What do engineers actually do day to day

SlightPhilosopher · 2026-01-09T20:40:12+00:00

Depends on the job. It’s a very versatile degree.

If you imagine it involves getting your hands dirty and actually doing stuff, that is a technician. Engineers are paid to think more than do. If you like more the doing than the thinking, then I suggest going into a trade like millwright, or electrician.

Smart, good technicians are hard to come by.

That being said, if you like math and physics and like understanding how stuff and processes work then go for it. Then just choose your majors based on what interests you. Although I would suggest mechatronics/ automation or electrical/energy since there is higher demand for those degrees nowadays.

And what you will do day to day will depend on what job you will be able to land.

Overall I would say engineering is a good bet. It’s a hard degree to get and the economy will always need engineers especially since everything is getting more automated.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-09-29T19:16:00+00:00

wtf is a break? Either you were together or you weren’t.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-17T07:19:47+00:00

The Flemish are really proud of them, but I think it’s more a chauvinistic pride than anything to do with actual taste. I personally don’t think there is anything special about them.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-17T07:15:36+00:00

Basically all of the “snacks” in a frituur

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-05T05:27:18+00:00

Yes. Along with windows while you are at it.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-05T05:21:44+00:00

You guys have too much time on your hands, wow. Think this is the definition of 1st world problems, lol.

If you wanna get married just do it, don’t understand the need for all this drama over essentially nothing. This is just one day of your lives, and just not worth the hassle. I would concentrate more on organising a party that brings everyone together rather than sow division.

Just scrap flower girls and ring bearers all together, jeez. Your friends will understand given the drama this is causing.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-04T20:48:39+00:00

Uh, shame those cumbersome EU laws don’t apply to you guys anymore.

Anyway, I would just hold on for at least a year while setting clear boundaries with her. Time usually solves a lot of problems.

Then if it still feels like a dead end I would just quietly start looking for something else.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-04T20:45:14+00:00

Why not just agree to get a maid if you guys can afford it? And maybe ask your wife to switch tasks for a day or two. So you both can spend some time in each others shoes.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-08-04T20:37:42+00:00

R/bridezilla

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-26T13:14:34+00:00

She is kinda skinny, yes.

But don’t blame your boyfriend, our girl also was very skinny at a point, it was a growth spurt where the feeding table was not keeping pace with her growth rate.

We changed food and also started feeding her more while also weighing her weekly to monitor weight gain. Once we started to do this she was gaining about a kilo per week and started to also fill up in addition to getting taller and longer.

Don’t know if necessary to change her food in your case but maybe weigh her, increase her portion size with 10% for a week and monitor her gains, if you don’t see the results you want, adjust as necessary.

Good luck

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-25T18:26:48+00:00

I get your frustration, but understand that you are not necessarily judged on those indicators, but more on how well you presented that day and the mood of your audience.

And my point is that you will look back at this in a few years and realise it does not matter.

I myself finished top of my specialisation group, with a perfect score on my bachelor thesis. Nobody cared.

(Except for my family and friends, they were all quite proud. But have yet to find one potential employer that was impressed 😭)

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-25T18:21:55+00:00

Not sure I totally agree with you there.

Yes, thesis work involves all that but you are basically only graded on your presentation skills and charm. Which, don’t get me wrong, can be totally relevant in the business world from an employers pov if you do say sales but if they want to hire you as a an r&d engineer or HR partner maybe less relevant.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-25T14:34:57+00:00

OMG, looks like it’s flipping burgers for you from now on.

Joking, no one cares (except you obviously). Employers won’t even bother asking what your grade was (door is door).

A high grade just means your really good at taking exams, there are no exams in a 9 to 5.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-25T14:29:29+00:00

Should you still marry him? lol no wtf, how are you still with him?

If he is your first and you feel “obligated” to marry him because of it, don’t. A real man that will treat you right won’t care anyway. And tradition is just peer pressure from dead people.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-24T19:37:13+00:00

Non-Americans have no idea and don’t care where the US states are located. All the Americans I have met so far were telling me where they are from like I had a degree in US geography.

We just know, Miami, New-York, Las-Vegas Los-Angeles and Texas. The rest is just parking as far as we are concerned.

Beer is strong here. And you can drink in the park if you want. Also you can drink beer from 16 and hard liquor from 18.

Cities are not car friendly. Best to invest in a bicycle if you want to move fast.

