Graduation Blues?

[ForeverZ]

The end is in sight! we got our iron rings last weekend and these past weeks have been absolute hectic as we're all scrambling to get our procrastinated reports and projects completed just in time...

I've been dreaming of the day when the end is to be the past... yet oddly in the hour of twilight I reminisce about the times we are brothers in arms in a war against our unseen enemy (time) and the triumphant victory as the report slips past wooden barrier of the ICT dropbox, while the trumpets of war belch out “Thursden!!” as an after-report reward…

but in all seriousness I’ve been a “student” for all my life (26 now) , and to be honest I think that’s all I think I know how to be. I think I will miss being labeled as a “poor student” and my diet of instant noodles being acceptable…

Is this normal? How did u guys cope with going out into the real world? Were u excited? Or is it truly as the say “school is the best era of your life”?

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by ForeverZ
How did u guys cope with going out into the real world?

By getting a real job in my area of study in second/third year.

[ForeverZ]

Interesting, was that what internship was suppose to provide me?

i had lucked out and got an offer from an technology company in vancouver working on SSD ASIC design but they offered an odd ball internship time frame that would of set me back a full year while only working for nearly a half of that time.. them being such a prestigious company, i thought about it till the last week before i declined it..

In all actuality, was internship that important if your willing to start from the bottom? i am getting old and ensuring i had the drive to finish degree was more important then a taste of the "good life" while being accustomed to a certain life style before I truly earned "it"...

[vengie]

I went straight to the field in my first summer... And the subsequent summer.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by ForeverZ
How did u guys cope with going out into the real world?
Coped by working odd jobs for eight months until I got a job with an oil and gas company. Once I got that, I was so excited I would have washed dishes for them, and in fact, the work I did for the first year was brutal. But I proved myself eventually, and then I got a chance to do some "real" engineering. A couple of guys quit, and suddenly I was the "senior" production engineer, with only two years experience.

[Type_S1]

I think working through university (internships, odd ball jobs) changes your perspective on school grratly. a lot of my friends who didn't do this were the ones who struggled with the transition.

Once you line up a job and get to know your co-workers and have friends working downtown, Working and making $$ will make you forget about school quite easily. Other then being able to get blackout any night of the week with the boys and sleeping in until 2pm the next day I can't say I miss much.

[blitz]

School sucked balls.

Making money is awesome.

You should have done internships.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by ForeverZ
Interesting, was that what internship was suppose to provide me?

Actually I wasn't even thinking about internships even though I did get one eventually, but yeah that's a big reason for them. I was working whatever grunt work I could get in my field because I knew I didn't want to be doing the shit jobs once I finished school (not to mention competing for them with other new graduates). Those jobs are for the sucker graduates who didn't plan ahead ;)

When I did get an internship, they offered to pay my final year if I agreed to continue working with them after graduation and I worked while taking classes that last year so there was no real transition for me. Hell, I was even working the morning of my convocation and had to book the afternoon off so I could walk the stage haha

[Manhattan]

If school is the best era of your life I feel bad for you son. Best times are a few years out of school when you're still a bachelor and start making some decent coin. Still young and the cashflow to enjoy the finer things in life.

Biggest difference is time value. When you're in school your time is worth nothing and you waste a lot of it. After you begin working you realize how valulable you and your time is.

[flipstah]

Internship was awesome! Met great people and made transitioning into real world easy.

I already knew expectations and money is awesome. :drool:

[Disoblige]

Originally posted by blitz
School sucked balls.

Making money is awesome.

You should have done internships.
QFT.

Sure, having fun with your friends makes school bearable, but school itself is the sucks. It also sucks when you/your friends are poor and you can't really go anywhere decent either.

The only people who I know tell me they miss university and/or want to go back to school are those who took the wrong program or they like stalling on life.

[bjstare]

Originally posted by Disoblige

QFT.

Sure, having fun with your friends makes school bearable, but school itself is the sucks. It also sucks when you/your friends are poor and you can't really go anywhere decent either.

The only people who I know tell me they miss university and/or want to go back to school are those who took the wrong program or they like stalling on life.

Haha no doubt.

School can suck it.

[davidI]

You'll love the money but miss the flexible schedule and having friends willing to have a beer at any time.

[flipstah]

Originally posted by davidI
You'll love the money but miss the flexible schedule and having friends willing to have a beer at any time.

The only thing I miss is sleeping in but nowadays, I can't even do that on the weekends :rofl:

You can always have gatherings at evening/weekends.

[davidI]

Originally posted by flipstah


The only thing I miss is sleeping in but nowadays, I can't even do that on the weekends :rofl:

You can always have gatherings at evening/weekends.

