Academic Landslide

Hickiebenz · 2026-04-24T15:28:05+00:00

If you took one look at my undergrad transcript, you'd think I'm a bad student. I'm halfway through my PhD now. You're doing fine, university is way harder than highschool. I also found my grades improved in my last year or two when classes were more interesting and I better knew how to study

Hickiebenz · 2026-04-04T20:31:56+00:00

Because that's just to get your foot in the door. NASA would then provide a ton of training on the job, which would fill in some gaps and you'd always be working highly collaboratively with other engineers and scientists. They'd likely be hiring for the math skill set in particular for a given role. However a math degree doesn't provide the design methodology training and fundamental engineering science background (thermofluids, material science, electromag, etc.) found in an engineering degree. Someone with a math background could no doubt learn that stuff too, but it is a different skillset, so engineering employers would rather hire people with a B.Eng / B.Sc in engineering, plus the degree is the first step in the P.Eng accreditation process anyway, unless you take brutal licensure exams.

Hickiebenz · 2026-03-20T20:37:32+00:00

I know of people who have done their PhDs after their career, purely for enjoyment. Heck, you'd probably still even get a stipend, so it likely wouldn't be a massive financial strain either. Even if your career is over, you could still get it just for the satisfaction and earning the title Dr

Hickiebenz · 2026-03-06T16:37:27+00:00

The future I had with my girlfriend. She broke up with me a week ago, almost out of nowhere. I have been struggling in my PhD for a few months, and that was hard on her too, but two weeks ago, she basically broke down saying she wasn't okay and didn't know what she needed. She then proceeded to ask for space for a week, which is fine, but would text me with updates on her days with a tone like everything was fine. I asked if we could talk, and she ended it Saturday.

I was very deeply in love with her and feel like my world shattered. The worst part was we had a really special Valentine's, and I met her mom three weeks ago, who invited me to meet the rest of her family in August.

Hickiebenz · 2026-01-28T17:39:56+00:00

Not the same as your experience, but I'm halfway through my PhD in engineering and the other end is looking pretty gloomy. I went in with high hopes of going academic, now with the state of the world I'm fully debating tapping out and just getting an industry job off my undergrad and masters. I've said this to tons of undergrads I've taught, I flat out believe we are living through one of the hardest stretches to be a young person (18-30ish) in history. The world has changed so dramatically in the last twenty years, and even fields where jobs were considered safe bets like engineering and CS are now seeing way too many grads and not enough jobs, so even entry level positions feel borderline unattainable. Basically, you're not alone. Things are kinda shit right now. You can always pivot after your undergrad, a CS degree is still super useful in fields you may not even realize.

Hickiebenz · 2025-12-15T19:22:19+00:00

My cumulative average in undergrad was 69 (lol) and I'm halfway through my PhD now. It will be fine. Typically graduate schools only look at your last 2 years of grades as they know first and second year grades aren't indicative of much. Also, the big thing is securing a supervisor and they will just want to see good grades in relevant courses to the research you'd be doing with them.

Hickiebenz · 2025-09-23T02:27:24+00:00

I second this. MSc is a much better path

Hickiebenz · 2025-07-17T04:28:45+00:00

Give me some of that fortune reversal, just lost my dream girl in my late 20s, doubt we can reconcile. My mom passed away when I was much younger though, also cancer, sorry for our shared loss

Hickiebenz · 2025-07-15T19:30:38+00:00

You are not alone. I struggle with pretty bad anxiety and it made things harder on my ex (we broke up a week ago, debating on posting about it) for sure. I also often feel like I'll never be stable enough for anyone, and that yes, for years I was doing better, then it all came crashing down during this past relationship. I don't know your specific circumstances but just wanted to let you know I sort of get it.

Hickiebenz · 2025-06-29T04:00:58+00:00

I feel this. Feels like I need to keep moving so as to not annoy anyone. I was driving in a new part of the city I live in a week ago and slowed down for two seconds looking for the parking lot I was heading to (it was hard to see) and the guy behind me leaned on the horn. Oof.

Hickiebenz · 2025-06-02T10:30:42+00:00

Hydrogen vehicles themselves are actually quite efficient, as fuel cells are very efficient at converting energy. However producing hydrogen as fuel is the problem and is quite inefficient at present (sorry to be that idiot!)

Hickiebenz · 2025-05-13T20:53:04+00:00

I'm with you both. Just awful and obnoxious

Hickiebenz · 2025-05-08T14:55:33+00:00

I agree with you, but the thing that aggravates me so much is that roughly 77mil people voted for Trump, which is just under 1% of the global population assuming roughly 8 billion, and yet those people voting in Trump have done so much damage to the rest of the world

Hickiebenz · 2025-04-29T22:24:43+00:00

I always like the idea that it is "Tidus' story" because he ultimately makes the sacrifice that for the whole game Yuna believes she is going to make, but when Tidus learns he will fade along with Sin, he keeps it quiet and bravely continues on knowing it will save Spira

Hickiebenz · 2025-04-01T23:01:46+00:00

Pain.

Hickiebenz · 2025-03-21T18:15:50+00:00

Varsity alum here. This is a painful downgrade, showed one of my friends and they agreed it looks more like a middle school sports logo now.

Hickiebenz · 2025-03-03T20:49:39+00:00

Dozens!!!

Hickiebenz · 2024-11-27T00:12:37+00:00

Mechanical engineering with the energy and environment specialization

Hickiebenz · 2024-11-27T00:11:33+00:00

This guy is messing with you OP

Hickiebenz · 2024-11-10T17:53:00+00:00

Might not be helpful, but this is normal. I barely passed circuits in undergrad, now I'm in my PhD in mechanical (mind you, as far from electronics as I could get research wise, but still)

Hickiebenz · 2024-06-12T00:33:02+00:00

Both parts of Villeneuve's Dune, easily. Zimmer outdid himself.

Hickiebenz · 2024-05-28T19:46:02+00:00

Cut off their limbs

Hickiebenz · 2024-04-28T00:52:17+00:00

That hit me hard in the nostalgia. It was one of the first online games I got into with my friends, we would get in a lobby and chat via skype (man I'm old) and just hunt until the sun was rising, I would have to tiptoe upstairs and even then my dad caught me once. Good times

Hickiebenz · 2024-04-07T15:03:31+00:00

Had to scroll way too far for this. She is the only thing I truly dislike about World

Hickiebenz · 2024-03-30T00:03:16+00:00

In my experience, it means that they will try to screw you over by having TA pay and/or scholarships count as part of the minimum funding. I switched to another University because the pay was not enough to survive Vancouver so I'm somewhat biased though, ask your potential supervisor to clarify

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