I'm a mechanical engineering freshman and my preliminary results just got released. I failed differential calculus, still don't know if I passed chemistry. I know I can still catch up, it's just the preliminaries and there's still two more terms to even out my odds. the data seems to be against me though.60% of those who went in an engineering programs end up leaving engineering for a different program entirely. I don't really mind being a part of that 60%. I was never really the type of person you expect to be an engineer in the first place. I'm an artistic type of person. I've been doing layout and design for well over 4 years now (started in 2022 when I joined a campus journal/publication), blender for more or less 4 years (thought of it as more of a hobby and know stuff like modelling, retopology, rigging (IK/FK), procedural shading, optimization, compositing, particle systems, lighting) and photography for well over 4 years, which is by fare the skill I'm most competent in. The only reason I got into engineering is because dad is an engineer, he knows the the college's dean and our government doesn't do scholarships for art degrees because actual creative degrees are often only found in private colleges (which we cannot afford, even though my dad is a licensed engineer [that's just how it is where I'm from]). Now I'm stuck in a mechanical engineering program that's draining me. I guess the advice I would like to ask is: > do I continue to pursue mechanical engineering? I guess I could try and see what happens.> shift to a different, non-engineering course?> ditch college? maybe do photography full time (you don't really need a degree to do it after all)I'm actually stumped right now, any advice would help.
Engineering is a ballcrushing major even if you love it. I would strongly recommend getting some kind of degree. See if there's an associate's degree for drafting or something that lets you draw without killing yourself with too much math.
>>34908858unfortunately, the university I'm in doesn't offer associates degrees, even worse, a vast majority of colleges where I'm from don't really offer associates degrees anymore. The closest thing we have is a three-year vocational degree, which is basically trade school but structured in a way where you can study for another year and get what is essentially an undergraduate degree. I have considered it before, it's more hands on practical stuff instead of abstract mathematics, my options are limited. The university I'm in offers courses for automotive and computer systems, so far they seem to be my better options. The three year degree in automotive would probably help me get a job in heavy industries, which makes a lot of sense since I'm forklift certified (literally), though the same can be said for mechanical engineering.
>>34908838You're clearly trying to talk yourself into leaving it.But the question you have to ask yourself is what you want out of work. Often it's better to get a good job and leave your passion as a passion. Once you add all the added bullshit that comes with a job to your passion, it will quickly lose its lustre. But some people make it work. If you like those things you describe because you take satisfaction in that type of work it maybe that's a better area to pursue.You don't want to do a soul crushing job just to afford the things you want to do because your soul will be too crushed to do anything outside of work. But you don't want to turn your passion into a job if it risks detracting significantly from what you enjoy about it.The best things to do are either find a job that is good enough that you can live comfortably and the stress is low enough that you can live outside work, or find work of a nature that you find highly satisfying in of itself. But you need to know what types of work you like and dislike first and how well you can tolerate dealing with idiot colleagues/customers/clients/bosses
