By Oluchukwu Okeke, Francis College of Engineering Well-Being Leader

As a computer engineering student, one thing I’ve figured out is that I don’t learn much when things come easily. I learn when I’m staring at a problem that makes no sense, trying a fourth approach, or going back to a concept I was sure I understood. Engineering has made me a lot more patient with myself. It’s also taught me that struggling with something doesn’t mean I can’t learn it.

A lot of this major is breaking problems into pieces, testing ideas, and learning from whatever goes wrong. Sometimes I spend hours on something and still don’t get the result I expected, which is frustrating. But I’ve started to treat those hours differently. Instead of hunting for the fastest answer, I try to slow down and figure out why my approach isn’t working. That usually teaches me more than getting it right the first time would have.

This has also made me think about intellectual wellness, which is about staying curious, developing new skills, and remaining open to different ways of thinking. You don’t need to know everything or get every answer right. You just have to be willing to keep learning, even when it feels uncomfortable.

So, how can we make room for intellectual wellness while balancing the demands of college? Here are a few things that have helped me.

• Break challenges into smaller steps when an assignment or concept feels overwhelming. Focus on one part at a time to make problems easier to approach.
• Learn from your mistakes instead of treating them as failures. Understanding why something didn’t work can be just as valuable as finding the right answer.
• Ask for help when you get stuck. Professors, classmates, office hours, and tutoring resources can offer new perspectives and help you understand difficult concepts.
• Stay curious outside of class by trying a personal project, learning a new skill, or exploring a topic that interests you outside your coursework.
• Notice progress that isn’t a grade when you understand something better than you did last week, developed a new skill or when a topic feels less intimidating than it used to.
• Take breaks when you need them instead of forcing yourself to push through frustration. Coming back with fresh eyes can help you approach the problem better.

It’s easy to get so caught up in deadlines and grades that we forget learning is supposed to be process. It’s about getting comfortable asking questions and not giving up when things get tough. You don’t need all the answers to be a good learner. You just have to keep asking questions.