Scantlings

I have taken my ongoing battle with employment as a sign. So, I'm back in school. By spring 2020, I should have a BS in Industrial Engineering. I finally know what I want to do when I grow up.
In case you're wondering I'm 53. At least I'm younger than Rodney Dangerfield was in 'Back to School'. What's interesting, however, is that I can totally relate to Rodney's character and his contempt for a seeming lack of common sense in the student population. But I need to check that attitude. Not fair to these guys who have their whole lives ahead of them. I was one of them once. Lots of tongue-biting on my end.

On week 5. So far it's been a blast.

When I was an undergraduate, my college had a special program whereby about a dozen high school math teachers earned an MS. I found them very annoying: they were so damn conscientious!

Good for you Rick. Never stop learning. I know several people who either got their first degree or got a second one or master or doctorate whle in their 40s or 50s, including my wife.

Yes, way to go Rick! Wow that's terrific and very brave.

I did a project last year with some folks in CBE and ME last year. I remarked to more than one P.I. that their projects were so compelling it made me want to go back to school in Engineering. They said, "You should!"

I'll do it vicariously through you, I really am too old.

But I admire you immensely and wish you the best!

I have this strange recurring dream, which I had again last night, where I've been leaving my family and work periodically to work on another PhD which is a never-ending process that tests the patience of everybody. It's kind of a nightmare.

My dad strongly suggested Electrical Engineering as a college major while pointing out that it wouldn't top his more pure "Engineering Physics" degree. I obliged. My brothers were failures as they both studied Civil Engineering.

I've always loved school. I'd have done it forever if I could have.

HAH! I started writing a last sentence, above, about MY recurring nightmare (where I finally figure out, on my deathbed, what I really wanted to be) but then decided to delete it! (My other one is I am walking across campus and bump into someone who asks me if I studied for the Math final later that day. In my nightmare, I've forgotten to attend class all semester and it's a good 3 months past Add/Drop)

I'm glad I'm not the only one having the same old dream.

"Time passed and now it seems, everybodys havin' them dreams."

So Rick, it sounds like you already have some of the pre-recs. You can complete the degree in four semesters? Nice!

I'd love to go back and get a history degree.

But I think I'll go sailing this coming week instead.

I have a friend who went to medical school and became a Doctor finishing up when he was about 50.

Here is what Dear Abby once had to say on the subject- I've never forgotten it.

Dear Abby: I am a 36-year-old college dropout whose lifelong ambition was to be a physician. I have a very good job selling pharmaceutical supplies, but my heart is still in the practice of medicine. I do volunteer work at the local hospital and people tell me I would have been a wonderful doctor.

If I go back to college and get my degree, then go to medical school, do my internship and finally get into the practice of medicine - it will take me seven years. But in seven years, I will be 43 years old! What do you think? - Unfulfilled in Philly

Dear Unfulfilled: And how old will you be in seven years if you don't go back to college?

When I finished school for the last time I was 32 and I thought I was ancient.

Some of us have never left school. These days, I write my own exams and still fail. Good luck, Rick.

Best of luck, Rick. Glad you have found something you love. I left university one class short of my degree (it's a long story) and went back six years later to complete it. A few months into that school year I broke my leg skiing. I managed to home-school well enough that I received my degree while on crutches.
It's never too late.

Rob McAlpine wrote:I'd love to go back and get a history degree.

But I think I'll go sailing this coming week instead.

A professor I know once told me "we'd all be history majors if we didn't have to work for a living..."

When you rolling into town? Or, more importantly, when does Restive and her crew depart Pawtuxet for points north?

Rick, congratulations, enjoy it.

Anomaly wrote:

Rob McAlpine wrote:I'd love to go back and get a history degree.

But I think I'll go sailing this coming week instead.

A professor I know once told me "we'd all be history majors if we didn't have to work for a living..."

When you rolling into town? Or, more importantly, when does Restive and her crew depart Pawtuxet for points north?

Rick, congratulations, enjoy it.

Ha, no shit. Your professor was smart.

I have a recurring dream about being in college again and realizing that I’m about a month or so in and don’t know what classes I’m actually in or where they are. I’ll start coming up with a plan or something and then usually wake up before actually figuring anything out. Not sure what that means...

I had a lot of fun in college, but I don’t have any interest in going back as a student. Now I spend a couple days a year on campus doing interviews with soon to be grads and potential interns. Last year a co-worker and I presented on client relations to an engineering management class. That was both fun and mildly terrifying. Made me think a bit about returning to my old department to teach... a bit...

Anomaly wrote:

Rob McAlpine wrote:I'd love to go back and get a history degree.

But I think I'll go sailing this coming week instead.

A professor I know once told me "we'd all be history majors if we didn't have to work for a living..."

When you rolling into town? Or, more importantly, when does Restive and her crew depart Pawtuxet for points north?

Rick, congratulations, enjoy it.

I fly in tomorrow evening, will likely be a little buzzed, since flying 1st. Jack will collect me from the airport. The plan is to provision the boat Sunday, leave Monday afternoon for Newport, spend the night, sail to Marion, spend the night and collect Bob K.

Rob McAlpine wrote:I fly in tomorrow evening, will likely be a little buzzed, since flying 1st. Jack will collect me from the airport. The plan is to provision the boat Sunday, leave Monday afternoon for Newport, spend the night, sail to Marion, spend the night and collect Bob K.

The wonder dog and I may be out fooling around in the east passage Monday PM. Will keep an eye out for you.

We don't teach you enough here?

Congrats!

TheOffice wrote:We don't teach you enough here?

Congrats!

Thanks!

Of course, going to school isn't free. On top of that, I also have two kids in college (It's been fun bragging about my 4.0 gpa. What's the big deal???)
My wife has been patient and generous, but finances are starting to become an issue. So I had to go out and find a student-type job. Something flexible and not too stressful. I'll be working as a flooring sales associate at Home Depot. I'm starting today.

I cannot stress how surreal this all seems if I think too hard about it. It's a blast!

Ajax wrote:

Anomaly wrote:

Rob McAlpine wrote:I'd love to go back and get a history degree.

But I think I'll go sailing this coming week instead.

A professor I know once told me "we'd all be history majors if we didn't have to work for a living..."

When you rolling into town? Or, more importantly, when does Restive and her crew depart Pawtuxet for points north?

Rick, congratulations, enjoy it.

Ha, no shit. Your professor was smart.

Hey! I resemble that remark. I have a degree in Colonial American History. But ended up with my entire career (so far) in tech companies large and small. I’m not an engineer by education, but have trended that way through exposure to lots of smart people.

Rick,

My mother got her PhD at 55 and started teaching at UCLA at 60. She was doing great until she was killed by breast cancer in her late 60s.

Keep in mind that Enzo Ferrari was 50 years old when he founded his car company. He didn't do too badly for an old duffer.

B

you guys are awesome. The weirdest thing is how ageless it all feels.

I also teach SolidWorks on the weekends. There's a guy in my class who is 55 and looking to expand his portfolio. He's a good dude.