There’s nothing that makes my brain explode more than hearing far-fetched assumptions that people make about large groups of other people. Of course, they don’t mean any harm when they spew out these things as they’ve been brainwashed in a very insidious way to believe these to be accurate.
- Engineers are VERY smart “geeks” who have no life outside of studying.
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“You’re an engineering major? Oh my god, you must be so smart!” Initially, this may sound like a compliment. But it can be offensive since not all of them have IQs of a gazillion, and the pressure to be smart increases.
- They’re all comprised of the male sex
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First thing’s first, more and more women are making their way into the STEM field and are accomplishing things. Secondly, they still go through some things while being in said field. They’re judged if they don’t fit the idea of a “typical” female engineer. For example, if they wear a lot of makeup or revealing outfits or date a lot of guys, they are seen as ‘weird’ or ‘dumb’ simply due to traits that say NOTHING about who they are as people. They’re also talked over their mansplaining counterparts. Another phenomenon is that they are constantly eyed by their lecherous peers as soon as they walk into a lab or lecture hall when minding their own business.
This needs to stop.
- They are all from Asia (or have familial roots from Asia)
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If you’ve had access to ANY kind of statistical data and some common sense, you would realize that no, not every engineering student is of Asian descent. And yes, when I mean Asians, I mean those from the Indian subcontinent as well.
- They are all in love with their field and are deeply passionate about it.
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This stereotype can be applied to any field of study. This is a harmful AND hurtful assumption and doesn’t provide any support to those who are indifferent with the idea of their major. An example of the model minority myth is the generalized statement that Asians are the smartest racial group on Earth. The reality is that there are some students who face familial pressure to pursue a career in something that is “conventional” and “guarantees financial security.” This paves the way to stress, anxiety, and depression, and even suicide. At times, they even risk being disowned or berated by their own family if they decide to choose another path.
Truth is that they shouldn’t have to be only doctors or engineers to be worthy of respect. They are not human capital. They should be 100% allowed to pursue their dreams and be as carefree and frivolous as the privileged groups are.
- Engineering is the hardest major known to mankind.
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This statement is something I’ve heard many, many, many, many, many, many, MANY times. I get slightly (read: VERY) annoyed since I’m assumed to be an overly miserable chick that studies 24/7 while not having any time to do things like sleeping, eating, breathing, and showering. If engineering were truly this hard, literally 0% of students would have retained in the field; but that’s beside the point. Sure, engineering can be strenuous due to some of its off-brand content, but all majors have a difficult aspect to them as well! The amount of rigor also depends on each student and her/his perceptions towards completing their degree. If they wouldn’t mind simply passing all their classes or retaking & Q-dropping a few, have a positive and carefree outlook regarding life pre/ post-graduation, and valuing the amazing concept of self-care, it would be far easier in comparison to one who constantly aims for a 4.0 GPA and won’t forgive themselves for scoring an 89 on their aerodynamics final. In addition, a large part of most engineering degrees consists of intro-level classes including calc, physics, and chemistry. Who would have known that these courses are also part of other degree plans that aren’t engineering?!