#engineering positivity

[hopeful-engineer]

To anyone, who needs to hear this: the alternative to perfectionism isn't doing the bare minimum and being proud of it. The alternative to perfectionism is embracing uncertainty and the margin of error. It's coming to terms with the fact, that nothing you do is 100% accurate and that's normal. That's why tolerance exists (by 'tolerance' I mean 'engineering tolerance', the limit of variation), but that doesn't mean, you shouldn't try your best.

[hopeful-engineer]

🙃 Mistakes are something all humans make

🙃 Mistakes don't define you

🙃 Mistakes don't erase your progress

🙃 Mistakes are a way to learn something new

🙃 Mistakes don't make you stupid

🙃 Mistakes are inevitable, when you're a beginner

🙃 Mistakes just happen sometimes, even to experts

[hopeful-engineer]

Friendly reminder that your current job being too mundane, boring or below your aspirations are valid reasnons to look for a new job. Remember, that this is part of caring for your mental wellbeing, too. A job below your knowledge, skills and experience level may lead to burnout and low self-confidence. It doesn't have to be only because they don't pay you enough. You're not ungrateful. You deserve to be ambitious.

[hopeful-engineer]

It's okay to quit or delay something you've been planning and working towards, even if it's already taken a lot of time and effort. It's okay to change plans, to get rid of old ideas to make space for new ones, or to just change your ways temporarily, because the goal you've been working to achieve seems out of reach right now. You can come back to it later, when the time is right, or abandon it completely, because new opportunities appear, and that's normal. Stubbornly sticking to old plans isn't worth missing new opportunities.

[hopeful-engineer]

I'm quite bad at small talk and it makes me stressed. I want to talk more to my colleagues at work, but idk how. Most topics people talk about seem like totally unimportant bullshit to me. The only time I actually talked more, was when I started talking about gas turbines 😆. Usually, when someone starts talking to me I say a few short sentences and then I'm quiet again. I rarely start any conversations, I usually only talk, when someone talk first. And you know what? That's okay 🙂. Not everyone has to be very social. I'm trying to talk more and stop being nervous around people and there is progress, and that's what matters. I know it's not easy and that I should be patient with myself. I'm more a cat person 🐈, than a people person, and that's okay.

[hopeful-engineer]

The world needs more engineering student positivity, so here it is:

😊 engineering students, who barely passed their exams, you passed, and that's what matters, be proud of yourself

😊 engineering students, who failed an exam and have to retake it, don't give up, it'll be better next time

😊 engineering students, who aren't that good at math, you will learn it at your own pace, it takes time, but you can do it

😊 engineering students, who think, they're "not smart enough for engineering", you're smarter than you think, don't be so hard on yourself

😊 engineering students, who came back to college after a year-long (or longer) break, returning to school after long time isn't easy, but it's worth it, good for you that you made this decision

😊 engineering students, who have to work a full-time job, or more than one job, be proud of yourself for finding time and energy to study, your future self will thank you for this