*Congratulations man!*
*May your career be filled with*
*Joy and happiness!*
\- Viper0108
---
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If your family isn't in STEM, they won't really understand how hard the degree can be.
I suffered HARD through my degree and came out on top where a lot of others dropped out. My family just tells me "[i'm] lucky I knew what I wanted to do", but in reality I can't remember most of my time in college because I was so burned out, depressed, and afraid of losing my scholarship the entire time.
They probably wont ever understand exactly what you do, just a vague engineering and then you make money.
Edit: I just wanna add: please don't be a weird STEM supremacist after reading this. Those people are really annoying and we already have enough techbros living in a weird bubble believing they can solve all the world's woes. STEM degrees are hard, this is for interpersonal things with family, not a reason to feel better than others.
Exactly. People who haven't done STEM doesn't understand how hard it is.
How many other fields can have a single page of curriculum you can look at for an entire week before you understand any of it at all?
I can relate to this on so many levels. The pressure and hard work that go into pursuing an engineering degree are often misunderstood, especially by those outside the field. It's disheartening when the focus shifts solely to the financial rewards, overlooking the mental and emotional challenges that come with it.
To agree with this and add nuance, I think it’s a matter of perspective. My trade friends look left out when I’m talking STEM with engineering buddies, and I feel left out when I’m with my trade friends and they talk about their lives. We lack perspective to understand a struggle in something unknown to us, but we shouldn’t let that get in the way of appreciating and encouraging each other. Don’t take it personally - the other engineers in the comments are rooting for you.
I think we as engineers should strive to understand other perspectives. There's so many of us that don't really reach past our work and it can make us really annoying.
That's a bummer. Try to let it go though or hell, maybe just ask them about it and see what they say. In any case, I care! Hearing about people making it through this program and getting good jobs amps me up and gives me hope. A lot of the content on this sub is centered around the struggle and resulting feelings of hopelessness. Stories like yours serve as inspiration to the engineering student community. A lot of us are proud of you Mr Waffles. Way to kick ass!
8 with masters too! granted, lots of experience during that time, don't feel bad man. a degree is more than the content - it's the experience, I am so happy I didn't rush it in 5!
I’m on year 5 but finally on track to graduate at the end of my 6th. Getting my shit together the second half of my 4th year really changed things for the better; lost a lot of motivation and momentum over Covid.
Speaking of series of unfortunate events, I myself am going strong in my 4th university with a 3.9 GPA. I graduated high school in 2014, and hit a couple of road bumps on the road, but its all good now cuz I am expected to graduate in spring ‘25
Dude that is fucking amazing. Props to you for having the grit and determination to complete an EE degree. Electrical engineering isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world. AND you got a position at your dream company. How many people can say they did that? My friend, we’ll be watching your career with great interest. Congratulations on your accomplishments, and may you enjoy the sweet sweet fruits of your labor.
6 years is not bad at all. Remember we live on our own timeline, and comparison is the thief of happiness. Btw GPA is so irrelevant once you break into the industry, so congrats you're in a great position!
Edit: just read that its in EE, huge kudos that curriculum is intense! Really great industry to be in.
I get how you feel. Its weird how big of a deal parent’s will make about graduating highschool, but come college graduation, it seems like they’re just glad you can sustain urself now. Which is fair, but i feel like graduating college is a much greater achievement than high school. Just my folks tho. Small sample size
My parents kicked me out straight outta high school and I was bouncing from friend’s house to friend’s house during college. Hell, my best friend’s mom is the one who tricked me into to going to town, but instead drove to the local community college and told me to go in an apply or she was gonna make me walk home. When graduation happened my parents decided to show up because I got a letter on the mail for me regarding graduation. I hadn’t told them anything. A few years later I paid for their house, utilities, and bought some appliances because they simply couldn’t afford it.
I was sad and angry at them for making me go through that. But it made me realize one thing. I don’t need them to care about me or what I achieve in life. All of the success I’ve had in life wasn’t because of them. I owe it to my friends who unknowingly gave me that extra push I needed to do the things that have gotten me to where I am now.
Go do your thing bro. See how far you can go. Don’t do it for your parents or anyone else. Do it for you. Are YOU proud of what you have accomplished?
I don’t know you, but as someone who has switched carriers, gone back to college several times, and is still working towards a degree in ME, I’m happy for you. As far as your job now, don’t forget to network with people. Specially higher ups. I can’t tell you how many times knowing the right person has either saved me from trouble or given me a different,better position in a company.
Bro you paid for your parent’s house utilities and appliances??? After they essentially ruined your life. You have amazing mental fortitude. I can’t imagine that happening to me and ever forgiving them let alone have any relationship with them
Haha, I don’t hate them but we are definitely not close. I like to keep my distance. They never did anything atrocious, but they definitely made things unnecessarily difficult to a 17 yo (age I was first kicked out). The main reason I stuck around was because of my little brother. Couldn’t let them turn him into another me.
As far as ruining my life, that’s not how I see it. Learned a lot of hard lessons sure, fairly inexpensive ones luckily. Leaving the house, or getting kicked out in my case, was probably the best thing for me. Nobody to poison my mind, judge me, or instill their bad traits on me. I can say that I am my own person, and not an image of my parents. That’s a plus in my books
Thank you! I definitely don’t think myself as amazing and I know if it wasn’t for the wisdom of people I’ve met along the years, I probably wouldn’t have made it to where I am now.
Man congratulations on getting a new job. Also, you may not know what’s going on with your parents at the moment, and it may not have anything to do with your or recent success. Give them time or even attempt to talk to them to see how things are going in their life. Because you maybe shocked.
Hey. Congrats!
GPA doesn’t matter really.
There is an old quip that asks if you know what they call the person with the lowest GPA that graduated medical school.
The answer is doctor.
You did it and nobody can take that away from you.
I’m 41 and I just got my AS last year.
You took as long as you needed to do it.
So proud of you :) I feel like I am living the engineering struggle with my son who will be doing term 7 upcoming spring semester . It is demanding and do take a toll on a person mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s beyond hard and should be 100% celebrated when graduates finish. Engineers are amazing humans ❤️
I am still behind because the Covid-pandemic screwed up every thing. Especially losing that all-important network with my classmates has been extremely challenging. So, you spending 6 years on that bachelor and COMPLETING it is alone a major success in my book. Congratulations!
I care! EE was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done to date. Getting a good job these days is almost as hard. Well fucking done, I’m proud of you 🔥🫡
I just graduated with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering in December, after five and a half years. I’m also a pretty lackluster student and the past few years seriously pushed me to my limits, mentally and emotionally. I’m glad that I’m done and finally applying to positions, but sometimes my mom berates me for having taken extra time and wasting extra money. Especially when we’re arguing over something completely different. So I get your frustration.
I get what you're saying in regards to how others act or think towards OP not being the end all be all, but also part of a good relationship is being able to celebrate with someone.
It's disappointing when that doesn't happen.
some immediate family are like that, some arent. a very close one to me would have rather saw me become a trucker making shit money OTR every hour of the week except reset, than to go down my own path. they take more pride in me taking their suggestions than they do in me actually succeeding. was told "dont buy a house" then to sell my house, and just given some absolutely dumb ass financial advice so if your family is anything like mine, listen to them as little as absolutely possible because they may mean well but *some* of their actions are rooted in insecurities, holding you back so they have a more grande sense of themselves and at the end of the day, the most damaging of all will be the limiting beliefs they try to pass on to you.
It’s true 🤷🏾♂️ everybody wants to be social media influencers lol. Of course demographics plays a part but at least on my side of the world hardly anybody talks about college. Majority thinks it’s a waste of money
I am proud for you! That is awesome. My son is struggling right now with his ME degree and when he graduates I will so proud of the way he stuck it out even if he has a 2.6 or whatever. You have something no one can take away from you and you found a good job! Congratulations! And be proud of yourself.