Once people have families this isn't as easy as one would hope. All depends on your group of friends though!

I'm not quite 30 and there has been a wave of divorce...so life is pretty fun again :rofl:

[a social dsease]

OP, I think I felt the same as you. I remember walking out of my last exam and being happy I was done, but it was kind of a hollow happiness. I'd spent the last 5 years working towards that one goal, dedicating my whole life to it, and now that I was there, it was like "now what?". I had the same kind of feeling you get when you finish reading a really long book, but on a greater scale. It was a really weird feeling.

It took me awhile to figure out what that feeling was. I'm the type of person that always has to be busy, always has to be moving forwards, always has to have some goal to work towards. After reaching the goal that had consumed 5 years of my life, I didn't know what my next objective was. I felt like I was back at the beginning again, only this time there was no clearly defined goal. You don't graduate work after 4-5 years. Eventually you retire, but it's so far off that it doesn't even seem real. The whole time I was in university I was just so focused on graduating that I had never really given much thought to anything beyond.

It was at this point that I began to give some serious thought as to what I wanted to do with my life. I asked myself: "Where do I want to be in 5 yrs? 10 yrs? What do I want to accomplish in life?" At the time I set myself the simple goal of getting a job, and I've set many more goals along the way (get P.ENG, buy house, travel, get married etc) but even today I still can't say with certainty exactly how I want my life to play out. I have no idea where I'll be in 5 years, let alone 10 or 20 years.

Hopefully I didn't over-analyze too much, but I do think I know how you're feeling, and I do think there's more to it that just "get a job". Eventually you will get a well-paying job but that won't necessarily guarantee happiness; if you're like me you'll always have to plan for the future, improve yourself, and set goals to work towards. But you'll never ever truly get rid of that feeling, because you'll always want more in life. And that's a good thing, it's what separates you from the people who are content to spend the rest of their lives working at WalMart, watching TV, and scratching their ass. My advice to you would be to figure out what makes you happy, and do whatever it takes to achieve that.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by blitz
School sucked balls.

Making money is awesome.

You should have done internships.

This.

I was working in my field 3 years before I graduated. Not only did it make the transition much easier, but I wasn't a poor student, and I graduated with more work experience than the average person.

Get your piece of paper that says you aren't a retard, and GTFO into the workforce.

[403ep3]

I graduated and I'm not looking back

Making money > Spending money on books

[tch7]

I'm not really much of a goal setter per se, but can relate to everything a social dsease wrote.

You've spent pretty much your entire life working to get to the next grade, the next school, and so on. However, once you finally graduate there's no clear path set out and it takes time to adjust.

The biggest issue I've had since graduating is how much free time I have. I always took extra heavy course loads which kept me busy, but now that I'm down to a 40 hour work week it's been a challenge to adjust to having so much more spare time. I suppose for a lot of people it's an enviable problem to have the feeling of too much time, but I hate not keeping busy.

The only thing I truly miss about school/university are the long breaks. Going down to 3 weeks of vacation is the shits. Otherwise life is completely better in the working world.

[NoMoreG35]

IMO school was a massive waste of time and money. Worked as an engineer for 3 years after graduation. Now I don't, and I'm a much happier person. To each their own I guess. I just don't see a future as an engineer, so I had to get out when I was still young.

[Kloubek]

I remember being in your position, OP. You label it as the "blues" but I really think it is just a combination of excitement and anxiety that occurs when we don't know where we're going in life, but know there are big changes on the horizon.

And there *are* enormous changes on the horizon.

Just take a deep breath, relax, and take a month or two off if you can. You've earned it. You're probably never going to have the freedom to take that much time off again so enjoy it!

Then put your nose down and find yourself the best job opportunity you can that will set you up best for your future. The reason I say this is because there are plenty of jobs out there that might make more money at first, but won't provide you with the experience required to make a life-long career for yourself.

Once you get your career on track and get some experience behind you, the money starts rolling in and then you can watch the rest of your life unfold. I gotta tell you - I'm so far removed from the days that I had to eat mac & cheese and Ichiban; I love it!

Another great moment for me after graduation is when I had all my student loans paid off. I am not sure if you mentioned anything in the thread (I only skimmed it), but it was certainly a pleasing moment as well. And if, somehow, you manage not to have any student loans at this point then you're that much farther ahead in the game.

[nicknolte]

Originally posted by tch7
I'm not really much of a goal setter per se, but can relate to everything a social dsease wrote.

You've spent pretty much your entire life working to get to the next grade, the next school, and so on. However, once you finally graduate there's no clear path set out and it takes time to adjust.

