October 2019 15k SPAM Thread

[LyceeFruit PE]

I so badly wanted to go to grad school for something in advanced mathematics (I reaaaaaaaaaally enjoyed differential equations with linear algebra), but my dad was like, "What job are you going to get with these...Laplace transformations?"...so grad school was waste water treatment, something I really liked, but then I couldn't find a job in that...so consulting.  *sigh*

So I also tried to be a history minor. But that desire quickly died my first semester of college when I ended up in front of the Honor Board.

I tried a masters in NukeE and then switched PowerE but online programs don't work for me and there's no options in person here. And I still think I want to go back for a masters but it doesn't get me much with my company. The PE is more important. 

 

[JayKay PE]

So I also tried to be a history minor. But that desire quickly died my first semester of college when I ended up in front of the Honor Board.

I tried a masters in NukeE and then switched PowerE but online programs don't work for me and there's no options in person here. And I still think I want to go back for a masters but it doesn't get me much with my company. The PE is more important. 

Dare I ask what you did to get tangled up with the Honor Board?

As for the masters...I did it right after undergrad because my undergrad degree (an engineering science degree that was actually materials engineering) didn't really open a lot of doors for me.  Plus I knew if I started working I'd prob never make the time to go back and just get the degree.  As for the PE...I now have one, but it doubt I'm going to be using it now that I'm in public sector.  This is weird that I've worked so hard to get this license and now I...am prob not going to need it.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Dare I ask what you did to get tangled up with the Honor Board?

As for the masters...I did it right after undergrad because my undergrad degree (an engineering science degree that was actually materials engineering) didn't really open a lot of doors for me.  Plus I knew if I started working I'd prob never make the time to go back and just get the degree.  As for the PE...I now have one, but it doubt I'm going to be using it now that I'm in public sector.  This is weird that I've worked so hard to get this license and now I...am prob not going to need it.

I foolishly let a classmate look at my paper and she plagarised my paper. Without proofreading it first even. I have a tendency to double type sentences and I did that in that paper. She copied it word for word. As an english major.

My punishment was "up to failing the paper" and hers was "up to failing the class" and a semester off. I don't think she failed the class, the professor liked her a lot more than she liked me but yeah, I definitely failed that paper and it was 1 of 2 Cs in college. 

Her rook buddies and cadre ended up NOT being a character witness for her in her honor hearing. Because she had no integrity and had lied to numerous folks. Which violates many of the traditions our school is founded on. "I will not lie, cheat, or steal nor tolerate those who do". She's a garbage person but still got a Navy commission somehow. 

 

[DilutedAr18_PE]

I'm curious, RB, what else have you done?

Same with all of you? Like what jobs have you had before you were an engineer (or while you were an engineer if you have a side hustle)

I've work in half a dozen retail stores or so (including Sears, Payless, and Christopher &Banks), worked in the dishroom in the dining hall in college then switched to catering (which is partially how I paid for school - plus summer jobs & my mom's GI Bill), tutored, was an RA

When you grow up with your Grandpa and Grandma having a farm and seed dealership and your mom helping manage their book work, you get a lot of work experience at a young age. And no, not everything in Nebraska is a farm...

6-8: Worked on my Grandpa and Grandma's farm cleaning the shed, planting the vegetable garden, helping grandma in the kitchen.

9-14: All of the above plus mowing on the riding lawnmower, driving the tractor, operating the forklift, moving seed bags around in pickup trucks. 

15-18: Swimming teacher and lifeguard.

19-20: Worked in an electrical contractor's prefabrication shop.

21: Structural engineering research assistant.

22-23: Internships in MEP consulting while in undergrad and grad school.

24-present: MEP consulting full-time.

 

[Tiger15]

Dare I ask what you did to get tangled up with the Honor Board?

As for the masters...I did it right after undergrad because my undergrad degree (an engineering science degree that was actually materials engineering) didn't really open a lot of doors for me.  Plus I knew if I started working I'd prob never make the time to go back and just get the degree.  As for the PE...I now have one, but it doubt I'm going to be using it now that I'm in public sector.  This is weird that I've worked so hard to get this license and now I...am prob not going to need it.

I had no plans to get a Masters, but when I worked for Lockheed Martin, I joined their "Leadership Development Program". One of the requirements was grad school. But it was super convenient. Lockheed and NASA had an agreement with the local university and they would teach grad classes on site after work for the employees. And since it was all working students, the professors were super understanding about workload. A couple of the professors were also senior engineers at work. It took me 5 years to finish, because I'd only take 1 (occasionally 2) classes a semester, but it was a pretty good deal. (Also Lockheed paid for everything.)

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Like what jobs have you had before you were an engineer (or while you were an engineer if you have a side hustle)

I'm a total mess. Unlike most of you smart people, I had no intention of studying/working in STEM since, for my formative years, I was told I was too dumb at math and believed it.

First job: Worked at Longs Drugs (now Rite Aid?) in high school as a checker and warehouse stocker. Also worked with my younger brother so that was actually REALLY fun and was a good bonding experience. We were quite a team.

