[txusa03]

hey Emeril, are we cooking or what, BAM!

[3onDubs]

Some of you are probably thinking, "Hey, i'll just vacation in europe for a few months after graduating", then you get back, all the jobs are gone, your house is stolen and BAM!, you get kicked in the nuts. That's reality.

[inabis]

Originally Posted by Expired

Then where do you figure out what you want to do?? -Nathan

What I mean is that if you're really not sure it's better to go to C.College to get your reqs and more importantly try things out. What I mean is that you shouldn't go to a 30,000 dollar a year school to try to find out what you like.

[txusa03]

you mean like this BAM!

[Kiemyster]

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

Some of you are probably thinking, "Hey, i'll just vacation in europe for a few months after graduating", then you get back, all the jobs are gone, your house is stolen and BAM!, you get kicked in the nuts. That's reality.

So you go to a bar, and get hella drunk because your stressed and have no where to go. so ur piss drunk, and some skank comes to play with your glock. you have no idea whats going on, and you just hold her down on the bar top and thrust your glock into her, and shes loving it. you wake up the next morning, finding yourslef in the back by the dumpster behind the bar. you check your gun, and its sore, with red sores. BAM! just like that, you have genital herpes and AIDS, which will follow you wherever you go.

[inabis]

9 months later she knocks on your door and BAM drops a baby in your lap. And just like that, your life is over.

[out4scrilla]

psych major ftw

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by Expired

Then where do you figure out what you want to do??
I can guarantee you that 90% of people going into college for their first year don't know what they want to do. That other 10% will change their major by the time they finish college. College is where you figure out what you want to do, because you find out what areas of education you like and dislike, and what you may like doing. If you have a $200k scholarship, ranked top 10 in your class, and have already been locked into a college, chances are you are locked into your major as well. Community college is a whole different story.

-Nathan

You can argue with those of us that have been there, or you can try and take some advice from those that have been there. Life's too short to make all the mistakes yourself.

[3onDubs]

Originally Posted by TurboFan

You can argue with those of us that have been there, or you can try and take some advice from those that have been there. Life's too short to make all the mistakes yourself.

+1

[!Xoible]

get the fuck out of my LOB man!!!! do something else other than computers... unless ur indian, i guess

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

And then it hits you, bam, you got AIDS!!

...just like that

thread about vacation in thailand?

[3onDubs]

Originally Posted by mantis

thread about vacation in thailand?

link please

[DasBlitz]

Originally Posted by TurboFan

I love the ideology of the younger generation, and I love the experience of the older generation.

I graduated HS and went right into college. I *knew* I wanted to be an engineer, and focused all of my efforts into finding the best school that I could afford. I now have my degree in Mech Engineering, and I have all but one or two classes completed for a Masters in Electical Engineering. Never did the thesis thing, as I wasn't into it anymore.

What I didn't know was what the hey I was going to do with my life and my degree. I'm glad I have it, as it's proven very versatile and valuable, but I don't use it. Never have, so to speak. Looking back, I should have joined the military for 2 years and gotten my eyes opened a little.

One thing I found interesting in college, and I've seen a few posts here to this effect; one group of guys I knew saw college as their last time to party and live it up, as they'll have to work at shit jobs the rest of their life. I saw it as a time to work my f'ing ass off for *cough*6*cough* years so I can party the rest of my life. So far it's working out well. Now I'm getting ready to start my own company (I'm 32), and while it'll be the hardest work I've probably ever done, I know I'll love it.

My point, you ask? Figure out what you do well, something that others can't do and enough people would be willing to pay you to do it. It may be solving problems, it may be working with people, it may be picking your nose (I don't know how you get paid for that, but I know a couple people that are trying). It doesn't have to be a traditional track like law, medicine, business, engineering....but be willing to start on the bottom. If you find something you love for which people will pay you, you'll never work a day in your life.

I hate my job now, but the experience has given me the confidence to start my own gig, and I wouldn't trade it for anything. There's something to be said for that too. You may take a job for the experience, knowing full well you'll leave in 3 years.

Don't base your decision on what to major because it's easy. I'd have never been an engineer for that! But I'm good with mechanical systems, I like problem solving, and I've always been really good at math and problem solving. The jobs I've had have allowed me to exercise and develop those skills, to find ways to improve my weaknesses, and know that some weaknesses are hopeless and I need to hire good people there. But if I'd have taken an easy major, I would have never developed to my potential, and I'd probably be slaving away for $50-$60k right now and be miserable.


My $.02.

What kind of work do you do and what kind of company are you starting?

I am going for Mechanical Engineering. Advice is always great.

[inabis]

Originally Posted by mantis

do something else other than computers... unless ur indian

: very funny asshole

[inabis]

You might want to check this out, my friend is about to go on this...damn if I knew this existed during undergrad I would have gone

http://www.semesteratsea.org/

[TurboFan]

Originally Posted by DasBlitz

What kind of work do you do and what kind of company are you starting?

I am going for Mechanical Engineering. Advice is always great.

Well, ya ever hear the saying "They'll always hire an engineer to do a business mans job, but they'll never higher a business man to do an engineer's job"?

I started building cars for Honda as an engineering coop. Got in with a sweet team there, supporting all north american mfg. Got to work on numerous new model startups, and had great projects where I even had full-time engineers working on them. I had a number of offers to work there, but I couldn't stand the strict nature of the plant.

