Life Choice, Update page 2, read the first post though Options

[Sinyk]

From what I have heard, the average person changes their career 5 times in their life, so not knowing exactly what you want to do is normal. Heck, I have my degree in computers and when I got out of high school I was going to go to film school. Instead I took 2 1/2 years off to work, make some money at a retail sales job and try to sort things out and figure out what I would want to do to make me happy.

About the doubt? It's normal. This may sound corny, but the ol' saying is: "It's better to shoot for the stars and miss, than to aim for the gutter and make it"

This post has been edited by Sinyk: Jun 6, 2007 - 2:21 PM

[daazndood]

daazndood - "it seems like you really want to become an engineer."

Sadly i really am not sure if thats what i feel like doing nemore. I think ive gotten to the point were i feel like i cant do it, so y even bother. Why continue to look like a fool.

do you believe you can do it? you havent "tried" to actually do well in school. im sure if you change the way you are taking on school right now, you'll have some positive results.

tuition costs alot of money. i go to a private school and its 26k a year. according to my teacher, for a normal class that was 3 days a week, each day of class was 70 bucks!

try an experiment. for like a month or two, devote most of your time to school and studying and going over homework and reviewing and stuff like that. that time span should cover a test or two. see if you improve any.

[Bigwaaagh]

Well I can say it's normal to have doubts about what to do when it comes to work or education. A lot of people I know have changed education and work several times before they got where they really wanted to be, an education or job they enjoy for the work and people nor primarily the payroll.

I'm personally a "bad" example. I've never had trouble learning, and rarely had to make a real effort like most of my classmates to pass classes. I figured out what kind of education I wanted to do when I was in the last year of high school. I started that education right after high school, and last year got my bachelors degree in information communication technology. Right after that I started working part-time at the company where I had done my graduation project, which was my first job ever at an age of 22. I also started a company with someone who graduated at the same time as I did. Both jobs are webdesign/multimedia related, which I really like doing, I'm even underpaid at my part-time job, but I take that for granted because I know the pay will get better, I can get around and I'm happy with my everyday life.

All though I could have gone for a masters degree, I decided I had enough of school, and I found out my profession does rely more on work experience than the highest degree possible. Education to some point is important, even more important than a social life during some busy times like exams. It will give you insight in project management, basics to handle problems you'll encouter in work life, and the degree you get is always an indication for employers to see what you're capable of.

But most important is that you are happy with what you are doing, if you are really unhappy about school or work it is always smart to at least check out some different paths you can take, but it will always be difficult to make such a decision. I hope you'll soon find your passion, be it in your current situation or another.

[orvillescelica]

orvillescelica - discourage. So here is a question for u, Was it worth it? did the end satisfy the means for u?

It all depends on what day you talk to me. I sort of went through the same thign my junior year of college, questioning if i made the right choice. Thankfully i earned an internship at the Air Force Research Lab that summer and that really drove me to excel my senior year and apply to grad school.

Engineering is a thankless job. Being an engineer, you are a builder of society. It is not the politicians, lawyers or businessmen that move society forward, but our ability to create and invent that moves society from one age to another. Despite this, engineers will never make the amount of money nor gain the recognition that other proffessions do. You will work hard and do great things, but no one will care and you will not be paid an equal amount for your effort. My motto is, if i am doing my job right, most people wont know that im doing anything at all.

So is it worth it? Absoluetly! with engineering you have to step back out of the grind every now and then and look at what youa re doing. Currently im helping design these engines where the next time they fire, they will be helping land a rover the size of a mini cooper on Mars. It will test soil samples where there might have been water. And if they find any remains of a single cell organism, we can show that life is a spontaneous process wherever there is water. Thats world changing stuff!! As an engineer, everything you do could literaly change the world. Knowing that and seeing that makes it worth it. And so now the question is, If you knew for a FACT that you could help change the world in your own way, how hard would you try to make that happen?

[Mangozac]

Engineering is a thankless job. Being an engineer, you are a builder of society. It is not the politicians, lawyers or businessmen that move society forward, but our ability to create and invent that moves society from one age to another. Despite this, engineers will never make the amount of money nor gain the recognition that other proffessions do. You will work hard and do great things, but no one will care and you will not be paid an equal amount for your effort. My motto is, if i am doing my job right, most people wont know that im doing anything at all.

No offence but that paragraph sounds like something pulled directly from our "Engineering Practice and Sustainability" lectures
Actually, that reminds me, I should be studying for the exam for that subject, not sitting on 6GC

To give some constructive input though:
I'm studying electronic engineering, but I'm really lucky in that I've had a passion for electronics since I was little. I had a job working alongside an engineer before I had any qualifications at all and now I am part owner of a small electronic engineering business, where I am practically the main engineer. I just last year decided to go to university and learn more about what I love to do.
The big thing I've noticed though is how much easier it is to learn stuff when you have a goal and can see the use for it.

After school I never planned to get into engineering. It just kind of happened. And when I first got my job I got into trouble a lot for not putting in the time required. What I found though was once I became working as a professional in professional situations, I really enjoyed it. I would happily work really long hours because I was that involved with what I was doing.

The point I'm trying to make is that being able to prioritise your work is probably a necessity of being an engineer (or any other professional for that matter), but once you have the knowledge and ability you will probably get used to it and working long hours.

PS I struggle with calculus too and I have an exam for that on Tuesday!

[jgreening]

My advice is don't drop out of engineering without a plan that you know is better for you. After some detailed inquiry and quiet reflection, you may decide that there is something better for you. If so, make a move because you WANT to do that - not because you don't want to be an engineer. The hallowed halls of universities are littered with souls that quit or changed to an "easier" major with no good alternative in mind. Most of those folks regret it later on.