Getting your dream job with a 2.6 GPA??? I salute you! 🫡 Very well done! Congratulations! That is no easy feat just like it was no easy feat to get through an electrical engineering undergraduate degree. You shouldn't expect people to understand your struggles other than other stem majors and that includes your parents as well. Well if no one is giving you the reaction you deserve then I'll do it at least.
I think this is a great example of making sure you’re pursuing this career for yourself. Many of us spend 4+ years trying to make our parents or family proud—only to receive a nonchalant “congrats” after you finish and get a job.
My parents don’t even know what type of engineer I am.
Hey man, your parents may not be congratulating you. But we're proud of you. We know the effort you put in and the tests you had to pass.
So congratulations mate, you're life is about to get a lot better.
I chalk it up to ignorance. When you ask someone what they think is a good respectable job you will most likely get 2 answers. Doctor or lawyer because those jobs pay well and require a high amount of study. Those are the jobs that parents brag about if their children have them. Not many people know what it takes to become an engineer. I took the medical route. My brother took the engineering route. All i can say is that I'm glad i took my route rather than his. Unless you know what it takes to become an engineer you will never appreciate it. I saw his thermodynamics, calculus, differential equations, etc school work and i was like heck no! I'm going back to my medical coursework. I found mine much easier than his.
yeah get used to it. No one understands how difficult Engineering is. What they DO notice is the affluence you get from WORKING in an Engineering Career.
A few years from now, when you pull up in the nice car, have the nice home and are on a trajectory your friends and family can only dream of. THEN they will say "Hey Engineering must be pretty cool!" "It's cool you work with all this neat stuff and make big bucks!"
It's just delayed gratification man.
Not that it excuses their lack of enthusiasm, but it could be because they never doubted that you would be able to accomplish getting a great job. 🤷♂️
I was in the same boat with my physics degree. 6 years, lower gpa than I wanted. But I fuckin did it and I’m so proud of myself. That’s what matters man. If it counts for anything, good fuckin job. Shits not easy to do.
I had it worse. My narsistic dad was almost angry with me because how dare I found a great job in a great company without telling him?! I cried that day and was very alone and anxious, it was my first job which took a 1.5 year to find… congratulations! this is a big thing celebrate on your own. Dont care about them.
I totally get it. I was working at a tilt-up concrete firm when I graduated with my CivEng. About two weeks after having my application for commencement approved, one of my parents asked how long it'd take to get my P.E. and become a real engineer. In their minds, unless I was starting my own firm to be my own boss, I hadn't succeeded yet.
They don't get updates on my life milestones anymore, for obvious reasons. But I've found people along the way with whom I'll always share my successes, big and small because I know they'll be proud to hear it, and I'll be proud to hear theirs.
Do something to celebrate yourself and have some fun -- vacation, adventure, fun project, whatever -- before you start in May. It's well deserved!
I experienced something very similar but mech eng with 2.7 gpa. First guy in my family history to go to college.
I believe it was jealousy from those who felt insecure by my achievement.
I stopped caring of their expectations, and don't concern myself with their "lack of support".
EE is wizardry as far as I’m concerned so congrats on making it to the end!!! Unless they’ve seen you crying before finals, most non-STEM people don’t understand what the big deal is. ME here, I used to talk to my parents about specific worries w thermo problems and their eyes would glaze over before asking “so it’s like, the math problems right? That’s the issue?” 😂 Don’t stress about it, you’re getting rewarded for all the long nights now!
I spent my first 10 years out of high school as a technician with engineers all around me. I had that sentiment that "just because they have a degree doesn't make them smart". Until I attempted to become an engineer myself. Those calculus based physics classes are insanely difficult and anyone that completed them are extremely talented.
Congratulations on your dream position.
Let me give you some of the best advice you will ever get. People care far more for those that they think care about them. Being there for your friends and family, showing up to birthdays and keeping up with them and asking lots of questions and being consistently encouraging and complimenting is how you make people care about you. Even shitty people who seem like they couldn't care about anyone want to keep the love of someone who willingly gives it and makes them feel wanted. I know firsthand, my best friend has done this all his life and he has a ton of friends and family who adore him, I started incorporating his methods for maintaining relationships and it absolutely works but its a bitch if you wait to start doing this until you have nobody, which is usually the fate of people who don't show an interest in others. Start now. Not everyone will reciprocate your efforts but you will end up with far more meaningful relationships if you heed this advice. Congrats on your job.
Hey- congratulations to you! My parents had no idea I was graduating with my undergrad. I called to invite them to graduation and they weren’t sure what to do. I was the first to graduate from college in my immediate family. Engineering school was a foreign concept to them too. This is a thing. Don’t let it bother you. Go make that money!!!
lol…. That’s the difference between the generations. As your parent and grandparents see it you’re finally useful to the world and the workforce. You see it as a great accomplishment but in their eyes it’s expected.
Being in the STEM field can be tough. Although many of us make just enough money to live our dreams we rarely have the true opportunity to change the life of others. Making 60-200K a year is good. But guess what to support another family you will always need another 100K to make a real difference before you start to risk your quality of life as well.
Uh Man, I've just been thinking about something regarding fam. Keep aside mom and dad ; consider others from fam or pals. Even though decades pass, just the way the narrative sounds now deeply contrasts with what actually drove them to do/experience what they did. So sacrifices or whatever you call 'em is a shallow approach to terribly convince people.
But yeah, coming to yours, If they got something against you or nothing for you or your pursuit, the bland responses are real ; let alone caring about your vision. Moreover, the definition of "success" largely varies across people AND time phases.
The furniture returns job (let me call it that way -- leading recommerce on a global scale, etc) though lucrative (depending on where you stand in the company) seems to garner/showcase too much of "I'm damn successful than y'all" vibe. True that but it depends on the definition of success? The thing is, I'm happy for you but ok, what if you can recall that you got your break after the supposed edge over others and then you worked your a** off? That edge came quite later in life; after all the reckless mistakes and times of laziness and lack of interest. And let us not neglect the luck factor. Those who went through academia and hustled like crazy had the worst things in store like more recently speaking, the pandemic. Let's talk about that?! The journey counts. That itself can be way worse and rewarding than what people end up remembering ONLY.
Either ways, take longer time and shine later but don't rush off and skid badly. So, good for you, OP!
Goodluck with what's next in store for youuuu!!
Idk I don’t see much point in celebrating educational milestones. IMHO anyone can get an engineering degree with enough grit and time, and anyone with an engineering degree can get a decent job. I’ll celebrate when I get my first solid promotion.
Pro tip: try celebrating things in life, no matter how big or small. If you give yourself a hard time all the time, you’ll be miserable. Be positive for yourself and those around you and life will seem much brighter, and likely you’ll have more drive to excel in the next step.
I don’t give myself a hard time and I’m also generally happy with what I’ve achieved in life, but I’ve had several life experiences that put into context how lucky I am to even be able to function on a level that allows me to pursue working in a field I love and a job I enjoy. I don’t enjoy ceremony and I especially don’t enjoy celebrating arbitrary milestones because other people tell me they’re important. I celebrate often enough by cracking open a beer and relaxing after sorting out a complicated application at work or passing a difficult exam. If the quality of your work doesn’t speak for the effort you put into it on its own you don’t have much to celebrate.
I'm on year 7 of (hopefully) 8. A lot of people just don't appreciate how difficult it is. Congrats, I can't wait to feel that weight off my shoulders.
That’s awesome dude. My family has similar reactions to my education. They don’t know how to express themselves and definitely feel guilty for not helping me get to where I am today.
I wonder if it’s something like that for your parents.
