I had an A in Cal 1, I’ll most likely get an A in Cal 2, I have a high B in physics, and A’s in chemistry. So I’m not a terrible student…
I’m taking my intro to industrial engineering next semester. If I don’t like it should I even bother with it?
I’m so unsure of what to do. Parts of industrial engineering sound fascinating, but I don’t know enough about it (even though I’ve read dozens of articles online) to say that it’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I loved college algebra and trig, precal was decent, but I don’t like calculus. I’m not sure I could (or want) do it for the next three years. I’m so unsure of what to do… Any advice?
Before you consider alternate plans, why not wait to see if you like? It seems like a waste of mental energy and focus. You’re still early in your curriculum. There’s plenty of time for an alternate path IF necessary.
If you don’t know what it is, and even the description of it isn’t appealing to you, then why are you even considering it?
This is like picking the most expensive item on a restaurant menu, simply because it’s the most expensive item, even though you hate swordfish. What is the point???
You’re right @eyemgh. Thanks for the advice. I feel like time is not on my side though…
@GMTplus7 I never said I didn’t know what it was and I also never said the description wasn’t appealing. As I said, I’ve read dozens of articles all over the internet on it and many YouTube videos, but that doesn’t mean I know what they specifically do everyday. I also said that some of it sound fascinating (Which means appealing in my book) and others not. So every college student who questions whether they would like their major in the beginning is stupid? I don’t feel appreciative of you talking down to me. You’re totally misconstruing what I said.
I agree with @GMTplus7 to a degree, but would counsel you not to be so quick to assume you won’t like something based on a 30,000-foot view. As a general rule, I find the more I learn about a particular subject, the more inherently interesting it becomes to me.
Think of a group of neurosurgeons attending a conference on the latest research in treatments of seizure disorders. Was that interest innate, i.e. they always knew they wanted to learn about this, from a young age? Or was it acquired, i.e. it holds interest because they practice in that area and know a lot about it?
@NUwildcat92
I see what you mean. I’ve only taken engineering graphics as an actual engineering course. But you’re right, I think the more you know the more you’ll like it or dislike it. Thanks for the advice.
Answer truthfully:
Why did you select industrial engineering? For the passion of it? For the money?
Mostly passion. Like I said, it sounds fascinating. I love how it’s a mix of business and engineering, I like that it requires math, I like that you’re employable almost anywhere, and I love that you’re analyzing and figuring out specific issues with products, assembly lines, people, etc making them better and seeing the fruit of your hard work. Making things more efficient sounds amazingly rewarding, and as I’ve heard quoted several times “IE’s make products that other engineers make better”, which sounds simply amazing.
But as I’ve said, I don’t know what they specifically do every day.
Most students don’t know what professional practioners of their major specifically do every day.
Shoot, I don’t even know what I do on a daily basis… to be fair.
Exactly and that’s what bothers me. I want to make sure I pick the right major that I’ll really enjoy for the rest of my life.
I don’t want to spend two or more years with a difficult (granted nothing like other engineering majors from what I’ve heard) coursework that I may or may not like for a job I don’t enjoy. I have a friend who majored in electrical engineering (he had a high GPA too) and hated his job so much that he quit after a year. I don’t want to be like that. I’m too analytical. But I just want to make sure I don’t waste my time and money. It also doesn’t help that IE is so broad, so it’s even harder to figure out what they do all day.
There really is no way to be sure. Plenty of people get into a field, enjoy (at least to some degree) their coursework, and then go hate their job. There are also people who suffer through the courses and then love the job. The best you can do is use the information you have available right now to try to guess whether you would like that, and it seems you already know the answer there. Otherwise, asking what a typical [insert specialty here] does on a daily basis is somewhat meaningless. Each brand of engineering has any number of career paths, each of which likely has a fairly substantially different daily routine. Some may not even have a daily routine at all.
So far you like what you know about the field. Stick with it.
NEWS FLASH!
Even the soul mate you know inside-n-out today isn’t going to be the same person 10 years after marriage.
As for job details/dynamics, those will change as you change boss, change teammates, change projects, increase experience/seniority. Professional jobs are dynamic in job responsibilities. If you want unwavering certainty in job function, then work as a grunt in a factory turning screws.
@Morbidicus, you seem to have good understanding of what IE is about, and you admit that it interests you. Don’t angst yourself unnecessarily.
Your friend who quit his EE job, did he leave the profession altogether? Or did he just leave his current company & position to find one more suitable to his interests? EE is a broad area, spanning everything from power distribution to microelectronics, so if he left the entire industry just because of one crappy job I’d question whether he has any common sense. Crappy jobs &/or companies are a standing risk of any profession; if you find yourself in one you just have to move on.
Worry not…lots of variety of work / fields. Do some co-ops/internships to figure out which areas of IE appeal to you the most. Then take your best shot at finding a good fit for the first job. If that;s not quite right, you can fine tune with your next job.
@GMTplus7 I have no idea why you’re so rude and hostile towards me. I did nothing but ask a simple question. I don’t need to be talked down to or be mean to. Please just stop responding. If I wanted someone to be rude and condescending towards me I’d go back to middle school. Thanks, but no thanks.
@NUwildcat92 Thanks for the advice! He quit the profession all together. I didn’t think of it like that, but maybe you’re right. Thanks for the help!
@colorado_mom That’s great advice and you’re right. Thanks for the help!
Good luck, @Morbidicus. Try not to be offended by GMT… the advise was blunt, but I didn’t think it was intended to be rude. We all want to help and come at it from different angles. .
Good one!
@colorado_mom Thanks. I don’t see how telling me to go work as a grunt in a factory or talking to me like I’m some idiot is not rude. But thanks.
Relax morbid, I was just pointing out the pun in GMT’s quote