How / Why I Am In Engineering
When I was a small kid, my ambition was to be a scientist, not the scientist like the maniac in the G10 Movie starred by our beloved Mun Kit though. I thought it was cool to see scientist creating things for human for better future and also playing with all the high tech gadgets and the chemicals.
When Jurrasic Park came out, I was interested in dinosours. Then,I changed my ambition from scientist to a Fossil/Dinosours related scientist, paleontology to be exact. Thanks to Sleeping Princess a.k.a Yok Cheng in giving me the correct information. I was so in love with dinosours that I read any books or articles and watched any shows including cartoons that is related to dinosours. I could name and write out all the famous dinosours name and even tell you everything in details about the dinosour. I was in Standard 5 or 6 that time. My parents were laughing at my ambition. Never mind, I enjoyed having dreams.
As I moved into secondary school, I lost my dreams and have no particular ambition in my mind. Until now, I still do not know what am I going to be. However, after my SPM, I need to choose where and how I shall walk the path that leads me to my future. Being lost and confused about my own future and also not wanting to study Form 6, my dad suggested that I apply for Multimedia University since I could only apply for private local university and MMU looked more promising compare to others. Looking at the forms, I decided to study “Software Engineering”, under IT field since I was more interested in computers and programmings. However, I made a silly mistake when filling up the form by not going through the book that contains all the information about the courses provided by MMU.
Thinking that “Software ‘Engineering’” contained the word “Engineering”, I applied for Alpha (Pre-U) Engineering. It did make sense to me at that time, thinking that it was under the field of engineering because the course contained the word “Engineering”. I finished my Pre-U just like anybody else and when we were about to choose our degree course, I was shocked. I went through the course list given by Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FET) a few times and I still could not find my course - “Software Engineering”. I went to consult my senior and he told me that “Software Engineering” is under IT field or Faculty of Information, Science and Technology (FIST), not Engineering or FET. Only then, I realized that I took the wrong foundation course. I was dumbfucked. My first mistake.
Thinking that I made a silly mistake one year ago when applying for my foundation course, I had no choice but to choose engineering courses. Actually, I could have a chance to jump into IT field just like that even though I did not go through the entire IT foundation course, but I did not do so. I was afraid to discuss this with my parents as that year, my relationship with my parents was not very good either and it would create a lot of problem for my PTPTN (Higher Education Fund). Therefore, I continued my studies by choosing “Electronics” degree course and major in computers. Thinking that I could still study a little bit of programming and learn about computers, in compensation of my “Software Engineering”, I made the second mistake.
Before I started my degree course and throughout my foundation year, I realized what I really wanted to be - chef and/or food connoisseur. I fell in love with cooking and eating.I love to see the smile that I could bring when my friends have a chance to eat the food that I made by myself, like boiling desserts for my family or Bean Bean for NeeNee or making a simple breakfast for my old friend. I love to eat till I traveled around Malaysia for 1 week, passing by Ipoh, Bidor, Tapah, Cameron Highlands, Penang, Langkawi, Kota Bahru, Kemaman, Kuatan, Kuala Terengganu, Segamat, Johor Bahru and a few more. Every place I went, my friends and I would have a feast and I would jot down everything that I tasted. I spent nearly RM1000 for that trip and it was worth every single cent, and food took up nearly 70% of my budget. I could have quitted from MMU and continued with my dreams, but I did not do so. As I was afraid that my parents would dislike my ambition and dreams, thinking that I was just having another foolish dream. I put down my own dreams and continued with my degree course. This is the third mistake I have made.
I personally feel that I am not stupid, more like I am just lazy. This is what I think and it was proven over and over again throughout my seconday school life or in other matters. I am just lazy. However, I realized that my intelligence is not meant for engineering. I do not want to elaborate this in details, as for those who studies engineering course, only they know how difficult it is. I am not enjoying a single bit of my course and I am suffering from it. The skill and level of understanding and problem solving are highly required and I personally feel that I lack of this two, not by small margin too. I try to seek help from seniors and going through reference or textbook, but still and until now, I still do not understand what I have studied throughout the 2 years of my degree course. Everything is so complex to a simple minded person like me, and it takes triple effort just to know and understand how to start deriving the formulas, equations and the circuits while my housemates could have derive them just like that.
