" I’ve yet to meet an engineer who is not a slave to the 9-5 + daily grind and I don’t think any of them are particularly happy." - I’m an engineer married to an engineer, with of course many engineering friends. Work has sometimes been a pain in recent years but honestly it seems that every field has its pros/cons.
I’ve always suggested students do engineering (or any field) for the love of it, not just based on earning potential.