Undergrad (liberal arts major): worked in a bike shop as a bike mechanic, graphic artist for the school newspaper, and computer lab tech (all concurrently, woohoo triple job!). Picked English because I thought I had something to say (I don't), that it was easy (if taken seriously it can be quite difficult, I didn't), and I was there to have a good time (what an *****).

Inter-school years: Kept working as a bike mechanic after graduation (since I couldn't find a normal job with a liberal arts degree), then applied for the language teaching program in France. Did that for a year for some travel and shenanigans. Came back stateside, still unemployable (what an *****), so worked as a bike mechanic again while taking night classes in math/science after LadySquare encouraged me to do engineering.

Before engineering school: field technician and instrumentation technician for a variety of oil & gas consulting outfits. Also math tutor, somehow.

Side hustle: not currently, but was a contractor writing test prep questions for the PMP exam.

Public service announcement: Not that anyone actually cares for this level of detail, but just in case you have younger friends/family who are told they're too weak in math/science to do STEM OR just can't figure out a non-linear path to get to where we are OR that it's "too late" to change careers, please inform them that it's simply not true. Send them my way if they need advising/scheming.

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

I remember being in studio so late and walking home by myself freshman year, that I took my T square with me for a self defense weapon.....lolol

Remind me to bring @tj_PE along for the zombie apocalypse.

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

I do some pro-bono genealogist and genetic genealogist

Neato! How'd you learn to do that?

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Quad post!

 

[SB_VA]

Why bother? As soon as you moved in the carpet should have been pulled up immediately and the floor replaced with something with safe to walk on. Even cheap linoleum would have been a sanitary and aesthetic improvement.

BTW, I'm a former health inspector. Carpets in bathrooms and locker rooms are really really bad.

Yes!  We, thankfully, had tile in the bathrooms and wood floors on the main level.  I replaced all the carpet on the 2nd floor the 2nd day of home ownership  It was REALLY bad. 

Also, fun fact, there were 3 contrasting shades of green walls in the living room and the master bedroom was 2 shades of chocolate brown.  

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Also, fun fact, there were 3 contrasting shades of green walls in the living room and the master bedroom was 2 shades of chocolate brown.

Neato! We had 5 different types of flooring in our place. It was...bad.

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Also, SPAM.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

When you grow up with your Grandpa and Grandma having a farm and seed dealership and your mom helping manage their book work, you get a lot of work experience at a young age. And no, not everything in Nebraska is a farm...

6-8: Worked on my Grandpa and Grandma's farm cleaning the shed, planting the vegetable garden, helping grandma in the kitchen.

9-14: All of the above plus mowing on the riding lawnmower, driving the tractor, operating the forklift, moving seed bags around in pickup trucks. 

15-18: Swimming teacher and lifeguard.

19-20: Worked in an electrical contractor's prefabrication shop.

21: Structural engineering research assistant.

22-23: Internships in MEP consulting while in undergrad and grad school.

24-present: MEP consulting full-time.

Oh I forgot, my first job was cashier at my grandfathers fish market at 10yo. And I worked in an arcade(which is NOT where my arcade machine came from tho) 

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

 

[SB_VA]

The Architecture major asks, "How pretty can I make it?"
The Engineering major asks, "How strong can I make it?"

I was an Architecture Major at one point... Asked "At what point do we learn how to to make the building, you know, actually stay up and not collapse?"  I was told to be an engineer   Now I work in water resources and focus on the pipes not collapsing.  

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Public service announcement: Not that anyone actually cares for this level of detail, but just in case you have younger friends/family who are told they're too weak in math/science to do STEM OR just can't figure out a non-linear path to get to where we are OR that it's "too late" to change careers, please inform them that it's simply not true. Send them my way if they need advising/scheming.

I like this last bit

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

So I was sent new monitors. To fix a blinking monitor issue I don't have. And they're 27in. I don't want them. I still have the same monitor from when I started and then I got my second one about 4yrs ago. The older one has a grey patch but its still perfectly functional 

 

[squaretaper LIT AF PE]

Oh I forgot, my first job was cashier at my grandfathers fish market at 10yo

Neato! Child labor!

Actually, on that note, you reminded me that from age 10-ish to 15-ish I built computers on the assembly line (folks worked in the computer industry). It was fine, I was paid in food and got to hang out with my brother who was roped into the same thing.

 

[SB_VA]

Neato! We had 5 different types of flooring in our place. It was...bad.

Feel ya.  Each room upstairs had a different carpeting, but as it was leaving ASAP I didn't care.  That paint took several layers of primer to cover though.  I hate painting rooms.

 

[LyceeFruit PE]

Neato! Child labor!

Actually, on that note, you reminded me that from age 10-ish to 15-ish I built computers on the assembly line (folks worked in the computer industry). It was fine, I was paid in food and got to hang out with my brother who was roped into the same thing.

It's legal where I grew up. A child under 14yo of age may work in a family owned business, regardless of industry and without a work permit.

I worked like 20 hours the whole summer and got paid in hugs. I helped run the register and make lobstah rolls