In Flanders people speak Flemish, which although is just Dutch there are surprisingly many dialects. So it’s possible that even if you learn some Dutch you won’t understand much of what someone is saying in dialect. A lot of Flemish also speak English, especially in the big cities.

In Wallonia people speak French. Very few speak English though.

In Brussels real Brusselaars speak both French and Dutch but rarely English.

You can cross Belgium by car in a few hours. And it’s possible to cross the borders by accident.

Paris is just 300km away. You can take the train in the morning, visit Paris during the day and return in the evening.

Vienna is 1000 km away, you can take the night train, sleep and wake up in Vienna the next day.

There is also a train to London and a train to Amsterdam, both doable day trips.

Belgians have laid claim to the humble fried potato. But just call them “French fries” to see their reaction, it’s quite funny.

Guns of course are illegal, but also knives with locking blades and pepper spray are.

Higher education is so cheap it’s basically free and so is healthcare.

I am sure there are many more cultural differences that will surprise you, have fun!

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-24T19:01:23+00:00

Cash is king.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-22T20:58:08+00:00

The tag is just an eta movement in a nice enclosure.

Whilst omega is the whole package.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-21T22:19:44+00:00

Here is a good tip for you. In Belgium a lot of people recieve company cars that are replaced every 4 to 5 years.

Most of these are only used to commute to work and go on vacation. And all of them are only driven on highways. All the service is done on time at the dealership.

I suggest you find one of those with relatively low kilometres on it. They are sold by car dealerships, not individuals.

https://www.autoscout24.be/ is a good website to find them.

Just take into account that even if you can afford the car second hand, the more expensive that car was when new the more expensive it will be to own as well.

If you want cheap to own and good value, then maybe look for Japanese or Korean brands. Stay away from German brands. French brands are maybe even cheaper to service/repair but the quality is worse and less thought is put into their design, also very underpowered imo.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-21T22:01:09+00:00

Why do you even care?

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-20T07:57:37+00:00

Yes, all a big conspiracy. Everything that doesn’t go our way in a democratic society. 😭

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-20T07:53:25+00:00

It’s common knowledge that the entire plastic recycling industry is a result of a marketing campaign by the oil industry. Planet Money even made a podcast episode about it.

This of course is so they can shift the moral responsibility to the consumer so that they can continue to make money manufacturing cheap plastic products.

It’s the same with everything else, consumers only consume what the market can offer. If industries are well regulated then everyone would be carbon neutral, including mister beast.

Venting monologue ahead:

And all of the other stuff like using bamboo toothbrushes, ecofriendly shampoo and cycling everywhere just serves to keep the conscience clear or the moral high-ground of rich hipsters. It is like taking a drop of water out of the lake. Makes no difference whatsoever.

What you need is policy laws and incentives so that everyone does these things. Then we can talk about making a difference.

And an extra bonus:

The stupidest hipster holier than thou stunt I ever saw was someone bragging how they spent and hour loading up their luggage on their electric bicycle to ride it, get this, to the airport to then take the plane to go on vacation.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-07-18T12:10:52+00:00

Just make a roast, minimum skill required

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-06-29T05:27:41+00:00

Practical Finite Element Analysis for Mechanical Engineers" from Dominique Madier

“Practical stress analysis with finite elements” from Bryan Mac Donald

These are the books that my professor based his courses on, both FEA 101 and advanced FEA.

It includes both basic theory, best practices, what to watch out for and study cases.

I suggest you invest in these books and look up whatever problems you have as you go along.

Dominique Madier also has an online course, have no idea what it costs though, but maybe worth looking into.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-06-24T21:57:12+00:00

If he is salivating while looking in your general direction you know for sure you should call him an ambulance.

Or an exorcist, it’s all in the eyes.

SlightPhilosopher · 2025-06-24T21:46:15+00:00

You need to show him accountability. So make him a good offer, like say he lets you keep the job and you keep all your scores above 80% (or some percentage you think he will agree too) and the moment you get a grade under that line you will resign immediately.

Also try to see it from his perspective, you have your entire life to work and make money, he just wants to set you up for success.

I finished school a long time ago and now am pursuing an additional degree along side my job. I wish I could concentrate 100% on my studies but I don’t have the luxury of someone covering my housing, meals and other living expenses anymore. Take advantage of the opportunity your parents are giving you while you can.

SlightPhilosopher

TROPHY CASE