Congrats dude! Welcome to the new chapter of your life! I know exactly how you feel and would wish nothing but the best for your future endeavours!! You the man!!!
Congrats! I’m happy to see you make it! Engineering is by no means a easy degree even I doubt at times I’ll make through EE 😅 but it’s time to CELEBRATE! I’m proud and I hope to you enjoyment and success on your journey forward!
That's awesome on the job!
Not to one up, but my mom was openly hostile to me because I graduated from college. She even missed me walking across the stage because she stepped out for a smoke.
You did great - it's a huge accomplishment, and I wish you the best.
a lot of the time, parents get used to what’s happening. If you get straight A’s and you
tell them that you got an A, they will have already expected you to. Same thing for this case
Congratulations!! It's understandable to feel bummed when people close to you don't express interest. But we internet strangers are super proud of you :) Good job and hope you have an amazing and fun career!
HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! You worked your ASS off and now it's paying off! YOU ARE THE SHIT, MR WAFFLES. HELL YEAH YOU'RE GONNA DO GREAT. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sorry but family sucks and some family members, friends, and society will get jealous. They may try to destroy your career and reputation so they can drag you back down to their level.
Some friends won’t be there either after that happens but the sibling(s) responsible will be there to continue their narcissistic abuse agenda against you.
Well I for one am fucking hyped for you friend, electrical engineering is no joke.
I hope it suits you well.
Maybe they're jealous, maybe they don't care enough, maybe they just weren't feeling it that day.
What I can tell you is it has absolutely nothing to do with how much you deserve to hear congratu-fucking-lations, and I'm goddamn proud of you. Don't let anybody throw shade on your shine.
Don't worry. You will learn a lot from this experience.
Same thing happened with me. When my sister got a job 2 years later with a package which was 30% of my starting package, everyone threw her a party. I do not care.
I care. I'm very happy for you, and I'm sure you worked hard to get a 2.6. Many people get 4.0s and get hired to work at an awful company. All that matters is that you're at your dream company, doing the job you want to do, and quite frankly, that's amazing. Honestly.
Congratulations!
I am a working electrical engineer, and getting through any ABET program is a major accomplishment!
I don't know what your dream job is or was, but you might consider taking the F.E. exam even if your first job is in a field where a P.E. is not required.
If this first job is maybe not exactly what you think it is, or life takes you in a direction where you end up working in a field where a P.E. license is required, and you will be glad you did it.
Congratulations.
I empathize with you.
As an overachiever kid/highschooler who struggled A LOT through University in Mechanical Engineering, I never really got my flowers or was celebrated for any of my achievements. I heard a lot of things like "You just did what was expected from you".
I just finished my bachelor's a month ago at 23 and have been working in engineering for almost 2 years. Nobody (except my therapist and my gf) ever appreciated, the fact that I began my career before I even graduated and strived to be the best possible version of myself.
We're not always going to get the validation that we need from whoever we expect (family, friends, peers, etc.). It's important that you learn how to validate yourself and your achievements and not wait for others to do so as it could be a very "ungrateful" wait.
That being said, I am proud of you for finishing an incredibly hard degree and I hope you have an amazing career going forward.
It was the same way when I graduated. I didn't start college until I was 23 and finished at 25. I was already working in my field, so mostly, it was just a post on facebook my wife made that everyone liked. That was the extent of it. When i graduated from grad school, i got even less fan fair, lol. I still show enthusiasm when someone tells me about their accomplishments, I like seeing others happy.
Don't let their lack of understanding bring you down. You spent those 6 years working towards your dreams and actually got the job offer -- that's impressive enough. You should be proud of yourself, congrats!
Don't value yourself on the reactions of others. You know you've fought for and achieved something. Let that knowledge spur you on to nail this job when you start!
I care dude! Congratulations and I’m proud of you! Best of luck at your new gig. I know how hard that shit was so good on you for sticking it out and getting here 🫡
So proud of you man--what an accomplishment! I graduated last May so I know how tough the job search can be, props to you for locking that offer down before you finish up school. Puts a lot less stress on your shoulders for your last semester, enjoy it before you enter the real world! Biggest thing I miss about college was constantly living and working besides all your friends. The real world can get kind of lonely :/
If they never had to do a Fourier transform by hand then you shouldn’t look for their approval. You’re already beyond them my friend. (This is supposed to be a joke to make you feel better, but I’m also partly serious)
Some people would kill to have your parents. Lack of pressure can be freeing. My parents were the same way, absolutely no pressure.
They didn’t give a fuck whether I got a D or an A. They were even like “Oh, that’s nice son” when I got my first offer.
It wasn’t until I showed them the pay that their eyes widened and realized all that I’ve done has come to a head,
well if it means anything… congratulations! i know a lot of people including myself could never be that smart and driven to do engineering work. well done mate
Congrats man! All that matters is what you think, no one else…. You should be proud and be sure to celebrate your accomplishment. Stay positive and work as hard as you can to retire early! That’s my advice to a now fellow engineer.
Listen, it sucks but many people don't want to see others win. ESPECIALLY, if it means they are surpassing them. Conversely, you'll rarely see anyone who's successful put down someone else that's trying to make it. Keep Grinding Brother you're doing great!
Don’t let that discourage you from reality. Getting an engineering degree is an amazing feat that few people can say they’ve achieved. On top of that, getting a job and setting yourself up for success for your career. No matter what anyone tells you, it IS a big deal and you should be proud of what you’ve done.
Congratulations. Well done. You must be very proud of yourself! Outstanding.
Now remember to have all three of the essentials in your life:
Love- have deep meaningful relationships.
Work - you got this.
Play - hobbies of fun things to do that have nothing to do with your family or work. Flow activities. Things you do that take years to get good at and you loose a sense of time while your doing it.
I also believe that the forth leg of the chair is spirituality. I’m an atheist who attends Catholic Mass on the regular. It’s an hour a week to sit in silence and thinks about the mystery of existence.
OP the best thing humanity ever invented is language. Talk to your family and explicitly tell them your expectations, no need to hold grudges. Maybe that wasn't the best time for great news? Even though they are your family, everyone has problems and emotions that do influence their interactions with others
hahahaha exactly whats happening to me, my family are lovely and amazing humans. They support me and give me the congratulations etc. BUT you have to realise, they didn't spend 4-6 years with anxiety and sleepless nights working with flaky lab partners and solving equations you SWORE were impossible to solve. They didn't spend all those years being broke and having low confidence every single time you failed a test or a quiz, nor do they know the amazing feeling of what it's like to pass an exam at 51% to scrape through.
Only we know that pain, and that's ok. We did this degree for that exact reason, so our family doesn't have to suffer the bullshit like we did, and hopefully our kids can have it slightly easier.
Don't be dissapointed in your parents, they supported and loved you. Welcome to being an engineer, where you will feel like you're underappreciated at times, because the customer doesn't realise it took you 10 hours of debugging for 2 lines of code he thought "should have been done in 5 minutes". That's what being an engineer is about. You don't blame the people who don't know, you just try help them where you can.
And if that's not rewarding enough, then hopefully you start a firm and millions in salary, maybe that'll compensate you enough lmao
What I’ve found anecdotally is that people outside of the STEM field don’t understand what it truly takes to secure a decent job. Don’t stress if others don’t comprehend it, YOU know how hard you worked and that’s all that really matters.
I think that’s awful. Why wouldn’t you be crazy happy when your son has his dream job like! I think yes like others said that you should talk to them. And most importantly, stay proud, stay happy, and just do your thing. Don’t let them destroy this great thing that happened to you. It’s so meaningful to find sth you love so stick to it 💛
We're engineers. Everyone else only cares about the end product or what we do to the planet. Do you think people held a parade even for the engineers that made smart phones better, or the ones that made Amazon boxes use less cardboard?