All I could do now, is to study harder and to make sure that I pass all my papers. I am not aiming for an “A” or “B”, but I have to make sure I pass and I have tried my best. I really regretted taking up engineering. It was not my cup of tea AT ALL.
-sighs-
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March 2nd, 2005 22:20
The term engineering in Malaysia is quite different from western countries. In our country, Engineering means maintanence and testing. No research, if you are aiming for research, it will be quite some time or maybe we won’t even reach the level.
March 2nd, 2005 22:57
Never know why i choose to be an engineer either. So, just like you said, i have to bear with the ‘wrong’ decision i made and now i almost reach the level of giving up my course totally…but i think i have come too far to just give up like that. By the way, i only have seven weeks left before i gradute…:)…cant wait for my graduation day.
March 2nd, 2005 23:02
Sometimes we ended up with things that we don’t really like, but because of a lot of reasons, we continue doing it and hopefully we will like it one day.
By the way, fossil/dinosaur related field is called paleontology.
March 2nd, 2005 23:10
under unforseen circumstances ppl always end up doing what they initially din’t think they would be doing.. good luck :) since you’ve made a point of no return.. hope you find a different live in ee engineering lorr :|
March 2nd, 2005 23:35
funny tht we usually choose the subjrct we thought it suit us perfectly but later found not wht we want at all.
I love painting, I took a great deal of time join contest and won a three years scholarship in MIA (malasia insitute of art), but after first semester I found I was so miserable, and then quit the college.
regret? no. but very sorry to up set my dad.
until now I still don’t know wht was the reason, let me think about it, may be can blog it one day.
March 2nd, 2005 23:58
As for me, I chose the Engineering field because the demand for it is high, and it kept getting higher. The job market is flooded with social science and IT graduates that it’s hard to survive with the popular courses.
For me, reality first, dreams second.
March 3rd, 2005 01:35
As for me? I got no certs at all but I earned damn good salary leh. So, my theory is - go with the flow and don’t go against the tide too much or else you will feel tired. Chef Wan was an accountant.
March 3rd, 2005 08:10
My nephew loved dinasaurs too. I would be taken to his dinasaur exhibition whenever I went to his house in those days after Jurasic Park.
BTW, many ppl do not end up working in the lines they chose becos along the way, like you, they realised its not them. FYI, my brother has an engineering degree but he is now in IT industry, Mr MG has an engineering degree but he is now in the finance industry. So just do the best you can in your studies and follow your dreams after that.
March 3rd, 2005 10:48
And my lengchai nephew is a doctor but he is in informatics, meaning he wires the hospitals and doctors with IT. My niece is a chemist from USM but she is an engineer and another niece study multimedia but doesn’t know what a blog is and working in something else. Mix more with Ah Sahms and who knows you will end up as a cookshow host cum recipe book author. Or even more glamour, a gossip show!
March 3rd, 2005 10:55
lol nice one.. you get on TV show then you go.. “i’m a chef.. but i have a fucking ee degree” :))
March 3rd, 2005 11:34
Since you are in it, learn to love it. Don’t think you hate it just becos you do not understand or do well in it. Learn to love it, and it will love you back.
“Aiyo, what are all these rubbish talking about, I dun understand a word in these notes..! But hey, nice graffitis you guys are..” :)
Thinking you are in wrong course makes you more miserable. You can choose…why choose misery?
Life has a way of working itself out. If it is not working for you now, that’s becos it hasn’t started to work, not that it won’t. Or maybe you have lessons to learn before you get to what you want.
Be kind to yourself.
