Almost completed my engineering degree, feeling very depressed and lost.

JinkiesGangAClue · 2018-07-12T17:09:10+00:00

Use your income to do/enjoy the things you want to do. If that’s creating financial stability until you can find a career change, do it. If that’s taking months or two of time off to travel, do it. If it’s doing an ass job and constantly searching for one that peaks your interest, do it.

Majority of people hate/dislike their jobs. We’re inherently built to want to do things that we enjoy, and most jobs that pay well aren’t necessarily fun/mentally invigorating.

Take the military for example. Most of the people I know in here fucking hate their job with a passion. Why the fuck do they re-einlist? Job security, medical/dental benefits, free school, travel, paid vacation days, stepping stone to the civilian sector etc.

You can’t be overwhelmed with what’s on your plate if you wanted to eat bro. Work hard and get yourself into a position you’re happy with.

MattyAnon · 2018-07-12T18:08:18+00:00

The vibe in this office is the most depressing shit to me

Some places will kill your soul. Others will make you glad to be alive. LEAVE THE SHIT ONES. It's that simple. (Not during placement, obviously).

This won't help you love engineering, but do know that some places are MUCH better to work at than where you are now.

I have a technical background, I've worked at a few places, and the difference between the best and worst is night and day.

TheShearerComplex · 2018-07-12T17:56:15+00:00

You are coming at this from the totally wrong mind set. No-one graduates and then just falls into their dream job/ sector straight away you have to grind and enhance your skills. Learn what you love and hate.

Yes, start looking at other careers and DON’T beat yourself up, you haven’t wasted 4 years.

However, there’s a saying...in your 20’s work for someone else, get paid to make mistakes on some elses dime. Understand how work environment interactions/ managing clients works. Then in your late 20’s/ 30’s go out on your own, implementing the skills you’ve gained.

If your unfulfilled, go in everyday and don’t just try and understand your own work. Look around and see how everyone is interacting with each other. How are the best employees interacting with clients. How are the best managers interacting with employees and then look how the worst are interacting with the same. Take notes and bring this into your own skillset. In the meantime, invest in yourself and spend the good money your making on stuff you want to do.

A year or two down the line your now financially ahead of your peers. Start building a financial runway to help you pursue your passion in the next 3-4 years, whilst your enhancing your business skills.

You will thank yourself 2 years down the line. Get some money behind you and start building something on the side.

red_matrix · 2018-07-12T17:53:24+00:00

Your job will suck no matter what you do. It's a means to an end. Use your money for things like hobbies and vacation. You can afford a good gym membership and healthy food. Go see Europe and Asia. You an afford it. But an old Integra and tune the engine, you can afford it. Most of us hate our jobs, it's life. Also, you can try working somewhere else but at the end of the day you have to answer to your boss. The only thing you should try to do is work at a place that has good co-workers, if you like your co-workers work won't suck as bad. The thing is: people move, your boss may change, etc so nothing lasts forever.

Life can be a slog if you let it. Why else is drug and alcohol abuse rampant in this country? People don't know how to deal. Use what you learn here to help you deal with your problems.

GayLubeOil · 2018-07-12T23:10:36+00:00

If you Skype me I'll talk you out if this gay psudo depression. It's a basically a fun video game for me at this point. According to Illimitableman I'm in the top .5% of manipulative people in the world. So yea I'll definitely do it in about an hour.

BiscottiGeneral · 2018-07-13T03:53:36+00:00

Hey man, my whole life I thought I was going to be a lawyer. Graduated college, took the LSAT, got into several schools, and went to law school. Dropped out second semester. It was a real life changing moment. I couldn't stand it for many of the same reasons you hate engineering. I kinda didn't know what to do for a while and took on some mediocre jobs but ended up in a good spot. I now own my own business and I'm doing very well.

The point is, it doesn't matter what you've invested your time in. I was $30,000 in the hole from law school (debt free now after 2 years thankfully), and I had to face my family and friends thinking of me as a failure. If I were you, I'd get the degree since you're already so far along, and go figure out what you like to do or would be happy doing, and figure out how to make money doing that thing. The process is the fun part. I still don't know for sure what I want to do, but I'm in a better spot than I was 2 years ago. I have an awesome recommendation for you to listen to. Check out Logic's "The Incredible True Story" (the actual song, not the whole album) and just listen from 2:58 onward. That changed my life FOREVER.

FemtoG · 2018-07-12T18:19:09+00:00

How about you fucking thank the lord that you majored in one of maybe 10 viable degrees, from which engineering is probably top 3 in terms of best bang for your buck.

I go to a top 10 MBA program and most people are engineers. Engineers are easily the most successful outside of medical people, and from what I've seen, enjoy an unbelievably well-rounded lifestyle compared to finance (which is what I am in). My classmates basically get to dictate their own hours, and admit how fucking chill and flexible all of it is.

Hopefully you are not mechanical engineering, but no matter what, there are many cushy jobs that you can get. The ONLY problem with engineering is that there is a hard ceiling (Which is why so many of my classmates are engineers).

You are expecting way too much from life. A very stereotypical millennial mindset to be quite honest (Meaning? Purpose? At your age? How fucking spoiled are you?). My first job I started at $30K (thanks 2008), and busted my ass and went through a lot of shit. You can expect to start at $60K or more, and are graduating at a great job market, so stfu and be happy and work hard.

thesmithofwords · 2018-07-12T19:49:54+00:00

I am in the same boat, I had the exact same rationale when I decided to go into engineering. ATM I am just working a fun job for way less money because I can't live to work in an office 12 hours a day constantly at the mercy of deadlines, I'd rather be poor.

buddboy · 2018-07-12T20:17:43+00:00

I'm a mech engineer, graduated 2 years ago. Keep doing internships until you find a place you like. Use recruiters, they will hook you up with 3 or 6 month contracts at engineering companies. Put yourself out there on linkedin, Simply Hired, and similar job boards. In my experience the recruiters find you but you need to cast as many nets as you can. Have a great resume and a website that displays projects from college.