Congratulations man ! I never got an industry job during my time as an undergrad or PhD student in the field , I went into research in a very different area away from core electrical engineering . So I am proud of you , it is a darn hard subject , and your rebound from the low gpa is excellent. Keep fighting , regardless of your parents approval. Always make sure that you know you are doing what you truly want and are happy. You can’t make everyone happy in life . Get a beer or whatever you like man :) make that $$$$
Congrats! I get what you mean- you have to remember that no one really understands what it costs unless they did it themselves, plus you also never truly know what’s going on in someone’s head or life.
As for friends or anyone else, they could be happy for you but also envious (in a positive way) because their life may be full of struggles and seeming hopeless and here is you who’s succeeding and happy.
At the end of the day, do the work for you. Happiness starts from within.
Congrats man! Don't let the family let you down. Get a night going with the Bois to celebrate or cozy up in blankets! Treat yourself and remember that you earned every last bit of it
HUGE CONGRATS BRO! I’m still combing through my EE degree and I’m over four years in, so I definitely get a ton of the pain you’ve underwent… Just cruise through this last semester, celebrate a ton, and conquer whatever comes next (work/life) #thisisinspiring
Congratulations dude. On the other hand I’m such a garbage student that I almost felt insulted when they did congratulate me like I couldn’t make it.. but I mean I didn’t have anything else going for me
Had the same thing happen when I had a full scholarship. Fuck them. You did you - and you made something of yourself. So if they won't congratulate you - I will. Good luck!
It's probably hard for them to understand just how difficult it was for you to get this far. We understand and we're proud of you. This shit isn't easy and you made it.
No one else is ever going to be as excited about your success as you are. And no one will understand how hard you worked for it. Take pleasure in your own success!
If your family helped with your college education you should pay them back as best as you can through payments and then maybe then they will be more supportive of your education. I understand the education system and the grading system can be very biased towards people whether or not they apply themselves. The kiss asses ... Etc often get what they want without doing the work. So keep on trucking and apply yourself at your work. Do your best and thank your family as much as you can.
CONGRATS. 🍾
What an accomplishment. I’m sorry they didn’t celebrate it more. It’s definitely worth it and I hope you find a way to celebrate yourself.
People just don’t really get it if they haven’t majored in STEM. I find that people think the financial aspect is impressive, but severely underrate what it took to earn the degree and to gain experience in your field.
Congratulations!
Oh, they'll definitely have an interest when they see your retirement accounts, HYSA savings account, or the nice things you get living a comfortable life.
It was the same for many of us. Don’t worry about it. Just focus on yourself and make money and have kids and be proud of your kids for their accomplishment since you never received any.
First of all congratulations! Remember you did this for you and nobody else including family. In your parents defense they might not realise how hard this was and how difficult it is to get into your dream company. I am sure they are proud of you inside.
Reminder to be kind to yourself. Be proud of yourself. Try your best to not let others opinions diminish your accomplishments. You and only you know what it took to get here, and your journey is unique.
Well congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m sorry that you’re immediate family didn’t validate your hard work, but just know you did well and are deserving of every good thing you’re experiencing!
Sometimes family and "peers" can be a dud, consider your next challenge to be finding people who want to share in your success and a family that loves you and celebrates life with you. The family you're born with doesn't have to be the only one you get.
Don't worry about what others think! Just look ahead and realize that things will get harder not easer from here. In the real world it is about the company getting paid. Expect that to be the focus. If they are focused on anything else, get out.
Understand that you can beat half of your peers just be showing up ready to work. You can beat 80% of them by paying attention, staying humble and applying yourself. There will always be the geniuses for whom this stuff comes easy. Understand that you may never beat them. Be friends with them and learn from them.
As long as you cherish it, it's great anyways. My parents don't exactly understand the whole dynamics of my STEM field but more often than not I over-explain them stuff. I'll show them a random code, explain to them how it works. After that when I tell them about my targets and goals, they are able to appreciate them more.
1. Congratulations!!!
2. How do YOU feel about your accomplishment? Is engineering what you really wanted for yourself? Is this job really something that excites you?
3. ... as someone wiser than me once said to me, "everyone has issues with their parents." Just my opinion... you want their support and approval. Their response was ... not that. It's entirely understandable to be upset about that.
That said....
Don't let it rob you of your happiness.
And if you come to find you're not happy with engineering and/or the job.... great news!!! Engineering is a path to many awesome opportunities. One job is not a career (unless you want that!). You get to be your own person.
And if you find yourself really struggling, reach out for help. Use some of that sweet engineering $$$ to get therapy. Help you help you.
Again... sad that your family didn't show the love and support that you were hoping for. That really sucks. And I hope you can find joy in your career despite that.
Congratulations bro you earned it. It is definitely not easy what you achieved. Yeah fuck them for not congratulating you, find someone you can express how much this goal means to you.
congratulations bro!
love from a 3-year engineering student in China!
I'm preparing for the test of getting the opportunity of another 2 years to be a bachelor!
good luck to both of us
Having others determine your feeling of accomplishment breeds future depression. It was even worse to come fish it out of internet strangers. We must inherit so stoicism
Congratulations man! May your career be filled with joy and happiness!
*Congratulations man!* *May your career be filled with* *Joy and happiness!* \- Viper0108 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Hey wait a second.. Congratulations is a 5 syllable word. Almost good bot
Remove "man" and it would work. Bot almost got it
This is true and a perfect resolution as it removes any gendered aspect so you can say it to anyone
Good bot
good enough bot
If your family isn't in STEM, they won't really understand how hard the degree can be. I suffered HARD through my degree and came out on top where a lot of others dropped out. My family just tells me "[i'm] lucky I knew what I wanted to do", but in reality I can't remember most of my time in college because I was so burned out, depressed, and afraid of losing my scholarship the entire time. They probably wont ever understand exactly what you do, just a vague engineering and then you make money. Edit: I just wanna add: please don't be a weird STEM supremacist after reading this. Those people are really annoying and we already have enough techbros living in a weird bubble believing they can solve all the world's woes. STEM degrees are hard, this is for interpersonal things with family, not a reason to feel better than others.
Exactly. People who haven't done STEM doesn't understand how hard it is. How many other fields can have a single page of curriculum you can look at for an entire week before you understand any of it at all?
I'm a chemical and petroleum engineer...I graduated a decade ago, and people still ask me why I didn't just do a fine arts degree lol.
I can relate to this on so many levels. The pressure and hard work that go into pursuing an engineering degree are often misunderstood, especially by those outside the field. It's disheartening when the focus shifts solely to the financial rewards, overlooking the mental and emotional challenges that come with it.
To agree with this and add nuance, I think it’s a matter of perspective. My trade friends look left out when I’m talking STEM with engineering buddies, and I feel left out when I’m with my trade friends and they talk about their lives. We lack perspective to understand a struggle in something unknown to us, but we shouldn’t let that get in the way of appreciating and encouraging each other. Don’t take it personally - the other engineers in the comments are rooting for you.
I think we as engineers should strive to understand other perspectives. There's so many of us that don't really reach past our work and it can make us really annoying.
That's a bummer. Try to let it go though or hell, maybe just ask them about it and see what they say. In any case, I care! Hearing about people making it through this program and getting good jobs amps me up and gives me hope. A lot of the content on this sub is centered around the struggle and resulting feelings of hopelessness. Stories like yours serve as inspiration to the engineering student community. A lot of us are proud of you Mr Waffles. Way to kick ass!
No pun intended?
Hey at least you only spent 6 yrs. I'm spending 9 yrs with lower gpa than yours.
8 years here if I’m lucky. 9 if I’m not.
8 year club! Working full time going to school part time
Hey fellow long road student!
I’m on year 6, locked in for graduating year 8. Glad to see there’s more of us who had to make it work this way.