Took a job in technical sales after school with a large commercial contracting company. It was great training, but sales wasn't for me. Probably some of the best business experience I'll ever have. But I hated it, and switched to ops. I was a project manager for 3 years running progressively larger construction jobs, ending up running a multi-million dollar portfollio. Left that company and went to a competitor running a service business in the same industry. I started a new business line within my group doing retrofit and remodel work, and my team and I took it from $0 in 2005 to over $1 million last year.

The only thing my degree got me was the first job. From there on out it was my experience first, and when they see "engineer" on my resume, it sure helps.

My advice? Co-op like crazy and figure out what you do and don't like. Even if you take another year or two to matriculate, it was the best experience I could have had in college. I also made a helluva lot of money ($25,000+ working only 2 quarters / year back....then). I discovered I didn't want to be a traditional engineer, that I'd rather have a job that gets me out in the field, working with customers and solving problems.

Along the way and through a lot of volunteer work I do, I discovered that not only do I like the construction business, I love building houses. I've built nine now, along with numerous remodel jobs. I want to go out on my own and start a home building company, starting with mid to high end homes 4000 sqft and up, maybe eventually going larger.

[Kiemyster]

Originally Posted by mantis

get the fuck out of my LOB man!!!! do something else other than computers... unless ur indian, i guess

i think u need to light up a fattie, u seem stressed. hear what, ill go smoke a fat roll on for you

[shipill]

Originally Posted by mantis

get the fuck out of my LOB man!!!! do something else other than computers... unless ur indian, i guess

LMAO

[BMW F22]

There was an article I read on Yahoo! about a guy who had a different job every week for a year. He would offer to work for free just so he could find out what he wants to do in life. Maybe you could do the same

[mpimping]

go to the culinary institute..

[txusa03]

Reading some of this just crack me up. So many people place so little value on education. There is more to education then just to get a job. And how is it that our job is destroying us psychologically?

I say this, if anything that is destroying us psychologically it is the fantasy hollywood world crap that you all see on TV. Oh boy, when I grow-up, I want to be just like Miss Spears. Each week I have to get a manicure, pedicure, facial, hair highlights, and relax in a sauna to detoxicate all the stress of being a glamorous star. And when my $ runs out (because I thought $ grows on tree) I will just lay around the house being a bump or go knock on my mom and dad doors for more $ to support my fantasy lifestyle. Hello, your mom and dad have a life too and they need to have some $ for them in their retiring years as well.

So if you have not realized my point about education from the above example, let me spell it out. If you so happen to be lucky enough to get rich quick, your get rich quick pot of gold aint gonna last if you have no clue on how to manage the pot of gold. And $ aint gonna buy ya happiness (hello- again look at Miss Spears). And we working folks are just tire of paying our taxes to support the lazy bumps out there.

Look I am not knocking anyone who flip bugers or work as a cashier. I was a cashier once and I was a busboy once. Until you but in an honest day of blood and sweat, you would not understand. I have the utmost repect for anyone who wake up days in and days out working to support them and their family vs someone who is a lazy bump who decide to steal or rob.

If you want to avoid the lazy bump route, get yourself and education first.

Chill!!!!

[DasBlitz]

Originally Posted by TurboFan

Well, ya ever hear the saying "They'll always hire an engineer to do a business mans job, but they'll never higher a business man to do an engineer's job"?

I started building cars for Honda as an engineering coop. Got in with a sweet team there, supporting all north american mfg. Got to work on numerous new model startups, and had great projects where I even had full-time engineers working on them. I had a number of offers to work there, but I couldn't stand the strict nature of the plant.

Took a job in technical sales after school with a large commercial contracting company. It was great training, but sales wasn't for me. Probably some of the best business experience I'll ever have. But I hated it, and switched to ops. I was a project manager for 3 years running progressively larger construction jobs, ending up running a multi-million dollar portfollio. Left that company and went to a competitor running a service business in the same industry. I started a new business line within my group doing retrofit and remodel work, and my team and I took it from $0 in 2005 to over $1 million last year.

The only thing my degree got me was the first job. From there on out it was my experience first, and when they see "engineer" on my resume, it sure helps.

My advice? Co-op like crazy and figure out what you do and don't like. Even if you take another year or two to matriculate, it was the best experience I could have had in college. I also made a helluva lot of money ($25,000+ working only 2 quarters / year back....then). I discovered I didn't want to be a traditional engineer, that I'd rather have a job that gets me out in the field, working with customers and solving problems.

Along the way and through a lot of volunteer work I do, I discovered that not only do I like the construction business, I love building houses. I've built nine now, along with numerous remodel jobs. I want to go out on my own and start a home building company, starting with mid to high end homes 4000 sqft and up, maybe eventually going larger.

Wow, quite a career so far. I'll take your advice and for sure do some co-ops. I am leaning towards working for tech companies. I already do, doing small time stuff to pay for school and its interesting and not to hard to get use to.

I also want to be able to be a field engineer and travel to companies since you get a higher pay and get to choose when you want to work. So far the whole office scene isnt for me, but i will most likely do it for the first years.

But again thanks for the advice, I just hope some on here realize they should also listen and also realize there are some who wish they could go to college and get a better education.