Am I at a weird age?

[STRONGBADF1]

I feel the same way. Engineering is so much about 'solutions' and it is hard not to get hammered in details...both at work and in life. It's hard to not engineer my life, and the dynamics of school didn't allow me to do that socially.

Engineers are trained to solve problems, now we have a lot of people doing that, but I feel new engineers shouldn't just solve problems like better vacuums or smaller cameras, maybe we should look into different needs that aren't produced by the mass production market and look at the interaction between human and machines, and what type of emotions they generate? I think a lot of the mass production market tries to make a object smaller or faster or lighter, but they don't deal with the real physiological or emotional needs like your talking about: wonder and astonishment and basic emotions.

I think as a kid you draw and do crafts and draw and that is totally normal and seems to be what you do as a kid. The weird tragedy is when I became an adult I feel like I grew up and lost that. What drew me to engineering was creativity, not solutions.

It's hard to go from work and then go home and try to be spontanious and creative and full of life.

You need to be the one setting the parameters that need to be solved to reinstate the creativity IMO.

 

[highfigh]

I feel the same way. Engineering is so much about 'solutions' and it is hard not to get hammered in details...both at work and in life. It's hard to not engineer my life, and the dynamics of school didn't allow me to do that socially.

Engineers are trained to solve problems, now we have a lot of people doing that, but I feel new engineers shouldn't just solve problems like better vacuums or smaller cameras, maybe we should look into different needs that aren't produced by the mass production market and look at the interaction between human and machines, and what type of emotions they generate? I think a lot of the mass production market tries to make a object smaller or faster or lighter, but they don't deal with the real physiological or emotional needs like your talking about: wonder and astonishment and basic emotions.

I think as a kid you draw and do crafts and draw and that is totally normal and seems to be what you do as a kid. The weird tragedy is when I became an adult I feel like I grew up and lost that. What drew me to engineering was creativity, not solutions.

It's hard to go from work and then go home and try to be spontanious and creative and full of life.

Maybe this is just a matter of scope creep, where your mind spends more time engaged in thoughts about work and less about personal things.

If you want ot be more creative, I would definitely look into industrial design.

 

[droht]

Keep in mind boys that being an engineer is your job, it does not have to be your total personality and way of life. Well, that's at least true for some of you I suppose...

 

[Adam]

Hey, I'm an engineer.

NTTAWWT.

 

[Quickley17]

What is NTTAWWT?

 

[Ares]

What is NTTAWWT?

Not That There's Anything Wrong With That.

 

[son-yah-tive]

The love of technology, has taken the human factor out of many things in life. It's gotten to the point where people do not communicate at a personal level as in years past. So, it has become a TASK. It's as though society has to relearn what use to come naturally. Remembering to see someone as an individual instead of a collective will help. But, you have the desire. But, I'm no expert that's for sure.

 

[lsiberian]

Some ideas from brainstorming:

1. Volunteer(especially with kids) you might even meet a teacher. Engineers tend to attract teachers.
2. Tip big at your favorite restaurant
3. Get a pet from a shelter and give it a great life.
4. When you buy something ask for ways you can help the salesman get more props/commission/etc
5. When someone asks a favor go further and do more.
6. Find a homeless man and give him a large sum of cash just because you can. Sure he might spend them on boos, but everyone likes a good drink.
7. Go to Africa if you haven't and work at an orphanage for a couple of weeks. (You will get more out of it than you will give to it.)

Of course there are many other things you could do, but these are just some I've thought of.

 

[mudrummer99]

I feel ya sensi. Working in retail my hours are all over the place. Most of my friends here are actually husbands of my wife's friends, and while great people, have very different interests than me. Most of these friends are either having or attempting to have babies as well, so this situation will only get worse as time goes on. All my friends from college are spread all over the country as well. While at work I do have many people I get along with and would love to hang out with, but I'm in management and feel awkward about doing so with employees that I oversee. You are definitely not alone.

Mike

 

[MidnightSensi]

It's very comforting to know others have felt or feel the same way.

The love of technology, has taken the human factor out of many things in life. It's gotten to the point where people do not communicate at a personal level as in years past. So, it has become a TASK. It's as though society has to relearn what use to come naturally. Remembering to see someone as an individual instead of a collective will help. But, you have the desire. But, I'm no expert that's for sure.

Facebook, text-messages, e-mail, and to a lesser extent mobile phones, are all ways to sort of talk to somebody but not actually connect with them. It's communication on your own time.

I got tons of "Happy New Year" text messages and "Merry Christmas" facebooks.... Nice of people to think to do that, but, man it sure gets a bit cold communicating that way. Maybe technology just spreads us too thin?

 

[markw]

Excellent Point

The interpersonal, face-to-face method of meeting people does seem to be a dying art. People seem more comfortable interfacing with computers as intermediaries nowadays. It somewhat insulates them from the horrors of dealing with new acquaintances face-to-face.

From what I see, this is common once one leaves college and don't have the security of their group's support.

As other suggested, try to get involved with groups that share your interests gather. (no, not bars! )

If needed, develop some new interests. Hiking, bird-watching, astronomy, even night courses that might not lead to a degree like music or art lessons, etc...

 

[son-yah-tive]

It's very comforting to know others have felt or feel the same way.



Facebook, text-messages, e-mail, and to a lesser extent mobile phones, are all ways to sort of talk to somebody but not actually connect with them. It's communication on your own time.

I got tons of "Happy New Year" text messages and "Merry Christmas" facebooks.... Nice of people to think to do that, but, man it sure gets a bit cold communicating that way. Maybe technology just spreads us too thin?

You HIT the NAIL right on the head! It comes down to what's convienent in social terms.

