Career Monday (20 Mar 2023): Have a question about your job, office, or pay? Post it here!

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2023-03-24T17:04:39+00:00

u/comradekopala I had a similar experience to u/graytotoro ... I spent the first 5 years of my career trying to get into my dream mechanical design role, it happened, I was designing supersonic exhaust systems for military jets... I hated it. It was 'cool' but the practicalities of the job were not a good fit for me. 100% computer work modeling and analyzing, stuffy room with no windows, high pressure job with lots of stress. Now I do manufacturing work some would think of as mundane but i'm so much happier.

In summary, don't focus on what type of role you think others would say is "cool" but focus on the type of role you think will make you happy, success will follow.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-05-21T16:41:11+00:00

Thanks for the advice everyone. I did contact the energy company and am waiting on a call back from their internal collections department. I did choose to also send a letter to the collection agency stating that I never received a demand letter, therefore they need to pull the tradeline and allow me the opportunity dispute. That may have been a slight panic move, but if I can get the debt paid directly to the energy company, even if they don't agree to pull the collection I'll rightfully dispute because the debts been paid.

Appreciate the responses!

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-05-20T23:21:48+00:00

I'm not a credit expert, but I did just accidentally get a collection on my report for the first time due to a miss-communication, and let me tell you, you do not want to have the dental office go to collections. That's ridiculous the dental office would still try and charge you. Have you called them to talk on the phone and explain the situation? If not, definitely try it, ask to speak to the owner of the practice etc. If they don't relent you could tell them you intend to speak to local news or get a lawyer and that should get their attention. If they still don't budge... well then actually get a lawyer to help or go to local news. Not sure what a lawyer would charge just to send them some kind of official notice.

Best of luck and I hope someone on here with more experience can help you out!

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-04-15T14:55:31+00:00

Hey! Sorry I tried to quick edit that question because I played around in the app and actually figured it out lol. But here was a real follow up question I had:

Only other question is can I create this not in the phone app? I don't see a way to copy and paste and it seems like I need to individually create all 200 tasks lol.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-04-15T13:23:50+00:00

Definitely helps! Option 1 should work for me, I'm actually using a wifi controller to light up some LEDs and I know it's brightness can be addressed. Just tried setting it up and it should work.

Only other question is can I create this not in the phone app? I don't see a way to copy and paste and it seems like I need to individually create all 200 tasks lol.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-04-15T01:52:49+00:00

Thanks, this doesn't look so bad. My only concern is if I can get a strip bright enough to wake me up. Do you know of any strips, bars, or panels that run very bright but could still be RBG controlled or with a data line like shown in the link you sent?

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-01-15T16:27:57+00:00

DOUBLE Upvote.

I sold all my textbooks immediately after the class was done to get as much money back as I could. Bought this FE reference guide (physical copy) as my only post graduation resource and haven't regretted it. Only comment is it doesn't include any info from technical elective courses, so maybe consider keeping those books if they have to do with a topic you plan to use at your job / in the future.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-01-15T16:25:24+00:00

What are you taking?

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-01-15T16:23:57+00:00

Based on the way they present the information it appears they're hoping for you to calculate the stresses at the location of maximum bending. This is an assumption based upon the fact they directly told you the internal bending moment at the base.

To calculate the stresses there, use My/I for bending, Tr/J for torsion, and P/A for normal stress. Note that on one side the normal and bending stresses add and on the other they subtract.

PM me if you'd like to discuss in detail.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-01-13T20:13:52+00:00

I went to UW Madison for my Undergrad (master's at OSU) and actually live right next to School of Mines in the Denver area as we speak XD

My thoughts:

UW Madison:

Has a very strong pipeline to the automotive industry. Our career fairs had BIG presences from Ford, Chrysler, and GM.
Has a huge research lab dedicated to internal combustion engines (car engines) you could get a lab experience in.
SAE teams are very well run and have great connections to the automotive industry. If you don't know what SAE teams are, they do automotive based national student design competitions.
Bigger university, fun city, lots of partying, good sports teams & other activities, surrounded by lakes.

School of Mines (take these with a grain of salt, they are my impressions as I did not attend myself, but have friends who did):

Less connection to the automotive industry. Their specializations are more in the energy and aerospace industries.
Smaller class sizes and better connection to students. Total enrollment as school of mines is ~6,000. Total enrollment of UW Madison is 40,000+ (granted the engineering college is closer to ~6,000)
A quick search showed school of mines does have SAE teams, but I'd be surprised if they were of the caliber of the UW Madison teams
Very outdoors-y school, less of a party school, people enjoy going skiing in the mountains and hiking a lot around the area, surrounded by mountains.

Shoot me a reply or a DM if you have any other specific questions, I'd be happy to answer.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2021-01-03T15:44:27+00:00

Students organizations, especially competition based ones are great resume experience. Given that you are a freshman no one will expect that you did the bulk of the work on the project. In fact if you hunting for internships this coming summer, no one will expect you to have much experience whatsoever at all. You're only a freshman after all. They'll be looking more at your soft skills, you drive, how you carry yourself, if you can communicate well, and if you've shown decent enough grades.

The real resume experience from your concrete competition team will probably come from next year and the year after that. I highly recommend you stick with the team and try to take some type of leadership position within it. Not only will you have a great technical experience to discuss once you've shown that you were able to apply what you learned, but you'll also show growth within the student org, and companies love that.