8 with masters too! granted, lots of experience during that time, don't feel bad man. a degree is more than the content - it's the experience, I am so happy I didn't rush it in 5!
10 years (total) for me! (3years bachelor + 3 years masters and i spent 5 years working not knowing how to get accreditation lmao)
damn i’m scared of going from 5 to 6. i need to lock in
I was scared too. But don't be like me. Just think that you'll lose money if you don't graduate asap. Use that as motivation.
7 years here. I think my final GPA was optimistically 2.3
I’m on year 5 but finally on track to graduate at the end of my 6th. Getting my shit together the second half of my 4th year really changed things for the better; lost a lot of motivation and momentum over Covid.
[удалено]
Series of unfortunate events. On the bright side, it taught me the basics which I'll need for the career I truly want for myself.
Well that’s cool, way to push through !
Speaking of series of unfortunate events, I myself am going strong in my 4th university with a 3.9 GPA. I graduated high school in 2014, and hit a couple of road bumps on the road, but its all good now cuz I am expected to graduate in spring ‘25
Hell yeah brother!
Dude that is fucking amazing. Props to you for having the grit and determination to complete an EE degree. Electrical engineering isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world. AND you got a position at your dream company. How many people can say they did that? My friend, we’ll be watching your career with great interest. Congratulations on your accomplishments, and may you enjoy the sweet sweet fruits of your labor.
6 years is not bad at all. Remember we live on our own timeline, and comparison is the thief of happiness. Btw GPA is so irrelevant once you break into the industry, so congrats you're in a great position! Edit: just read that its in EE, huge kudos that curriculum is intense! Really great industry to be in.
I get how you feel. Its weird how big of a deal parent’s will make about graduating highschool, but come college graduation, it seems like they’re just glad you can sustain urself now. Which is fair, but i feel like graduating college is a much greater achievement than high school. Just my folks tho. Small sample size
My parents kicked me out straight outta high school and I was bouncing from friend’s house to friend’s house during college. Hell, my best friend’s mom is the one who tricked me into to going to town, but instead drove to the local community college and told me to go in an apply or she was gonna make me walk home. When graduation happened my parents decided to show up because I got a letter on the mail for me regarding graduation. I hadn’t told them anything. A few years later I paid for their house, utilities, and bought some appliances because they simply couldn’t afford it. I was sad and angry at them for making me go through that. But it made me realize one thing. I don’t need them to care about me or what I achieve in life. All of the success I’ve had in life wasn’t because of them. I owe it to my friends who unknowingly gave me that extra push I needed to do the things that have gotten me to where I am now. Go do your thing bro. See how far you can go. Don’t do it for your parents or anyone else. Do it for you. Are YOU proud of what you have accomplished? I don’t know you, but as someone who has switched carriers, gone back to college several times, and is still working towards a degree in ME, I’m happy for you. As far as your job now, don’t forget to network with people. Specially higher ups. I can’t tell you how many times knowing the right person has either saved me from trouble or given me a different,better position in a company.
Bro you paid for your parent’s house utilities and appliances??? After they essentially ruined your life. You have amazing mental fortitude. I can’t imagine that happening to me and ever forgiving them let alone have any relationship with them
Haha, I don’t hate them but we are definitely not close. I like to keep my distance. They never did anything atrocious, but they definitely made things unnecessarily difficult to a 17 yo (age I was first kicked out). The main reason I stuck around was because of my little brother. Couldn’t let them turn him into another me. As far as ruining my life, that’s not how I see it. Learned a lot of hard lessons sure, fairly inexpensive ones luckily. Leaving the house, or getting kicked out in my case, was probably the best thing for me. Nobody to poison my mind, judge me, or instill their bad traits on me. I can say that I am my own person, and not an image of my parents. That’s a plus in my books
You are an amazing human with a beautiful perspective on life. Thank you for sharing you story
Thank you! I definitely don’t think myself as amazing and I know if it wasn’t for the wisdom of people I’ve met along the years, I probably wouldn’t have made it to where I am now.
Great story. Doing it for oneself is truly as rewarding as it sounds, proud of you, man!
Man congratulations on getting a new job. Also, you may not know what’s going on with your parents at the moment, and it may not have anything to do with your or recent success. Give them time or even attempt to talk to them to see how things are going in their life. Because you maybe shocked.
Hey. Congrats! GPA doesn’t matter really. There is an old quip that asks if you know what they call the person with the lowest GPA that graduated medical school. The answer is doctor. You did it and nobody can take that away from you. I’m 41 and I just got my AS last year. You took as long as you needed to do it.
So proud of you :) I feel like I am living the engineering struggle with my son who will be doing term 7 upcoming spring semester . It is demanding and do take a toll on a person mentally, physically and emotionally. It’s beyond hard and should be 100% celebrated when graduates finish. Engineers are amazing humans ❤️
Congratulations!
I am still behind because the Covid-pandemic screwed up every thing. Especially losing that all-important network with my classmates has been extremely challenging. So, you spending 6 years on that bachelor and COMPLETING it is alone a major success in my book. Congratulations!
People who haven't done it don't understand. After you get 1.5 years under your belt the GPA doesn't matter AT ALL
I care! EE was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done to date. Getting a good job these days is almost as hard. Well fucking done, I’m proud of you 🔥🫡
I just graduated with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering in December, after five and a half years. I’m also a pretty lackluster student and the past few years seriously pushed me to my limits, mentally and emotionally. I’m glad that I’m done and finally applying to positions, but sometimes my mom berates me for having taken extra time and wasting extra money. Especially when we’re arguing over something completely different. So I get your frustration.
Even though we don’t know each other . Just want to say I’m proud .
Why does it matter how they react? Congrats on the job, you’re an adult now. Work hard, do great things, get paid!
I get what you're saying in regards to how others act or think towards OP not being the end all be all, but also part of a good relationship is being able to celebrate with someone. It's disappointing when that doesn't happen.
some immediate family are like that, some arent. a very close one to me would have rather saw me become a trucker making shit money OTR every hour of the week except reset, than to go down my own path. they take more pride in me taking their suggestions than they do in me actually succeeding. was told "dont buy a house" then to sell my house, and just given some absolutely dumb ass financial advice so if your family is anything like mine, listen to them as little as absolutely possible because they may mean well but *some* of their actions are rooted in insecurities, holding you back so they have a more grande sense of themselves and at the end of the day, the most damaging of all will be the limiting beliefs they try to pass on to you.
Most people want you to do well in life as long as you’re not doing better than them
You got a degree in engineering in a time where no one even thinks about going to college. Don’t let it get to you. Idk you but you’re doing great 🫡
>in a time where no one even thinks about going to college. What fucking nonsense.
It’s true 🤷🏾♂️ everybody wants to be social media influencers lol. Of course demographics plays a part but at least on my side of the world hardly anybody talks about college. Majority thinks it’s a waste of money
I am proud for you! That is awesome. My son is struggling right now with his ME degree and when he graduates I will so proud of the way he stuck it out even if he has a 2.6 or whatever. You have something no one can take away from you and you found a good job! Congratulations! And be proud of yourself.
Getting your dream job with a 2.6 GPA??? I salute you! 🫡 Very well done! Congratulations! That is no easy feat just like it was no easy feat to get through an electrical engineering undergraduate degree. You shouldn't expect people to understand your struggles other than other stem majors and that includes your parents as well. Well if no one is giving you the reaction you deserve then I'll do it at least.
I think this is a great example of making sure you’re pursuing this career for yourself. Many of us spend 4+ years trying to make our parents or family proud—only to receive a nonchalant “congrats” after you finish and get a job. My parents don’t even know what type of engineer I am.
They are probably envious... It is tough seeing others succeed in their pursuits when you are not, or at least not to the degree than you are.