When you find a job you like apply full time after your contract has ended.

I did this after college. Took me over 2 years after I graduated working as an intern in contracting positions until I finally found a job I love. Lower pay than the others but no stress and very fun work environment. I used to think I wanted to work at a massive company but I realize those companies can suck. Now I work in an office with only 2 other people and it turns out that's what I love

TimPartendale · 2018-07-12T21:08:49+00:00

I just wanted to add that just because your coworkers have bitch tits and suck the soul out of you doesn’t mean you’ll have to be that way.

There are a lot of “fun” office spaces. When you’re interviewing for jobs take extra notice of the social dynamics.

As others have harped, its good to get into a job like engineering/medicine. Even if you don’t LOVE it the job security, pay and benefits usually outweighs the toll it takes. Try to make it fulfilling.

pame12 · 2018-07-13T00:09:07+00:00

Try a different job, some jobs will make the field you work in look bad and depressing, others will make it look like you'll be a millionaire by the time your 30.

Merwebb · 2018-07-13T00:14:40+00:00

That's not normal, just the shitty ones.

There are good places to work, keep looking

duke442games · 2018-07-13T02:14:58+00:00

Just work as a contractor. You get paid good money for every hour you work, and can tell the company 'no' to work over 40 hours. The people who are miserable are the salary employees that have to work for no extra pay.

ValorElite · 2018-07-13T04:11:24+00:00

The vibe in this office is the most depressing shit to me. Everyone is stressed and everyone stays overtime because they are always behind schedule. Every guy in there has 0 life outside of their job and they're all growing man boobs in their 20s and 30s.

Get a new job, ASAP. LinkedIn, do 3-5 calls every day, and try to get a coffee meetup a week. Get some facetime with recruiters and get into a better company.

FUCK working for a shitty company; move on immediately.

ht2k9 · 2018-07-12T19:43:23+00:00

Switch work places untill you find a good one, your happiness is the most important and if your work is fucking you up then just quit.

chaseexcellence · 2018-07-12T20:35:59+00:00

You are a lot luckier income wise than what you know.

Fontess · 2018-07-12T21:06:51+00:00

in what u majored in?

Youngyoda89 · 2018-07-12T21:13:17+00:00

What type of engineering do you do? You could do project management with an engineering degree which is a fuck ton easier and sounds like considerably less stress.

mcs007 · 2018-07-12T23:31:28+00:00

I was in the same boat as you with an actual job in engineering. I started thinking that I didn't want to be an engineer anymore cuz I was soooooo bored by my job. So I began looking at other majors I would enjoy. Before I actually took the step to going back to school I looked at r/AskEngineering, and this reminded me why I chose engineering. It showed me that at the core of my being I am an engineer. I'm curious about everything in this world. I'm constantly wondering how things work, and thinking of projects that would be fun to build if I had the resources to actually do it. Go look at that subreddit and just start reading random articles. Maybe it'll have the same effect on you as it did on me.

Just using your job as a means to an end isn't a bad idea either since not everyone will enjoy their job. Nobody really wants to be at a place that makes them show up for 8+ hours a day. But using the money to travel and buy nice things that you actually will use and enjoy is a great way to get around the fact that your job is shit. Make sure you workout regularly, travel, and hang/meet new friends. My biggest problem is the town that I live in so maybe look at relocating if that's an option?

P.S. Literally 95% of the men I worked with complained almost everyday about being married.

Avskygod0 · 2018-07-12T23:51:59+00:00

I'm even worse, i'm like finishing high school equivalent here, i find absolutely nothing interesting, can't make habits (going to gym feels like a chore always even though i'm going for more than a year)

GucciGangBucks · 2018-07-13T00:52:28+00:00

You completed an engineering degree so you probably have an IQ anywhere from 120-140. You like problem solving. Create some cool shit and work for yourself you’re smart enough to do it just don’t have the confidence. Graduate. Work until you save about 20-50k. From there you should have enough financial stability to create something cool and become an entrepreneur. You’re smart enough and creative enough to do so and your degree proves it.

Gamelova · 2018-07-13T06:34:03+00:00

I'm in the same boat kinda. I'm getting a BBM and I don't really like what I'm doing. I only wanted to get a BBM to have a stable financial job, and hopefully create my own business one day.

I don't know if it's worth it, but I'm already past halfway done, so why not finish? I know it's likely I'll have to work up the corporate ladder, but that's BS because creating my own business is solely the reason I'm getting this BBM.

I just don't really know where to go from this point because I'm skeptical of all the "How to Grow Your Bussiness in 1 Week, 1 Month" BS.

AtlasCuckd · 2018-07-13T13:39:50+00:00

You're so fucking young bro. Now's the time of your life. You're responsible for your own rescue at the end of the day, we can only provide advice.

Lift, eat well (important because certain diets can make one more depressed), and find out what you enjoy working on. Most people at any job are normies and have given up on life. Don't look for motivation because it's fleeting. You need to find what you love, and have the discipline to execute your plan. You can even take your know-how from engineering and carve your own path. Start up perhaps? That's what I did.

Hmu if youd like to discuss

Title	Almost completed my engineering degree, feeling very depressed and lost.
Author	Critical_Mongoose
Upvotes	21
Comments	54
Date	July 12, 2018 4:54 PM UTC (8 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/8ybi8f/almost_completed_my_engineering_degree_feeling/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/almost-completed-my-engineering-degree-feeling.102513 https://theredarchive.com/post/102513

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