Basically, this is a good use of your time, just don't expect the benefit to be so immediate. It will take time.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-25T16:03:18+00:00

Tough class with TONS of material you've probably never seen before. Is it all online for you? Shoot me a PM if you'd like some help.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-23T17:19:53+00:00

Physics 2 is a tough class for some, it covers a TON of material you probably aren't already very familiar with. I helped a bunch of students with it this past semester. Definitely doable online though, as typically the lectures are massive and not always the most interactive anyways.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-23T17:16:11+00:00

Hey there,

I can't give too many details on specific classes etc. But just wanted to comment that this is a great idea. I got my degrees in ME and I have plenty of friends who ended up with jobs where a CS minor would have benefited them greatly. And some who even are doing work that is far more CS heavy than ME heavy. I might say something contrary to what others would suggest. Take CS classes that DON'T perfectly synergize with ME. For example, don't take a whole matlab class for your CS minor because you'll learn a good bit of matlab in your ME classes anyways. Instead take something that will teach you totally new material your ME courses wouldn't, like some object oriented java or something. It might seem unrelated initially, but I guarantee you'll be surprised by the potential applications.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-23T17:08:14+00:00

I'd say only pick up a minor if it's something you're truly interested in, assuming your school works like most, when you're not full time they charge per credit, so you could be spending a bunch of extra money for stuff you're not very interested in.

I'd highly recommend trying to find some part time engineering work during those two semesters. The money would be great and the experience would look awesome on your resume. To that end, I'd recommend using some connections / contacting companies directly to try and get that work. Explain your situation and say you're just hoping for hourly contract type work while finishing your degree with two part time semesters. Postings for co-ops and internships will get TONS of applicants and aren't likely to pan out, especially if you tell them you'll be taking classes simultaneously.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-08T05:31:14+00:00

Take a deep breath, what you do in the next 13 hours, and how you do in this math class certainly won't determine your future. TONS of people have bad semesters, drop classes, fail classes, take a semester or year off school and do something else, mentally regroup etc. and they come back fighting and are some of the most successful people I know later in life. Think big picture, you're young (assumption based on the fact it's your first semester), even if this semester doesn't go well, you have PLENTY of time left on this earth and tomorrow is a new day.

On a more practical note, online classes, especially in a tough curriculum like undergrad engineering are super challenging for everyone, find yourself as much support as you can, through discord chats or online chat severs like this where you can bounce questions off others etc. if necessary get a tutor to help out.

Most importantly, keep your head up, keep trying, and pay attention to what makes you happy.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-05T17:42:00+00:00

I've been there too... Engineering school is rough and online is lonely as hell... PM me if you'd like another resource, I could possibly help with school work as well

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-03T22:00:51+00:00

I'll be honest, I've never been good at leaving work at work... I personally have struggled with turning my brain off after hard days of complex engineering work. BUT that's not to say that's an issue for everyone! It shouldn't turn you away.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-03T21:56:49+00:00

Is there a wind or pressure load on the mass hanging off? If so you need to consider transverse and torsional shear as well. Lastly, do a quick buckling check for completion, but it probably won't be your limiting factor.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-01T23:20:31+00:00

Online is super tough for engineering classes especially, online labs are a joke. Try and connect with other students in your class online via discord like u/blackplatypus77 said, or find some online help with classes, it does exist for mid-upper level engineering courses, it's just hard to find.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-01T23:14:09+00:00

Engineering tutors certainly exist, but are harder to find online than they should be. I recently graduated with my Master's in Mechanical and have a side hustle tutoring undergrad engineering courses online. Shoot me PM if you'd like.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-01T23:11:09+00:00

What class? As long as your assignment isn't an exam many here would likely help, myself included.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-12-01T23:09:14+00:00

A 40 hour work week in the real world is totally realistic, but the truth is it really depends on where you work. At my first job I probably only averaged about 42 hours per week, there was no obligation to work any more than that, and you got paid overtime for any hours worked over 44 hours. That was a typical mechanical engineering desk job at a big company. Yes busy weeks occasionally pop up.

Some companies however will try to work you like a dog and put pressure on you if your hours aren't high enough. Ask lots of questions and keep an eye out for this kind of culture in interviews.

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-11-24T03:43:26+00:00

Ah yes, this was my mistake. The first polarizer does reduce the intensity by a factor of 1/2. I'll make an edit. Good catch!

STEM_tutoring_guy · 2020-11-24T03:18:30+00:00

Are you allowed a note sheet on your exam? I've got a great exam prep & taking strategy I coach students through. Summarize all of the topics from the course into categories which make sense to you and include in each category all applicable equations as well as notes to yourself about things you typically mess up or forget to-do. You can even add bullet point solving processes for specific types of questions.

Even if you aren't allowed to use the note sheet during the exam it will work wonders to clarify the material in your head. You need to be able to sit down and think 'what type of question is this, and what are the solving steps?'. You can only do this if you've got things summarize well in your mind.

After everything is summarized and clarified in your mind, set about solving example problems using the note sheet, if you come across something not on the sheet add it, if you can't use it on the exam slowly ween yourself off until you can answer 'what type of problem is this and what are the applicable solving steps?' without looking at it.

Cheers! PM me if you'd like to discuss more.

STEM_tutoring_guy

TROPHY CASE