The biggest issue I've had since graduating is how much free time I have. I always took extra heavy course loads which kept me busy, but now that I'm down to a 40 hour work week it's been a challenge to adjust to having so much more spare time. I suppose for a lot of people it's an enviable problem to have the feeling of too much time, but I hate not keeping busy.



The free time issue is something I'm anticipating a struggle with as well. I've gotten to used to working while being in school that having any down time feels weird. I can't imagine having to do only one or the other at this point.


Also, school is such a convenient security net (socially, academically, responsibility-wise, etc) it's hard not to be worried about failing as an adult.

[msommers]

The jobs I got going to school were what really kept me going. Doing a lot of field work with the government in helicopters all summer in the Rockies and NWT, working downtown 8 months and now doing remote work for O&G, all the while making money...fuck school. I was talking to a buddy this morning how some people were complaining about exams, reports etc on Facebook and how we don't miss that at all. Honestly, the social aspect of school is the only thing I miss. The people I went to school with were awesome and I don't see them nearly as much or at all which gives me the blues.

[bastardchild]

Originally posted by NoMoreG35
IMO school was a massive waste of time and money. Worked as an engineer for 3 years after graduation. Now I don't, and I'm a much happier person. To each their own I guess. I just don't see a future as an engineer, so I had to get out when I was still young.

Amen, gotta do what you love to do.

[max_boost]

Acquiring currency should be the top of everyone's to do list. Once you have that, you can do whatever you want. :D

[dirtsniffer]

Originally posted by bastardchild


Amen, gotta do what you love to do.

Drive by the mechanical engineering building today?


Write my last exam in 1 hour! fuuuck ya

[jwslam]

Originally posted by max_boost
Acquiring currency should be the top of everyone's to do list. Once you have that, you can do whatever you want. :D
You only need some. Enough so you can HELOC er'thang else.

[revelations]

Originally posted by max_boost
Acquiring TONS AND TONS of material possessions is on the top of many peoples to do list. Once you have that, you can do whatever you want. :D

Fixed.


Once you get over that phase, you realize that excessive material wealth is less important than time to do the things you like.

For eg. I make less $$ being self employed but am 10x happier with life.

[dirtsniffer]

Done school. Fuck. Time for some money.

[samo147]

Originally posted by NoMoreG35
IMO school was a massive waste of time and money. Worked as an engineer for 3 years after graduation. Now I don't, and I'm a much happier person. To each their own I guess. I just don't see a future as an engineer, so I had to get out when I was still young.

curious, but what your doing now?

[dj_patm]

Meh, I graduated this semester but I've been working full time for two years so the only feeling I have is relief that I don't have to worry about school anymore.

Otherwise it's same old.

[FixedGear]

I'm surprised everyone here hates school so much. I absolutely loved undergrad, those were probably the best years of my life. :dunno:

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by max_boost
Acquiring currency should be the top of everyone's to do list. Once you have that, you can do whatever you want. :D

Or instead of living for weekends, you could do it the smart way and build a (paying) career doing whatever you want in the first place. :dunno:

[effingidiot]

Originally posted by FixedGear
I'm surprised everyone here hates school so much. I absolutely loved undergrad, those were probably the best years of my life. :dunno:

If you haven't noticed yet: Alberta is a very anti-intellectual place.

[max_boost]

lol yea yea yea, science of motivation: autonomy, mastery and purpose. yea yea yea, you buy things with money you don't have to impress people you don't like. yea yea yea.

here's a vid too

u6XAPnuFjJc

So serious.

End of the day, give me currency and I will be even more happier than I am now. LOL :rofl:

[flipstah]

Originally posted by FixedGear
I'm surprised everyone here hates school so much. I absolutely loved undergrad, those were probably the best years of my life. :dunno:

Undergrad was fun for me too and that's where I met some of my good friends now.

I miss BSD haha.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by FixedGear
I'm surprised everyone here hates school so much. I absolutely loved undergrad, those were probably the best years of my life. :dunno:

You enjoyed them because:

A) Sheltered as a kid, never experienced the world before going directly into post secondary (mummy and daddy paying for a 2 month trip to backpack around europe doesn't count)

B) Had your education paid for

Anyone who has lived life a little by the time 18 years old roles around realizes that school is 4 years that your life gets put on hold. I've met a lot more INTERESTING, WORLDLY people (not graduated high school dbags or snobby rich kids) in my travels/time out of school then school ever offered me.

Schooling has its place. The fact is, since schooling places such an high emphasis on the grade, true learning takes a back seat. Fuck anybody that says Albertan's don't like education, at most, they don't like the system.

