done. No judgment -- everyone is in the same boat.
Trained skeptics
We have all been here at one point. This is an even more common feeling after stressing about and putting off an assignment for days on end, dreading the difficulty it may bring. When it is too easy (or easier than expected), the doubt settles in.
In all seriousness, as college students, we all need to stop doubting ourselves and our abilities -- especially once we’ve been doing this college thing for a while now! Between sitting in class, writing notes, GroupMes and text chains with classmates about tests and assignments, we’ve learned a lot more than we might think we have, and we know what we’re doing.
NASA, Phineas and Ferb are engineering something!
No one can deny that these two were the blueprint for creativity. And to be an engineering major, not only do you need the study skills, but you need the creativity -- it’s how some of the world’s most famous and successful inventions come to be! That’s something non-engineers might underestimate about this line of work.
Syllabus day 1 vs. actual day 1
There is no shock quite like walking into the second class of the semester to the bottom image on the board. What about going over the syllabus again? What about introductions to the professor and every person in the class, again? No more icebreakers? (Even though they are dreaded by most college students, why rush into the hard stuff?)
Dream big
When that moment of regret sets in -- but you know it will be worth it in the end! Right?
It is the age old question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At that point in life, when we are being asked that at every turn, all we can see are the fun and exciting aspects of our dream future careers -- we don’t see the textbooks, the late nights, the cramming for exams, or any of the way there. But there is still an end goal in sight! It will be worth it in the end.
No one said we would have to choose!
For years, you have constantly been told that college is going to be the BEST four years of your life. And it very well may be close to the best years -- but wouldn’t it be absolutely perfect if no one ever had to choose between studying and getting good grades, getting out there and making new friends and memories, or getting a good, solid eight hours of sleep.
How does one choose? Or a better question -- how do college students balance it ALL? Seriously, college students are actually able to achieve most of this somehow. Well, maybe not the full eight hours of sleep, but the memories and the A on that exam will be worth being a little sleepy and needing an extra cup of coffee.
And one for the engineering Swifties
When first seeing this meme, one (us) might think that the right graph, “What we think when we hear ‘Taylor’” was still somehow Taylor Swift related. Spoiler alert: it’s not. But let’s face it, every Taylor Swift fan knows that you actually NEED an engineering degree to dissect her carefully crafted messages and Easter eggs that are intricately woven into every song lyric.
There you have it -- hopefully this study break made you laugh a little or at least made you feel right at home with your fellow engineers. No one understands college students like other college students, especially classmates in the same major, who truly go through it all together. Study hard, help each other out, and it will all be okay!
