I don't usually ask for help, but

Assassin 11D7 · September 28, 2014, 12:54:23 PM

I'm really fucking lost and confused with life right now. I don't expect any real helpful answers from the Flood, but I'm desperate.

So, I'm in my 1st year of college, major is Mechanical Engineering, but I cannot stand the shit that I'm getting to do. It's feeling like High School again, where it's mostly BS that you won't need or use in the future. I discovered that out with HS at the end of my Junior year, but if this is what College is I don't want 4 more years of this. Combine this with the fact that a representative from Ford came to one of my classes a couple weeks ago, and told the class that while they could pull a random guy off the street and train him to do their work, graduating from College makes them think you're more likely to do better at it.

However, my parents profess that it's not true, and that I need to do all of this and that after the first year learning the 'basics' it'll be like what I want it to be, where I actually build shit. Now, I'm being told that since I've been doing practically none of my school work and I'm so apathetic to it, that I either need to do better or go get a job and drop out of college.

I don't have a clue anymore, can anybody help?

Sky World · September 28, 2014, 01:00:00 PM

Just go watch inspirational videos on Youtube.

Coco · September 28, 2014, 01:08:54 PM

It sounds like your problem isn't with college, but with mechanical engineering. Have you considered switching into another major? Is there something you really want to do?

I went into college wanting to be a mechanical engineer, for a reason I couldn't even figure out, and then it hit me by halfway into my freshman year that that was not even close to what I wanted to be doing with my life, so I switched fields and schools, and couldn't be happier.

Assassin 11D7 · September 28, 2014, 01:13:02 PM

Quote from: Cocos on September 28, 2014, 01:08:54 PM

It sounds like your problem isn't with college, but with mechanical engineering. Have you considered switching into another major? Is there something you really want to do?

I went into college wanting to be a mechanical engineer, for a reason I couldn't even figure out, and then it hit me by halfway into my freshman year that that was not even close to what I wanted to be doing with my life, so I switched fields and schools.

Thing is all I've ever wanted to do is help people with my life, and since I've always been good at building things and figuring out how things work, I figured that I could put that ability to use. And it feels like college isn't helping me with that at all, and I've lost motivation to do almost everything at this point. I can't think of anything else I'd want to do.

Flee · September 28, 2014, 01:18:18 PM

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Mad Max · September 28, 2014, 01:18:28 PM

Quote from: Assassin 11D7 on September 28, 2014, 01:13:02 PM

Quote from: Cocos on September 28, 2014, 01:08:54 PM
It sounds like your problem isn't with college, but with mechanical engineering. Have you considered switching into another major? Is there something you really want to do?

I went into college wanting to be a mechanical engineer, for a reason I couldn't even figure out, and then it hit me by halfway into my freshman year that that was not even close to what I wanted to be doing with my life, so I switched fields and schools.
Thing is all I've ever wanted to do is help people with my life, and since I've always been good at building things and figuring out how things work, I figured that I could put that ability to use. And it feels like college isn't helping me with that at all, and I've lost motivation to do almost everything at this point. I can't think of anything else I'd want to do.

Have you considered a different area of engineering? Something like civil engineering, perhaps? Then at least some of your credits will count still.

gats · September 28, 2014, 01:20:57 PM

Quote

they could pull a random guy off the street and train him to do their work,

Ok but they're not going to. Getting your degree is going to increase your chances of actually getting picked by ford.

I'm not really looking forward to 4 years of petroleum engineering either. I am genuinely interested in the course but at this point I just want to leave education and start working but obviously with a degree I'll get a better job so I'm going to soldier through so I can have a better future.

Assassin 11D7 · September 28, 2014, 01:32:28 PM

Quote from: Gatsby on September 28, 2014, 01:20:57 PM

Quote
they could pull a random guy off the street and train him to do their work,
Ok but they're not going to. Getting your degree is going to increase your chances of actually getting picked by ford.

I'm not really looking forward to 4 years of petroleum engineering either. I am genuinely interested in the course but at this point I just want to leave education and start working but obviously with a degree I'll get a better job so I'm going to soldier through so I can have a better future.

I know that, and I don't care about Ford. My dad worked their 35 years, and I'd rather not risk turning out like him.

If it felt like I was actually learning things relevant to what I want to know and how to apply them when needed, then I'd be okay with it all. But all I'm learning is theory and bunch of side-classes that either repeat things I already know or don't teach me anything of seeming value.

mojo · September 28, 2014, 01:32:48 PM

Just get through it. Don't slack off. It's much more difficult to be successful in life without a college education than with one.

Assassin 11D7 · September 28, 2014, 01:33:43 PM

Quote from: Mad Max on September 28, 2014, 01:18:28 PM

Quote from: Assassin 11D7 on September 28, 2014, 01:13:02 PM
Quote from: Cocos on September 28, 2014, 01:08:54 PM
It sounds like your problem isn't with college, but with mechanical engineering. Have you considered switching into another major? Is there something you really want to do?

I went into college wanting to be a mechanical engineer, for a reason I couldn't even figure out, and then it hit me by halfway into my freshman year that that was not even close to what I wanted to be doing with my life, so I switched fields and schools.
Thing is all I've ever wanted to do is help people with my life, and since I've always been good at building things and figuring out how things work, I figured that I could put that ability to use. And it feels like college isn't helping me with that at all, and I've lost motivation to do almost everything at this point. I can't think of anything else I'd want to do.
Have you considered a different area of engineering? Something like civil engineering, perhaps? Then at least some of your credits will count still.

I don't think it has to do with the major I'm in, it feels to me more like how this all is presented, and I can't stand that.

Sky World · September 28, 2014, 01:38:04 PM

Quote from: Assassin 11D7 on September 28, 2014, 12:54:23 PM

Combine this with the fact that a representative from Ford came to one of my classes a couple weeks ago, and told the class that while they could pull a random guy off the street and train him to do their work, graduating from College makes them think you're more likely to do better at it.

Most engineering jobs aren't like that. If your job only requires a couple weeks worth of training, you're probably only getting paid 30 grand a year. Most engineers get paid just below six figures and there's a reason for it. No, you won't utilize everything you learned in college towards your job, not even everything you learned in your engineering courses, but don't underestimate the amount of knowledge and skill you develop (develop; not learn) during your four or six years in college.

Cheat · September 28, 2014, 04:50:34 PM

I started out with a pre-engineering major (computer) and it absolutely sucked. It was nothing but calculus, chemistry, and programming. Admittedly, I loved the programming classes, but the math held no interest for me and I was forced to retake Calc I more than once because I just wouldn't do my homework. I realized that this shit was just going to get harder and harder, and I wasn't having any fun at all.

I switched over to graphic design after a year and a half of that nightmare and it was fantastic. The C++ I took helped me learn PHP, which helped tremendously in building my projects for my web design and independent study classes.