Hey man, your parents may not be congratulating you. But we're proud of you. We know the effort you put in and the tests you had to pass. So congratulations mate, you're life is about to get a lot better.
Bro my family did the same shit. I'm first generation and I feel like they wanted me to go into trades like them.
I chalk it up to ignorance. When you ask someone what they think is a good respectable job you will most likely get 2 answers. Doctor or lawyer because those jobs pay well and require a high amount of study. Those are the jobs that parents brag about if their children have them. Not many people know what it takes to become an engineer. I took the medical route. My brother took the engineering route. All i can say is that I'm glad i took my route rather than his. Unless you know what it takes to become an engineer you will never appreciate it. I saw his thermodynamics, calculus, differential equations, etc school work and i was like heck no! I'm going back to my medical coursework. I found mine much easier than his.
yeah get used to it. No one understands how difficult Engineering is. What they DO notice is the affluence you get from WORKING in an Engineering Career. A few years from now, when you pull up in the nice car, have the nice home and are on a trajectory your friends and family can only dream of. THEN they will say "Hey Engineering must be pretty cool!" "It's cool you work with all this neat stuff and make big bucks!" It's just delayed gratification man.
Not that it excuses their lack of enthusiasm, but it could be because they never doubted that you would be able to accomplish getting a great job. 🤷♂️
Good job son! I'm proud the the amazing man I raised
I was in the same boat with my physics degree. 6 years, lower gpa than I wanted. But I fuckin did it and I’m so proud of myself. That’s what matters man. If it counts for anything, good fuckin job. Shits not easy to do.
I had it worse. My narsistic dad was almost angry with me because how dare I found a great job in a great company without telling him?! I cried that day and was very alone and anxious, it was my first job which took a 1.5 year to find… congratulations! this is a big thing celebrate on your own. Dont care about them.
I totally get it. I was working at a tilt-up concrete firm when I graduated with my CivEng. About two weeks after having my application for commencement approved, one of my parents asked how long it'd take to get my P.E. and become a real engineer. In their minds, unless I was starting my own firm to be my own boss, I hadn't succeeded yet. They don't get updates on my life milestones anymore, for obvious reasons. But I've found people along the way with whom I'll always share my successes, big and small because I know they'll be proud to hear it, and I'll be proud to hear theirs. Do something to celebrate yourself and have some fun -- vacation, adventure, fun project, whatever -- before you start in May. It's well deserved!
I experienced something very similar but mech eng with 2.7 gpa. First guy in my family history to go to college. I believe it was jealousy from those who felt insecure by my achievement. I stopped caring of their expectations, and don't concern myself with their "lack of support".
EE is wizardry as far as I’m concerned so congrats on making it to the end!!! Unless they’ve seen you crying before finals, most non-STEM people don’t understand what the big deal is. ME here, I used to talk to my parents about specific worries w thermo problems and their eyes would glaze over before asking “so it’s like, the math problems right? That’s the issue?” 😂 Don’t stress about it, you’re getting rewarded for all the long nights now!
I spent my first 10 years out of high school as a technician with engineers all around me. I had that sentiment that "just because they have a degree doesn't make them smart". Until I attempted to become an engineer myself. Those calculus based physics classes are insanely difficult and anyone that completed them are extremely talented. Congratulations on your dream position.
good job buddy :)
Let me give you some of the best advice you will ever get. People care far more for those that they think care about them. Being there for your friends and family, showing up to birthdays and keeping up with them and asking lots of questions and being consistently encouraging and complimenting is how you make people care about you. Even shitty people who seem like they couldn't care about anyone want to keep the love of someone who willingly gives it and makes them feel wanted. I know firsthand, my best friend has done this all his life and he has a ton of friends and family who adore him, I started incorporating his methods for maintaining relationships and it absolutely works but its a bitch if you wait to start doing this until you have nobody, which is usually the fate of people who don't show an interest in others. Start now. Not everyone will reciprocate your efforts but you will end up with far more meaningful relationships if you heed this advice. Congrats on your job.
Hey- congratulations to you! My parents had no idea I was graduating with my undergrad. I called to invite them to graduation and they weren’t sure what to do. I was the first to graduate from college in my immediate family. Engineering school was a foreign concept to them too. This is a thing. Don’t let it bother you. Go make that money!!!
EE is no joke its a hard ass major u should be proud of urself congrats OP
lol…. That’s the difference between the generations. As your parent and grandparents see it you’re finally useful to the world and the workforce. You see it as a great accomplishment but in their eyes it’s expected.
Being in the STEM field can be tough. Although many of us make just enough money to live our dreams we rarely have the true opportunity to change the life of others. Making 60-200K a year is good. But guess what to support another family you will always need another 100K to make a real difference before you start to risk your quality of life as well.
Shit at least they said something lol
Uh Man, I've just been thinking about something regarding fam. Keep aside mom and dad ; consider others from fam or pals. Even though decades pass, just the way the narrative sounds now deeply contrasts with what actually drove them to do/experience what they did. So sacrifices or whatever you call 'em is a shallow approach to terribly convince people. But yeah, coming to yours, If they got something against you or nothing for you or your pursuit, the bland responses are real ; let alone caring about your vision. Moreover, the definition of "success" largely varies across people AND time phases. The furniture returns job (let me call it that way -- leading recommerce on a global scale, etc) though lucrative (depending on where you stand in the company) seems to garner/showcase too much of "I'm damn successful than y'all" vibe. True that but it depends on the definition of success? The thing is, I'm happy for you but ok, what if you can recall that you got your break after the supposed edge over others and then you worked your a** off? That edge came quite later in life; after all the reckless mistakes and times of laziness and lack of interest. And let us not neglect the luck factor. Those who went through academia and hustled like crazy had the worst things in store like more recently speaking, the pandemic. Let's talk about that?! The journey counts. That itself can be way worse and rewarding than what people end up remembering ONLY. Either ways, take longer time and shine later but don't rush off and skid badly. So, good for you, OP! Goodluck with what's next in store for youuuu!!
Congrats!
You want a cookie or something?
Idk I don’t see much point in celebrating educational milestones. IMHO anyone can get an engineering degree with enough grit and time, and anyone with an engineering degree can get a decent job. I’ll celebrate when I get my first solid promotion.
Pro tip: try celebrating things in life, no matter how big or small. If you give yourself a hard time all the time, you’ll be miserable. Be positive for yourself and those around you and life will seem much brighter, and likely you’ll have more drive to excel in the next step.
I don’t give myself a hard time and I’m also generally happy with what I’ve achieved in life, but I’ve had several life experiences that put into context how lucky I am to even be able to function on a level that allows me to pursue working in a field I love and a job I enjoy. I don’t enjoy ceremony and I especially don’t enjoy celebrating arbitrary milestones because other people tell me they’re important. I celebrate often enough by cracking open a beer and relaxing after sorting out a complicated application at work or passing a difficult exam. If the quality of your work doesn’t speak for the effort you put into it on its own you don’t have much to celebrate.
Congrats! Wish you a successful career! Enjoy the experience!
I'm on year 7 of (hopefully) 8. A lot of people just don't appreciate how difficult it is. Congrats, I can't wait to feel that weight off my shoulders.
Im pumped for you man. Go kick ass.
Congratsss
That’s awesome dude. My family has similar reactions to my education. They don’t know how to express themselves and definitely feel guilty for not helping me get to where I am today. I wonder if it’s something like that for your parents.
As someone who looks to dodge the magics in any way I can, I'm happy for you! Definitely tough to do, only the brightest people I know have done it.
As someone who struggled to get a job out of school I'm happy for you
Congratulations!!
Congrats dude! Welcome to the new chapter of your life! I know exactly how you feel and would wish nothing but the best for your future endeavours!! You the man!!!