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


You enjoyed them because:

A) Sheltered as a kid, never experienced the world before going directly into post secondary (mummy and daddy paying for a 2 month trip to backpack around europe doesn't count)

B) Had your education paid for


You're stating as fact ignorant, baseless assumptions about my childhood and college finances, all because I said I enjoyed my undergrad? not cool, get real, dude. :rolleyes:


Originally posted by HiTempguy1

Anyone who has lived life a little by the time 18 years old roles around realizes that school is 4 years that your life gets put on hold. I've met a lot more INTERESTING, WORLDLY people (not graduated high school dbags or snobby rich kids) in my travels/time out of school then school ever offered me.

Schooling has its place. The fact is, since schooling places such an high emphasis on the grade, true learning takes a back seat. Fuck anybody that says Albertan's don't like education, at most, they don't like the system.

Interesting as I have a completely different perspective on this. I have a Career in academia that has brought me all over the world. I've been to just about every state and province in US and Canada, most of nothern mexico. I lived in Canada on a visa for 12 years, traveled to central and south america, and to Europe a dozen times. I collaborate with people from all over the world, and I get to do things that most people can only watch on National Geographic and Discovery Channel... and, I've actually been on the Discovery Channel.

Your statement that school "puts your life on hold" and makes you a less interesting and worldy person is dead wrong. :dunno:

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1

Anyone who has lived life a little by the time 18 years old roles around realizes that school is 4 years that your life gets put on hold.

and this is the dumbest statement i've ever heard in my entire life. education doesn't put your life on hold! it exposes you to new ideas, provides you with new opportunities, and opens doors to possibilities that you otherwise wouldn't even know existed. it's a path towards learning what you are good at and what you enjoy doing, and everyone is richer for having it, whether they make $150k/year working the rigs or $30k/year being a dancer. :dunno:

[nobb]

Originally posted by FixedGear


and this is the dumbest statement i've ever heard in my entire life. education doesn't put your life on hold! it exposes you to new ideas, provides you with new opportunities, and opens doors to possibilities that you otherwise wouldn't even know existed. it's a path towards learning what you are good at and what you enjoy doing, and everyone is richer for having it, whether they make $150k/year working the rigs or $30k/year being a dancer. :dunno:

Well said. I dont know why some people are so anti-intelligence. There's more to life and being a productive individual than bringing home a paycheck as soon as you turn 18 so that you can blow it on drinking, partying and travelling.

Most University degrees are useless in terms of direct work related application, no argument there. But it does show commitment, as well as a deeper level capability in terms of understanding many philosophical, social, science, and academic matters. It's just a shame that the system is structured more-so as a business these days to take money from students.

[themack89]

Originally posted by FixedGear
Interesting as I have a completely different perspective on this. I have a BS, an MSc, and a PhD, and I now have a research position at a Research-1 university in the US. My career in academia has brought me all over the world. I've been to just about every state and province in US and Canada, most of nothern mexico. I lived in Canada on a visa for 12 years, traveled to central and south america, and to Europe a dozen times. I collaborate with people from all over the world, and in fact *just* received an email from colleagues from Oxford who are overseeing our field work in Peru. I get to do things that most people can only watch on National Geographic and Discovery Channel... and, I've actually been on the Discovery Channel.

If you are as smart and educated as you suggest, you should also know exceptions don't make the rule.

I don't fully agree with Hi-Temp, but I think he is right when he says the emphasis on grades generally makes learning take a back seat. Very, very true.

[JordanEG6]

Why would anyone be bummed about graduating? Imagine going home from work with NOTHING to study for and no homework to do. All the while making money and buying shit you couldn't buy as a broke student.

IMO, worrk experience + money + free time >>>> school + studying/homework + being broke

[M.alex]

If you think school is better than making money you're doing it wrong then.

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by M.alex
If you think school is better than making money you're doing it wrong then.

If you're not making money by going to school, then you're doing it wrong. :poosie:

[8baller8]

university = awesome for years 1-3.

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by FixedGear


I have a Career in academia that has brought me all over the world. I've been to just about every state and province in US and Canada, most of nothern mexico. I lived in Canada on a visa for 12 years, traveled to central and south america, and to Europe a dozen times. I collaborate with people from all over the world, and I get to do things that most people can only watch on National Geographic and Discovery Channel... and, I've actually been on the Discovery Channel.

Who paid for your education? Maybe you got scholarships. Maybe you didn't. As pointed out, congrats on being an outlier, you clearly represent the average student population.


and everyone is richer for having it, whether they make $150k/year working the rigs or $30k/year being a dancer.

