English 11

In high school I was able to gain enough credit to opt out of English 1, so this semester I am taking English 11 to fulfill my English 2 requirement. The class is small, only nine students in my section, which makes it easier to learn than in a lecture hall. The class is fairly straightforward with homework, comprised mostly of reading, almost every day and discussions during most of the class time. Like the other English classes the tests are comprised of writing essays and the class provides peer editing during class to ensure that your writing is up to par. Over the course of the class we read several books for our discussions and, so far, the books are actually pretty good, much better than most books I had to read in high school. Overall the class is pretty cool, and I am glad that I managed to do well enough that the one class fulfills all of my English requirements.

Sensors and Electrical Engineering

NIELVIS with Arduino on top

Engineering 5 is a mandatory introduction for engineering students that involves learning about all engineering disciplines so that all students can make an informed choice of major. In the class there are certain projects that involve working with professors to find out what type of work certain majors consist of. Currently I am working on the electrical engineering project which entails creating and testing various sensors. So far we have worked with humidity sensors, temperature sensors, motion/vibration sensors, and capacitors (which store a charge). In the class we are working with an Arduino, like in Engineering 10, and a giant switchboard/small computer called the NIELVIS which allows us to test out sensors and circuits before shrinking them down and making them portable with the Arduino. This project really gives a fantastic impression of electrical engineering, allowing students to truly know what they are getting into. A plus is that all of the sensors and wiring can actually be applied to many branches of engineering which means that this project is useful to any engineering student, not just those pursuing electrical engineering.

4 O’clocks…Round 2

This week we enter the second round of 4 O’clocks and many students are in the process of studying to make sure that all goes well. The professors hand out many resources including practice questions and old exam questions so that all students can practice before it is time to actually take the test.  Professors also have made sure that all topics covered by the exam have been revealed so that everyone knows what will be on the test and what to study. The best help is that the professors and TAs are willing to answer any questions and some will give optional lectures that do a great job of reviewing the materials. With all of the resources available and all of the effort that students are putting in, it is clear that the students here at Lehigh are dedicated to their studies and truly want to learn. I am currently looking forward to my Physics 11 test today and my Math 22 test later in the week because, although I might still want to study a bit, I feel confident in my grasp of topics ranging from and object’s moment of inertia to implicit differentiation (which really isn’t as bad as it sounds).

4 O’clocks

At Lehigh midterms for certain classes don’t really exist, instead you get two smaller assessments before the final. These smaller assessments are held for anyone taking the class, and therefore the exam, at the same time after all classes for the day are done at 4:00. These exams are appropriately named 4 O’clocks and, from what I have seen in my dorm, can cause stress for students and the second round is coming up soon. The only 4 O’clocks I take are for Math 22(calculus II) and Physics 11(physics I), but they still require a lot of studying. For these 4 O’clocks the exams follow an open-ended format, meaning you are given a few mathematical problems and asked to solve them or create your own for the scenario (that means no multiple choice).

Honestly the exams are not too difficult, but they cause the normal anxiety that comes with exams. For a week or two before the exams until they are over many people can be seen in the dorms or the library just studying, myself included, while other stay up until all hours of the night or cram right before the test. The best part about these exams is that as long as you pay attention in class there is no need to cram or study too much. Professors and TAs are willing to work with you as long as you ask for help and you are given plenty of review materials and resources to ensure that you know what you are doing. With all of these resources it really prepares you for the exam, it’s actually because of these resources that I knew what I was doing on my Calculus exam and that I feel prepared for both of my next 4 O’clocks.

Family Weekend

The Lehigh Fordham game

Just this past weekend, Friday through Sunday, was family weekend on campus. My mom, dad, and little brother decided to come up for Friday and Saturday while my older brother decided to come up on Sunday. On Friday parent shad the option to sit in on their child’s class, but because I don’t have any classes on Friday my family and I hung around the campus then visited the campus bookstore down at the campus square. Over the next few days there were several events including tours of campus resources, a football game against Fordham, late night movies and a comedy show.

My family and I didn’t really spend much time on campus, but we did manage to catch the game. While Lehigh did lose there were some amazing touchdowns and tackles throughout the game. We drove around the Bethlehem area and my favorite sight was showing my family the steel stacks at night. We decided to call it a night at around 8:00 on Saturday and said our goodbyes. On Sunday my brother arrived and we didn’t participate in any events. We were going to participate in the 5K, but my brother didn’t feel like getting up that early. Instead we stayed in my dorm, played a few games, and watched a few movies.

I don’t really need an event like Family Weekend to meet with my family again, because the orthodontist requires that I go back once a month, but it is still nice to see everyone. Overall I’d say the weekend was a success because my family and I had a blast. Plus, while we were walking around the campus we learned about an upcoming student play when a group of students, one acting and dressed like a gorilla, gave us a card with the information and a banana for each of us. It was an interesting experience and helped me to realize that you don’t always know what’s going to happen on campus, and it can be a pleasant surprise.

Engineering 10

Sample of Arduino code for automatically fading an LED.

As a prospective engineering student it is important to look at some of the requirements at any schools you are looking at. One of the courses that all engineering students must take at Lehigh, regardless of major, is Engineering 10. The official course name is Applied Engineering Computer Methods, but it is coded as Engineering 10. The course is essentially split into two separate parts. Although you stay in the same computer lab and have the same professor/TA for each half of the semester you work with one of two resources, putting your knowledge of both resources to the test while completing the final.

The first resource used in the class is a computer program called Matlab. You can use the program as a giant calculator, but it has to potential to do more than even the most advanced graphing calculators. The program can be used to create an equation with multiple variables and solve it when the numbers are actually put into the program by a person. It has the ability to run infinite data if necessary and display whatever you want from the last trial in a graph or chart. This part of the year is relatively straightforward, every day the teacher will give a short lesson and then three assignments to be completed by a certain date. You take the information that was given to you and set-up a one or two simple equations then for the final assignment you are given a scenario where you must create a formula or looping calculations in order to satisfy the requirements.

During the second part of the year you use a device called the Arduino and its associated program. The program has similar set-up to Matlab with different syntax so the initial coding is not terribly difficult, this program is also free to download on any computer. The Arduino itself is a circuit board which can store a single code at any one time, it can also redirect the power it gets from being plugged in to output power and start a circuit. The course actually requires a kit that contains the Arduino, a breadboard (a switchboard that allows you to make the connections between pieces that a circuit requires), LEDs, a potentiometer (the twist knob for fading lights that can be found in some houses), inductors (which increase the power output), resistors (which decrease the power output), a motor, and many other possible circuit pieces.  In this half you create a code that, when uploaded to the Arduino, allows the Arduino to accept commands and perform whatever task it has been given.

The class has its challenges, but overall it is a lot of fun and teaches you about how these programs and devices work. The best part about that class is that, because it is mandatory, it is taught with the expectation that no one knows anything about the subject, meaning that anyone can take the class and do just fine.