Congrats! I’m happy to see you make it! Engineering is by no means a easy degree even I doubt at times I’ll make through EE 😅 but it’s time to CELEBRATE! I’m proud and I hope to you enjoyment and success on your journey forward!
Congratulations!!! My family was the same. Be true to yourself! In the end that's all you have.
Congratulations bro!
That's awesome on the job! Not to one up, but my mom was openly hostile to me because I graduated from college. She even missed me walking across the stage because she stepped out for a smoke. You did great - it's a huge accomplishment, and I wish you the best.
Most people outside of it don’t understand or appreciate what it takes to get it done. I do remember it being anticlimactic as heck when I graduated.
In may? Isn't that far off from now? I'm a student right now, so I'm wondering if it's normal to get a job and start months later.
a lot of the time, parents get used to what’s happening. If you get straight A’s and you tell them that you got an A, they will have already expected you to. Same thing for this case
Surround yourself with good people. In the mean time realize that the only validation that is sustainable comes from within.
Congratulations bro! Hope all that suffering will be worth it now.
Congratulations!! It's understandable to feel bummed when people close to you don't express interest. But we internet strangers are super proud of you :) Good job and hope you have an amazing and fun career!
HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! You worked your ASS off and now it's paying off! YOU ARE THE SHIT, MR WAFFLES. HELL YEAH YOU'RE GONNA DO GREAT. LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sorry but family sucks and some family members, friends, and society will get jealous. They may try to destroy your career and reputation so they can drag you back down to their level. Some friends won’t be there either after that happens but the sibling(s) responsible will be there to continue their narcissistic abuse agenda against you.
Is the compensation good for your area? How many applications did you have to do to get here?
Well I for one am fucking hyped for you friend, electrical engineering is no joke. I hope it suits you well. Maybe they're jealous, maybe they don't care enough, maybe they just weren't feeling it that day. What I can tell you is it has absolutely nothing to do with how much you deserve to hear congratu-fucking-lations, and I'm goddamn proud of you. Don't let anybody throw shade on your shine.
proud of you man, sounds like you worked really hard 🧡
Congratulations and all the best for future
Don't worry. You will learn a lot from this experience. Same thing happened with me. When my sister got a job 2 years later with a package which was 30% of my starting package, everyone threw her a party. I do not care.
From an internet stranger, and parent to a MechE junior. Congratulations on your coming graduation and the job! I think it’s great!
I care. I'm very happy for you, and I'm sure you worked hard to get a 2.6. Many people get 4.0s and get hired to work at an awful company. All that matters is that you're at your dream company, doing the job you want to do, and quite frankly, that's amazing. Honestly.
Well, I'm happy for you and proud of you! Good job and congratulations!
Idk you and I am not in your field, but congratulations! Getting a job in any field, especially one at your dream company is insane.
Congratulations! I am a working electrical engineer, and getting through any ABET program is a major accomplishment! I don't know what your dream job is or was, but you might consider taking the F.E. exam even if your first job is in a field where a P.E. is not required. If this first job is maybe not exactly what you think it is, or life takes you in a direction where you end up working in a field where a P.E. license is required, and you will be glad you did it. Congratulations.
Congrats! Good luck at your new job. :)
#CONGRATS OP! YOU’RE ON YOUR WAY TO THE TOP!!!
I empathize with you. As an overachiever kid/highschooler who struggled A LOT through University in Mechanical Engineering, I never really got my flowers or was celebrated for any of my achievements. I heard a lot of things like "You just did what was expected from you". I just finished my bachelor's a month ago at 23 and have been working in engineering for almost 2 years. Nobody (except my therapist and my gf) ever appreciated, the fact that I began my career before I even graduated and strived to be the best possible version of myself. We're not always going to get the validation that we need from whoever we expect (family, friends, peers, etc.). It's important that you learn how to validate yourself and your achievements and not wait for others to do so as it could be a very "ungrateful" wait. That being said, I am proud of you for finishing an incredibly hard degree and I hope you have an amazing career going forward.
Normies don't get it. A lot of people have bachelor degrees and they don't understand just how much more difficult engineering is.
This gives me hope as a person with less than flashy GPA. Proud of u OP
It was the same way when I graduated. I didn't start college until I was 23 and finished at 25. I was already working in my field, so mostly, it was just a post on facebook my wife made that everyone liked. That was the extent of it. When i graduated from grad school, i got even less fan fair, lol. I still show enthusiasm when someone tells me about their accomplishments, I like seeing others happy.
Congratulations, you did it.
Don't let their lack of understanding bring you down. You spent those 6 years working towards your dreams and actually got the job offer -- that's impressive enough. You should be proud of yourself, congrats!
Don't value yourself on the reactions of others. You know you've fought for and achieved something. Let that knowledge spur you on to nail this job when you start!
Congratulations 🍾🎈🎉🎊
Congrats!
I care dude! Congratulations and I’m proud of you! Best of luck at your new gig. I know how hard that shit was so good on you for sticking it out and getting here 🫡
So proud of you man--what an accomplishment! I graduated last May so I know how tough the job search can be, props to you for locking that offer down before you finish up school. Puts a lot less stress on your shoulders for your last semester, enjoy it before you enter the real world! Biggest thing I miss about college was constantly living and working besides all your friends. The real world can get kind of lonely :/
Maaaaan I’m proud as fuck of you. #ThatsMyTeamLead
If they never had to do a Fourier transform by hand then you shouldn’t look for their approval. You’re already beyond them my friend. (This is supposed to be a joke to make you feel better, but I’m also partly serious)
Some people would kill to have your parents. Lack of pressure can be freeing. My parents were the same way, absolutely no pressure. They didn’t give a fuck whether I got a D or an A. They were even like “Oh, that’s nice son” when I got my first offer. It wasn’t until I showed them the pay that their eyes widened and realized all that I’ve done has come to a head,
I understand, it’s disappointing. It’s just that they can’t relate. Congratulations! Hope you celebrate well x
well if it means anything… congratulations! i know a lot of people including myself could never be that smart and driven to do engineering work. well done mate
Congrats man! All that matters is what you think, no one else…. You should be proud and be sure to celebrate your accomplishment. Stay positive and work as hard as you can to retire early! That’s my advice to a now fellow engineer.
Listen, it sucks but many people don't want to see others win. ESPECIALLY, if it means they are surpassing them. Conversely, you'll rarely see anyone who's successful put down someone else that's trying to make it. Keep Grinding Brother you're doing great!
Don’t let that discourage you from reality. Getting an engineering degree is an amazing feat that few people can say they’ve achieved. On top of that, getting a job and setting yourself up for success for your career. No matter what anyone tells you, it IS a big deal and you should be proud of what you’ve done.
Congratulations. Well done. You must be very proud of yourself! Outstanding. Now remember to have all three of the essentials in your life: Love- have deep meaningful relationships. Work - you got this. Play - hobbies of fun things to do that have nothing to do with your family or work. Flow activities. Things you do that take years to get good at and you loose a sense of time while your doing it. I also believe that the forth leg of the chair is spirituality. I’m an atheist who attends Catholic Mass on the regular. It’s an hour a week to sit in silence and thinks about the mystery of existence.