I would recommend completing some testing instruments to determine your aptitude and interests. There are dozens available. Your university should be able to point you in the right direction. Then, I would recommend going the extra step to find out exactly what it is that people in that field do. With that information, you will be much better able to make an informed decision. Good luck. - J.

[pure_dx]

miguel, i remember when i graduated from highschool, and all i did was work and play online games, it grew old quick! and I said to myself, i need to get going and do something, get my life straighten out. It's "that" feeling that says, "I need to go do something". That's the feeling that told me to go to school, go for something you love doing man! If it's cars, go to school to work for Toyota Headquarters or something, toyota concept designs, **** like that.

[devilsden97]

Time for this thread to rear its ugly head again:

ok so its 1am, on a friday night, my buddy moved away to Albany, so im gonna spill my guts about school, and my future and work here again.


So the other day at my job, i was given the task to create a mixer (like a LARGE blender) for the resevoir to one of our machines. The actual shaft and "fins" or "paddles" needed to move the hot wax to the top of the resevoir and scrap the colder stuff on the sides and at the top, and push it to the bottom.

If ur like me...this is an AWSOME question, and i was VERY excited to get the chance to, I guess prove myself? in more of a designed based aspect, opposed to detailing out models, and modifying preexisting ones.

So the idea is the flow going to the top needed to be the same as the flow heading to the bottom....so its a CALCULUS problem that has to do with OPTIMIZATION.

F*CK SH*T B*LLS M*THER F*CKING UGH!

I sat there at my computer.....AWSTRUCK that I couldn't make it (to perform at its optimal level). For the first time at my job, I felt....stupid....like i actually couldnt do something.

So tonight, I was talkign with a friend I havnt seen in about 6 months. Talking abotu how our last sememsters when, Sadly to say I was embarressed to tlak about mine, and how i failed calculus. She said, "wow, u took calc? thats even more then i would have attempted." but I still felt like a loser.

I started to look around at job openings, and other areas of study to see what interests me, and I keep coming back to Engineer, and Architect. (in some form)

I keep questioning how much longer i can keep trying, not succeeding, and not give up. I think my biggest fear is just failing at "life." (when i say that, i mean, having a job that i like, and a job that can put food on the table, and a house over my head/familys head, and give me the lifestyle i want to life)


So, for the record, as of RIGHT now.

Im staying enrolled in Engineering, I am going to take calculus again, and again....and again, if I have to. Nothing else interests me enough, and satisfys what I want to achieve in my life.

i hope i dont have to do calc more then 1 more time....

Long read...I suck....sorry

[jason]

good to hear your stickin with it!

[Consynx]

i think most schools that have lots of engineering students make calc i and ii hard. Luckily, i got the ez calc I and II .
doing anything with heat flows i'd attempt to use a FEA program.

other than that...i skimmed...and Yea M.E.!

[Hanyo]

Hey devilsden97,

Dont feel stupid because you cant pass math. Trust me, I have failed my share of calculus classes. The topic is pure boring, going to class is a joke, taking notes are a waste of time, and talking to the teacher only gives you false sense of hope. You can not be taught calculus but you can learn it (does that make sense?). The only way to learn math is to simply do the mother ****ening homework 9million times. The only way to learn math is to simply do the mother ****ening homework 9million times. Yes i repeat myself, but that was the only way to pass the stupid class. You have to be able to recogize the math problem and malipulate it. I know it sounds dumb and everyone says the same thing. The only example I can think about is cars. Most people will hear noise coming from the engine and they would have no clue what to do. Where as for me, I've been dealing with car all my life, I know certian tools to use to isolate the problem. This is the same as calculus, you have to get use to problems and the way they look. I hate those teachers that throw ugly looking problems on the exams, the only way to solve that problem was to use one simple trick. Those who were able to pull it off got the question right, those who didnt failed that problem completely. This is why its so important to get use to doing the math so you can use U substitution and all that nasty stupid tools the class requires you to learn.

At times, school will be boring and dificult, but once you have found your talent. You will be able to pass the class with ease. Have you attempted to take calculus at a local Junior college and have the credits transfer over to your main college? generally summer classes at Junior colleges are easier and you can ride the curve ( collective failure ftw!).

You have to be realistic about yourself, plan out your classes accordingly so you finish in a reasonable amount of time and still have the funds for it. If it doesnt work out on paper, you might want to reconsider your major. Alot of upper division classes require calculus, and you can only push these classes so far back before you can not finish in time.

Good luck.

[malpaso]

Hope I have not missed your point Migga (this is too much English for me at once ) but I believe I had similar problem few years ago... During 1st and once again during 3rd grade on college. I had huge problems with exams. I asked many time if it's worth that effort... I hated that... And that should be a problem for study at faculty of medicine. It was really hard decision. Finally I stayed and 5year common study time took me 7 years... Yea those 1st and 3rd year-classes took 2x more time than usual. So I have finished successfully everything but I have not worked even one single day in health service after graduation. I have been working as system administrator, support service coordinator and junior manager in one IT company now. Job is fine and better payed (note: In my country one of the worst payed jobs are for health service so it's not surprise I have better salary than doctor). However I believe I still have chance to return. It's just about choice... so... IMHO:

- if you can, do not make any "non-reversible decisions"
- no one said you must do same job as graduated
- college makes you think "different" (doesn't matter which one)... sorry I don't know how describe that better. So it counts having graduation.
- everything may look different after few months or years... so better be sure any decision you make is not emotional one

end of story