Throw everything away and do what I want?

[Sunmage]

Hey Rebels,

not only Steve did quit his job to fulfill his dream.

Many of you have thought about that, some did it and many of these succeeded.

I need some help and ideas in figuring out what's best for me.

Where am I now? 9th semester of engineering. I will need 11-12 for my master. Since this an internship semester I figured out that my future is somewhere else.

I love my second job which I regularly use to spend the time I should use for the last 10 exams(none of them interests me). I am an ambulance driver und helping people really gives me energy.

If this job would be paid better for nonstudents and I could keep it until retirement I would do it.

The one question bothering me for weeks is: Shall I quit now? I have no money, about 5k study loan and no idea what I want?

Or should I go on studying although not willing to work there?

Use a good paid engineering job to get the money for discovering the world?

Or Plan C which I tend to at the moment: Study slower, get enough money to figure out what I want and then see what happens?

There are so many books to read and things to try...

Sorry for the long text, but maybe someone can give me a hint from his perspective or had a similar decision some time ago...

Regards

[Critter]

Do you think you'd ever regret earning your Engineering degree?

[RRBinPCOLA]

[quote name= I am an ambulance driver und helping people really gives me energy.

If this job would be paid better for nonstudents and I could keep it until retirement I would do it.

Have you looked into an EMT program? Many colleges (including junior colleges) have them, since you seem to be interested in helping people and already enjoy your job driving the ambulance. I know that "do what makes you happy" seems a bit trite, but there's something to be said for doing what you love for a living. First off, it won't seem as much like work, unlike an engineering job that you already feel like doesn't interest you. Secondly, a career in a field that both challenges and interests you will less likely burn you out than a career whose sole purpose is to make you money, not bring you satisfaction. That being said, you're already 9 semesters into an 11-12 semester program; if you quit now, will you feel like you've thrown away both the time and money spent working towards the engineering degree? How important is it to bring in an engineering paycheck vs. something else? There are so many factors to consider what you're contemplating...in the end, you have to make the decision that will be right for YOU.

I quit a career in the banking industry to pursue my accounting degree full-time; after 5 years of taking one or two classes a semester to get my associate's degree, I really wanted to make faster progress on my bachelor's...and I couldn't see a future in banking for myself, as I was miserable. It was a huge decision to make, and one that required the support of my family. Financially speaking, it has put me further in debt due to student loans, and I'm often challenged to find cheap or free ways to entertain myself, but I'm a lot happier. I may not contribute financially to the household, but I cook, clean, grocery shop, run errands, etc. so that I don't feel like I'm taking advantage...and my degree will allow me to do something I really like as well as contribute to my father's retirement. I no longer take Excedrin daily, or chew Tums like they're candy, so for me, it was the right move to make, and in just over a year, I'll graduate!

Good luck & hope this helps...if nothing else, you know you're not alone in thinking of making a major move!

[Sunmage]

It is time to get EMTs or Paramedics here. By now there are emergency doctors on the scene...

Critter is damn right.

I will not regret the degree.

But spending more time on it feels like wasting.

Spending 3 Semesters so the 9 before have a sense sounds better. Could work for me...

Thanks god I have until January to decide.

Thanks for the view from outside of my totally stuffed head.

[concretecavewoman]

Finish your (very valuable) degree. Seriously. Even if you never use it, it will be there in case you need to fall back on it. And if you do choose to go into engineering after you graduate, consider that:

1) You may end up liking it. Engineering at school is very different from engineering at work.

2) It will allow you to save and do something else.

Good luck! And it's great that you currently have a job you love doing work that is very important.

[Kalyrn]

Well, another option you could look at is, what you like about the current job, ambulance driver, you said that the part you like is helping people. So consider if you could use your engineering degree to help people. There are lots of things you could to as an engineer to help people, not sure what type of engineering you so but a simple Google search gave me these two articles http://members.peo.on.ca/index.cfm/document/1/ci_id/34098/la_id/1 and http://www.adn.com/2009/02/27/705323/want-good-pay-and-like-helping.html. Do a bit of research and see if you can make that degree into what you need it to be.

I know if can feel like a waste of time when you don't enjoy what you are learning, but I can guarantee that you will not regret getting a degree even if you don't use it. I used to feel that way like my degree was a waste of my time and money, but it really opened doors for me later on.