I started college at 17 as an Electrical Engineering major. After two years, I got tired of the grind, didn’t really see the point of it, switched schools and switched majors, math and philosophy. After a year, I saw even less of a point and switched back. Even though I was an excellent programmer, my favorite areas to study were electromagnetism and satellite communications. Many of my programmer friends are retired.
After 18 months of mandatory 60 hours/week in the industrial northeast and no path for advancement, I moved to a beach town and became a stockbroker. After a year of the “Wolf of Wall Street” lifestyle, I decided to save my soul and went back to engineering. Three of my old co-workers went to prison shortly after I left (hey Stan!). This time I had more room for advancement, and used my high frequency satellite communication knowledge to help speed up the internet. I designed a bunch of stuff for many of our orbiting satellites. I moved to Senior Engineer then Chief Engineer in quick succession. I nearly bought two different companies.
With my wife super-unhappy by herself with the two kids and me almost never at home, I quit my job and took a 40 hour design engineering job at a small company near Seattle, essentially career suicide. We bought a house and had a third child. That was 17 years ago, still in the same place, same job, settled and comfortable. In 15 months S2 will be heading to college and I may look for something a little more stimulating. Or trade it all in and become a math tutor, who knows.