March 3rd, 2005 12:44
Mr. Kiasu - I agree with your point.Engineers in Malaysia are more towards mantainance and repair,unless you are under the R&D department.
Mei Gie - First time seeing you here.You are part of “The Hub” and also from mrkiasu.com,right?Thanks for dropping by.Seems that most of us chose the wrong course.But at least you are going to graduate soon after suffering/enjoying(?) for 4 years in this course.I’m half way through only.7 weeks?I suspect you are a MMU student.:P
Pig’ princess - Yeah,why we always do that?To force ourself to love something that we don’t love from the begining or at all.Thanks for your info.
Twinsmom - You have a lot of talent in drawing,but why did you do so?At least you didn’t regret,but I do.Looking forward to your story in your blog.;)
nsds3 - Engineers always have high demand in the market and industry,with EE topping the chart.But now,it seems that everybody is going for robotics.:)Everything is all about robots and machines.Demand is always high,but how many could actually survived the stiff competition?First class honours are handful nowadays.I have seen engineers selling insurance or picking up other jobs.
MG - Sighz,everybody would put down their dreams and bow to reality.I’m glad to hear that your family members and Mr.MG is doing well even though it is not what he stuided.All the best.
Earthtone - Not only I do not understand and can’t do well,its too complex for people like me.I don’t know whether I will love it or not,but I will just ensure that I will get through all the hardship.Positive thinking does help a lot in this type of matter,but Jason is a pesimistic person.However,like you said,I have the choice to choose “happy” or “misery”.”Life has a way of working itself out.” Nice quote from you.;)I got to love myself more first before I love other things.:)
5xmom - Guess you manage to turn the table even without a cert,yeah?I am currently going with the flow,not forcing too much.Let it be,everything will start to falls in once I am clear with what I want and how I want it to be.:)For now,the piority is to get myself graduate with a degree of CE from MMU.I think I have been mixing a lot with SAHMs lately.:P So,if I make my own cooking show and write my recipe book,you all will “bong chan” one oh?
MunKit - Yeap,no point of returning.So,just got to get my ass off and strive through the hardship.Luckily Chef Wan is not that calculative when comes to the ingredients.Ex : This one is too expensive,this one should be this price while that one suppoed to take in how many stocks.:P “I’m a chef with a screwed up EE degree.” So,today’s fish have to be steam in an exponential minute against time,with inverse of the weight of the fish.By then,when you derive the fishes into the equation of F=ma,the fish meat will be soft and ready to be served.LOL…
March 3rd, 2005 14:24
shittt la :P nobody’s gonna watch your cook show except michael ooi if you speak that like
March 3rd, 2005 14:36
jason dun worry so much, i think alot of ppl also take the wrong subject and work at another field not related with their study, right? me and dh also study programming but he work as technical field and me work at account field now SAHM .. hehe.
March 3rd, 2005 15:11
shoo! go away! take something else. archeology sounds good. you will be famous as indiana jones. bio technology not bad either. why must everyone jump onto the “IT” band wagon? there are no room for 2nd bill gates.
btw, leave a space after your full stop or comma willya?
March 3rd, 2005 16:17
1+2mom - Hopefully I will be fine after I graduate.;)
Kancil Killer - Too late,I am aldy stucked in Engineering. Wanna switch to IT also cannot already. Alright. Would be much easier to read, izzit?
March 8th, 2005 11:13
I’m studying to be an engineer as well. It is hard to decide what you want to do later in life at this age. I myself have asked the same questions you did. Just thought I’d share what my sister said;… (or something similar)
there are many people who graduate from a certain field, but enter a different line completely when they work. it’s very normal (-which is why there are also engineers who do not practise engineering BUT go into finance or management or etc). The main thing is that you’ve got your education, and that’s where you learn necessary skills needed in a job.
All the best to you in your course. Personally, eventhough programming drives me up the wall, engineering ain’t too bad for me. =) God Bless