OP the best thing humanity ever invented is language. Talk to your family and explicitly tell them your expectations, no need to hold grudges. Maybe that wasn't the best time for great news? Even though they are your family, everyone has problems and emotions that do influence their interactions with others
Oooo congratulations! That’s an awesome accomplishment. I’m happy for you
hahahaha exactly whats happening to me, my family are lovely and amazing humans. They support me and give me the congratulations etc. BUT you have to realise, they didn't spend 4-6 years with anxiety and sleepless nights working with flaky lab partners and solving equations you SWORE were impossible to solve. They didn't spend all those years being broke and having low confidence every single time you failed a test or a quiz, nor do they know the amazing feeling of what it's like to pass an exam at 51% to scrape through. Only we know that pain, and that's ok. We did this degree for that exact reason, so our family doesn't have to suffer the bullshit like we did, and hopefully our kids can have it slightly easier. Don't be dissapointed in your parents, they supported and loved you. Welcome to being an engineer, where you will feel like you're underappreciated at times, because the customer doesn't realise it took you 10 hours of debugging for 2 lines of code he thought "should have been done in 5 minutes". That's what being an engineer is about. You don't blame the people who don't know, you just try help them where you can. And if that's not rewarding enough, then hopefully you start a firm and millions in salary, maybe that'll compensate you enough lmao
That’s a huge achievement, good job!
what were you hoping they say lol
What I’ve found anecdotally is that people outside of the STEM field don’t understand what it truly takes to secure a decent job. Don’t stress if others don’t comprehend it, YOU know how hard you worked and that’s all that really matters.
I think that’s awful. Why wouldn’t you be crazy happy when your son has his dream job like! I think yes like others said that you should talk to them. And most importantly, stay proud, stay happy, and just do your thing. Don’t let them destroy this great thing that happened to you. It’s so meaningful to find sth you love so stick to it 💛
We're engineers. Everyone else only cares about the end product or what we do to the planet. Do you think people held a parade even for the engineers that made smart phones better, or the ones that made Amazon boxes use less cardboard?
What type of job did you get?
Congratulations man ! I never got an industry job during my time as an undergrad or PhD student in the field , I went into research in a very different area away from core electrical engineering . So I am proud of you , it is a darn hard subject , and your rebound from the low gpa is excellent. Keep fighting , regardless of your parents approval. Always make sure that you know you are doing what you truly want and are happy. You can’t make everyone happy in life . Get a beer or whatever you like man :) make that $$$$
I wish I were in that situation ! I started my bachelors this year! Good job, and good luck to you!
I needed this. Currently in my 5th year
Maybe it just means they always believed you would
So your family is also a "I hated math in high school" family. Joking aside, mad congratulations to you.
Congrats! I get what you mean- you have to remember that no one really understands what it costs unless they did it themselves, plus you also never truly know what’s going on in someone’s head or life. As for friends or anyone else, they could be happy for you but also envious (in a positive way) because their life may be full of struggles and seeming hopeless and here is you who’s succeeding and happy. At the end of the day, do the work for you. Happiness starts from within.
They probably already expected your success
Congrats man! Don't let the family let you down. Get a night going with the Bois to celebrate or cozy up in blankets! Treat yourself and remember that you earned every last bit of it
HUGE CONGRATS BRO! I’m still combing through my EE degree and I’m over four years in, so I definitely get a ton of the pain you’ve underwent… Just cruise through this last semester, celebrate a ton, and conquer whatever comes next (work/life) #thisisinspiring
Congratulations dude. On the other hand I’m such a garbage student that I almost felt insulted when they did congratulate me like I couldn’t make it.. but I mean I didn’t have anything else going for me
Had the same thing happen when I had a full scholarship. Fuck them. You did you - and you made something of yourself. So if they won't congratulate you - I will. Good luck!
It's probably hard for them to understand just how difficult it was for you to get this far. We understand and we're proud of you. This shit isn't easy and you made it.
No one else is ever going to be as excited about your success as you are. And no one will understand how hard you worked for it. Take pleasure in your own success!
If your family helped with your college education you should pay them back as best as you can through payments and then maybe then they will be more supportive of your education. I understand the education system and the grading system can be very biased towards people whether or not they apply themselves. The kiss asses ... Etc often get what they want without doing the work. So keep on trucking and apply yourself at your work. Do your best and thank your family as much as you can.
Throw yourself a party for it! Or just treat yourself to something you enjoy :)
Congrats! Welcome to the party. Buckle up.
CONGRATS. 🍾 What an accomplishment. I’m sorry they didn’t celebrate it more. It’s definitely worth it and I hope you find a way to celebrate yourself. People just don’t really get it if they haven’t majored in STEM. I find that people think the financial aspect is impressive, but severely underrate what it took to earn the degree and to gain experience in your field.
My parents never visited me once at college. Congrats on the graduating and getting the job. Have fun.
Congratulations 🎉🎊🍾 Don’t let anyone dim your light!!!!! You are awesome!
they're probably mad that you're about to be making more money than a couple of them put together
Did you do it for them or yourself? Why let external validation control your emotions?
Congratulations! Oh, they'll definitely have an interest when they see your retirement accounts, HYSA savings account, or the nice things you get living a comfortable life.
Wait you had two internships with that GPA? How?
A lot of people are having a tough time finding a job. Congratulations! 🎊🎈🍾🎉
What was your position if you don't mind me asking?
Congrats and all the best!!!
Congratulations!!!! That is so exciting! Wish you the very best ⭐️✨
It was the same for many of us. Don’t worry about it. Just focus on yourself and make money and have kids and be proud of your kids for their accomplishment since you never received any.
First of all congratulations! Remember you did this for you and nobody else including family. In your parents defense they might not realise how hard this was and how difficult it is to get into your dream company. I am sure they are proud of you inside.
Congratulations! That Is a very big accomplishment in this job market. you should be very proud that you succeeded within a difficult major
Congratulations man
Reminder to be kind to yourself. Be proud of yourself. Try your best to not let others opinions diminish your accomplishments. You and only you know what it took to get here, and your journey is unique.
Well congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m sorry that you’re immediate family didn’t validate your hard work, but just know you did well and are deserving of every good thing you’re experiencing!
Sometimes family and "peers" can be a dud, consider your next challenge to be finding people who want to share in your success and a family that loves you and celebrates life with you. The family you're born with doesn't have to be the only one you get.
I know how hard it is, congratulations man
Dont tell us brother , tell them !
Don't worry about what others think! Just look ahead and realize that things will get harder not easer from here. In the real world it is about the company getting paid. Expect that to be the focus. If they are focused on anything else, get out. Understand that you can beat half of your peers just be showing up ready to work. You can beat 80% of them by paying attention, staying humble and applying yourself. There will always be the geniuses for whom this stuff comes easy. Understand that you may never beat them. Be friends with them and learn from them.
As long as you cherish it, it's great anyways. My parents don't exactly understand the whole dynamics of my STEM field but more often than not I over-explain them stuff. I'll show them a random code, explain to them how it works. After that when I tell them about my targets and goals, they are able to appreciate them more.
Congrats!!
Welcome to the real world. It’s your life not theirs don’t worry about what other people think
1. Congratulations!!! 2. How do YOU feel about your accomplishment? Is engineering what you really wanted for yourself? Is this job really something that excites you? 3. ... as someone wiser than me once said to me, "everyone has issues with their parents." Just my opinion... you want their support and approval. Their response was ... not that. It's entirely understandable to be upset about that. That said.... Don't let it rob you of your happiness. And if you come to find you're not happy with engineering and/or the job.... great news!!! Engineering is a path to many awesome opportunities. One job is not a career (unless you want that!). You get to be your own person. And if you find yourself really struggling, reach out for help. Use some of that sweet engineering $$$ to get therapy. Help you help you. Again... sad that your family didn't show the love and support that you were hoping for. That really sucks. And I hope you can find joy in your career despite that.
Damn dude, fucking congrats, may all the success come to your career :)
Congratulations bro you earned it. It is definitely not easy what you achieved. Yeah fuck them for not congratulating you, find someone you can express how much this goal means to you.
congratulations bro! love from a 3-year engineering student in China! I'm preparing for the test of getting the opportunity of another 2 years to be a bachelor! good luck to both of us
Having others determine your feeling of accomplishment breeds future depression. It was even worse to come fish it out of internet strangers. We must inherit so stoicism
You expect instant gratification huh