Actually, being a $30k per year dancer makes everyone poorer, but I digress. Typical ungrounded pie in the sky academic. I work with a lot of those in the R&D field, so while I understand where you are coming from, your whole perspective doesn't match the reality of 99% of North Americans.

The point is, not everyone gets this magical opportunity you did (in whatever way it came about) to learn about anything they want... and then have it be meaningful in the real world. Education is typically a means to an end to get a decent paying job. Did I enjoy my post secondary education? Yes. Would I have loved to have the opportunity to learn about ANYTHING I wanted during post secondary? Absolutely. Unfortunately, the circumstances at the time weren't right for me.

To come off and have no-brains below your post say that Alberta is anti-intellectual is retarded. Albertans do value education. They value PRACTICAL education. Not wishy-washy bullshit that adds no value to nothing.

Which is still off topic, the point is, the typical university education is a 4 year grind where you not only earn very little money, you put a lot of it out to maybe get a decent job/career going.

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1


Who paid for your education? Maybe you got scholarships. Maybe you didn't. As pointed out, congrats on being an outlier, you clearly represent the average student population.



Actually, being a $30k per year dancer makes everyone poorer, but I digress. Typical ungrounded pie in the sky academic. I work with a lot of those in the R&D field, so while I understand where you are coming from, your whole perspective doesn't match the reality of 99% of North Americans.

The point is, not everyone gets this magical opportunity you did (in whatever way it came about) to learn about anything they want... and then have it be meaningful in the real world. Education is typically a means to an end to get a decent paying job. Did I enjoy my post secondary education? Yes. Would I have loved to have the opportunity to learn about ANYTHING I wanted during post secondary? Absolutely. Unfortunately, the circumstances at the time weren't right for me.

To come off and have no-brains below your post say that Alberta is anti-intellectual is retarded. Albertans do value education. They value PRACTICAL education. Not wishy-washy bullshit that adds no value to nothing.

Which is still off topic, the point is, the typical university education is a 4 year grind where you not only earn very little money, you put a lot of it out to maybe get a decent job/career going.

wow u mad.


http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnzb9eXMZl1qaarijo1_500.gif

[8baller8]

^^

He's right about how Albertan's value education. It's valued a bit differently in places like QC and ONT. Maybe because the universities are higher level? Who knows...

But in a lot of cases, arts degrees don't really prepare you for employment.

[themack89]

Originally posted by FixedGear
wow u mad.

:confused:

It's not my battle, but is this actually your response? Quality.

He made valid points and didn't come across as if he was trying to insult anybody or yourself. You can do better than that, I was actually hoping you would because not many people would have the perspective you do given your background.

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by themack89

He made valid points

Really? Exactly which points were valid? His assertions that education is a waste of time? His baseless assumptions that my parents paid for my education, and his insinuation that I am therefore lazy or stupid? What about his claim that I was sheltered as a kid and have never experienced the real world? Gimme a break, this guy is a troll with no point at all, and there is no point in arguing with him! Let him preach his anti-intellectual message to the masses, wtf do I care?


Originally posted by themack89
and didn't come across as if he was trying to insult anybody or yourself.

uhh, wut? This guy's posts are some of the angriest and most insulting that I've read on beyond in a long time:


Originally posted by HiTempguy1
Actually, being a $30k per year dancer makes everyone poorer, but I digress.


Originally posted by HiTempguy1
Typical ungrounded pie in the sky academic.


Originally posted by HiTempguy1
To come off and have no-brains below your post say that Alberta is anti-intellectual is retarded.


Originally posted by HiTempguy1
They value PRACTICAL education. Not wishy-washy bullshit that adds no value to nothing.



Originally posted by themack89

You can do better than that, I was actually hoping you would because not many people would have the perspective you do given your background.

What else can I say that I didn't already say? Education is valuable because it exposes you to new ways of thinking that you would otherwise never know existed, AND because it opens doors of opportunity that you otherwise would not have had. :dunno: Everyone is richer for having an education, whether they use it for financial gains or not (which was my point about the $30k/year dancer, which angry guy missed entirely.)

[themack89]

Originally posted by FixedGear
What else can I say that I didn't already say? Education is valuable because it exposes you to new ways of thinking that you would otherwise never know existed, AND because it opens doors of opportunity that you otherwise would not have had. :dunno: Everyone is richer for having an education, whether they use it for financial gains or not (which was my point about the $30k/year dancer, which angry guy missed entirely.)

Good summary.

See man, it wasn't too hard lol.

[FixedGear]

Originally posted by themack89


Good summary.

See man, it wasn't too hard lol.

But my point had already been made - I posted all of that on the previous page. No sense in reposting the same thing over and over and over and over. :)