 

[Ares]

The whole college experience I can not relate to because I have been working since the age of 15 but I do understand about begin alone. When I started with my former company it was in the office and all the other employees where much older than I was so we had nothing in common and I had nothing in common with the kids my own age because I had a family to support. So what I am saying is at some point in our lives there is a period where we feel like we don't belong to one group or another, we leave some friends behind or some of them leave us it's apart of life. If you do the things that make you happy you will find people that share your interests and you will have a different group of friends not better or worse just different. It's very hard for single people to be friends with married people w/kids not saying it's impossible just hard, reason is our priorities are different. Just a piece of friendly advice keep your work life separate from your home life if possible. Good Luck and may you find Happiness and a good group of friends.

 

[Halon451]

I feel your pain Sensi - I've come through a bit of that myself in recent times, mostly due to a change in career paths (of sorts), and the fact I've now been separated for nearly a year, which has suddenly left me struggling to find my sense of direction again. Since we never had kids, I'm kind of in the same boat all of a sudden - makes for an awkward position in life for sure. One of the best bits of advice I've seen on here thus far is to volunteer yourself - the key here is to learn to live outside of yourself, realize that you're just one human in this world out of 5-6 billion, and mankind has always survived due to the ability of humans to help other humans in need. It's a great, simple way to focus less on yourself and realize the good you're doing for others, which provides rewards that are far greater than the effort you put into it, whatever that might be.

Good luck man - keep your chin up!

 

[Davemcc]

I just wanted to add my 2¢. I'm also in pretty much the same situation. My social circle has ended up being spread across the continent. Right now, it's just me and my wife left in town. Sure, we've both got some family left here but that's not the same as people you choose as your friends. We try to arrange gtg's and dinners with people that we think might share similar interests but it's not the same as when we were younger and could just "hang out" all the time. From the other posts here, I see we are not alone in this situation.

 

[lsiberian]

What we really need is a teleporter. Then we could all hang out at Gene's place lol.

 

[chris357]

ok, I have not read all the comments yet.. but I wanted to post before I forgot my train of thought ... yeah I'm 40 and bring on the old jokes LOL

as for me.. I'm a little different I'm single never married and rarely in a long term realtionship.. I date and do stuff but as time goes on my friends seem to get married and have kids.. and as luck would have it I stay friends with them but also make new younger friends who are not married yet.. and still like to go out or do stuff..

I'm not partying or drinking all night.. but i still have people to socialize with. and yes there is a little generation gap but I have a decent sense of humor and can take a joke so its ok..

anyway thats my take good or bad at least until i figure out what i want to do with my life and settle down and get married

 

[Alex2507]

ok, I have not read all the comments yet.. but I wanted to post before I forgot my train of thought ... yeah I'm 40 and bring on the old jokes LOL

as for me.. I'm a little different I'm single never married and rarely in a long term realtionship.. I date and do stuff but as time goes on my friends seem to get married and have kids.. and as luck would have it I stay friends with them but also make new younger friends who are not married yet.. and still like to go out or do stuff..

I'm not partying or drinking all night.. but i still have people to socialize with. and yes there is a little generation gap but I have a decent sense of humor and can take a joke so its ok..

anyway thats my take good or bad at least until i figure out what i want to do with my life and settle down and get married

You're a guy, right? I wanted to say something pretty funny but it would really be inappropriate if you were a woman. 'Chris' is one of those names. Either way once you find a good man you'll be all set.

 

[Ito]

I kind of feel odd commenting in here, since I'm only 20, but because of my personality I think I understand.

I am currently a junior in college, but the thing is that I don't drink, and thus I don't "party." Which kind of sucks because if you didn't know, there really isn't too many people at college who don't party. It's also not that I have a problem with having friends who drink and party, it's just impossible to hang out with them because of it. It's also no just my college friends, but a lot of my friends from high school. Luckily I have a handful of good friends that either don't drink or drink casually that I hang out with a lot.

I realize my situation is probably much different, but I think I at least understand a little bit.

 

[MidnightSensi]

From what I see, this is common once one leaves college and don't have the security of their group's support.

As other suggested, try to get involved with groups that share your interests gather. (no, not bars! )

If needed, develop some new interests. Hiking, bird-watching, astronomy, even night courses that might not lead to a degree like music or art lessons, etc...

Yeah, I might take an art class. There is a ton of art stuff down here, so,

I kind of feel odd commenting in here, since I'm only 20, but because of my personality I think I understand.

I am currently a junior in college, but the thing is that I don't drink, and thus I don't "party." Which kind of sucks because if you didn't know, there really isn't too many people at college who don't party. It's also not that I have a problem with having friends who drink and party, it's just impossible to hang out with them because of it. It's also no just my college friends, but a lot of my friends from high school. Luckily I have a handful of good friends that either don't drink or drink casually that I hang out with a lot.

I realize my situation is probably much different, but I think I at least understand a little bit.

I know from having friends that threw a lot of parties, on a really sloppy night it would work out to each person = 3 beers/cups. On a easy night, each person = 1 cup. Meaning, there are people who would have 8 beers, but for every one of those guys there are many more who are just having one or two. There are people who get hammered, but most people just have a few beers. Lots of people at parties aren't really that drunk, there are a few that don't get it or are crazy and get hammered or just feel like getting hammered that night, but majority are buzzed at best. Then the next morning if you look around, there are tons of half-empty and nearly full beers around. People just carry them around half the time.

Not sure if that helps you, but, I guess I just wanted to say you can go to parties and fit in as long as you don't preach 'don't drink' ... people will just figure you do and probably not even ask you otherwise. You won't have to lie, because, it just won't come up.... especially once your 21 and drinking isn't a 'big secret' anymore.