I'm 19 and not sure what to do with my life...

Serendipity

So - I'm currently in college majoring in Electrical Engineering, really enjoying the program and getting good grades.

Here's my dilemma:
I want to do something with smart homes - either in the home automation field, designing security systems or HT electronics, working at a company such as Crestron/AMX/Elan/NetStreams/etc. However, recently I spoke with my advisor and I was told that I really should be majoring in Computer Science, as the Electrical Engineering program here at my school doesn't cover a lot of what I'll need to know to get into that field.

My other plan is to work at a speaker company such as Polk Audio, as I absolutely love great sound and want to tinker around with speaker designs and associated electronics. I'm not only into audio, but really I'm into music and performed at Carnegie Hall a few years ago.

I'm not really sure which path to choose but I guess that's life Maybe I'll do something with robotics as that is one of my other interests and something I enjoy doing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I want to explore my options before I go to grad school.

Thanks!

disneyjoe7

To be young again....

Two things Security by itself dead end no, continuing school yes IMHO. At your age maybe HT setup / installs could be a big winner, tie’n that to security whole house audio to mid - high end homes. Later getting with a builder to pre wire them Win Win, getting big enough to hire a few installers for yourself later.

Serendipity

Oh I'm definitely going to grad school...

I know quite a few people that said their biggest regret in life was not finishing college or grad school.

wz2p7j

1) Do all the stuff you said you were going to do (college, etc)
2) Read "Think and Grow Rich" - Napolean Hill
3) Read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" Robert Kiyosaky
4) Read several books regarding how to buy an existing business
5) Read some leadership and empowerment books
6) Save up to buy an existing, profitable company in a field you really like, alarm company with home automation, home theater store, etc. (peruse bizquest.com and bizbuysell.com)
7) Use what you learned in your readings to empower and motivate your employees to make money for themselves (and you)
8) Retire young, spend wisely.

Chris :D:D

ben62670

disneyjoe7 wrote: »

To be young again....

Two things Security by itself dead end no, continuing school yes IMHO. At your age maybe HT setup / installs could be a big winner, tie’n that to security whole house audio to mid - high end homes. Later getting with a builder to pre wire them Win Win, getting big enough to hire a few installers for yourself later.

This is the route I want to go, but insurance does not come with working for yourself, and retirement is something that you have to do religiously. You don't want to make a bunch of money, and have nothing at retirement time. A good job with benifits is the way to go IMHO. Something not affected by the market. You could still do a business on the side, and hire out employees to do the dirty work. It would be tough, but a nice bonus too. Also never borrow out to your means. If something happens you are screwed, and making up payments is real hard to do. When it comes to toys if you can't pay cash you can't afford it.

Serendipity

Are you saying one would be better off starting a HT/home automation business?

Or should I be into engineering the products at a company like Crestron/Elan/Russound/Polk?

brettw22

Starting the business would be a fun way for you to enjoy putting it all together.......if you have the temperment to deal wtih people all day/every day.

If you prefer more development type, then go with the Creston, etc stuff..........

Ron-P

I'm 19 and not sure what to do with my life...

HA! I'm 42 and not sure what to do with my life, other then go to Disneyland. Life's too short to play grown-up. Don't worry about it, just enjoy the ride.

bobman1235

If you're unsure or trying ot get your foot in the door in an industry, INTERN. Work for cheap. Get experience. Get in the door. Work nights.

Schooling is all well and good, but I don't know a single person who I graduated with (computer / electrical engineers all) who didn't value their experience in work much more than their schooling. Is the schooling important? Of course. Not nearly as important as just getting your hands dirty with whatever you want to do. Everyone thinks the degree means so much these days, but it means less and less because (no ofrfense of course) every dodo goes to college and gets a sheet of paper these days. What distinguishes you, unless you go to some ivy league school or graduate top of your class, is your experience and your willingness to DO things.

SolidSqual

Finish school. Work for a couple years. Go back to Law School and become a patent attorney. If you want money, that's where tons of it is . . . as long as your willing to dig yourself out of debt from tuition.

wz2p7j

DON'T START A BUSINESS - yes I'm shouting. Buy an existing business from a guy that is retiring, moving out of state or otherwise moving on. 90% of startups fail. Only about 10% of existing businesses bought by others fail. Chris

Beekyman

Above all things, follow your heart on this! Continue to pursue your interests and education as you travel down life's path. Will you be happy doing what you are passionate about or will you be happier slugging it out a firm where your only goal is monetary in nature? Obviously it would be great to have both but rarely does that occur.
At nineteen I thought I knew where I was going and 21 years later my life experiences have led me into a unexpected yet interesting line of work that I never envisioned!
I got here in my life due to many factors but the first and most prevalent factor in my journey to where I am is that I compromised on my hopes and dreams. I didn't follow my heart!
Good luck and don't be afraid to listen to your inner voice! If you make mistakes, thats OK too. Sometimes mistakes open unexpected doorways to other ventures! Good luck and have fun!

KG Audio

Beekyman wrote: »

Above all things, follow your heart on this! Continue to pursue your interests and education as you travel down life's path. Will you be happy doing what you are passionate about or will you be happier slugging it out a firm where your only goal is monetary in nature? Obviously it would be great to have both but rarely does that occur.
At nineteen I thought I knew where I was going and 21 years later my life experiences have led me into a unexpected yet interesting line of work that I never envisioned!
I got here in my life due to many factors but the first and most prevalent factor in my journey to where I am is that I compromised on my hopes and dreams. I didn't follow my heart!
Good luck and don't be afraid to listen to your inner voice! If you make mistakes, thats OK too. Sometimes mistakes open unexpected doorways to other ventures! Good luck and have fun!

Disclaimer: I will be hijacking this thread later on.

First, I will throw in my 2 cents...BTW, this applies to everyone, not just the OP.

Don't look back and never regret!!! Whatever you are feeling right now, do it and don't look back. Life is too short to worry about if you are doing the "right thing." Later on in life when you are married with kids, stuck in a career that chose itself...you will be wishing you did all the things you wished you did.

Ask that hot girl/guy out...the worst they can say is NO...20 years from now you will thank yourself for doing so.

Take those classes that are hard, different, etc. Apply for that job that you think is (a) above you, (b) you are unqualified for, (c) you dream of.

Sit back, get drunk, and enjoy your youth!!!

I could go on forever but I'm sure others will chime in.

Hijack Alert:

Beekyman...Your sig lists that you have a lot of Parasound Halo equipment. How do you like it? It appears that you are using the D3 for 2-channel. I have heard that this player is pretty good as a CD player. Any thoughts? What about the other HALO gear?

Hijack done...KG

TroyD

Not sure what to do?

Hookers and Blow....always a good choice.

BDT

ben62670

Lasareath wrote: »

I pay $100 a month for insurance!

We have to talk!

wz2p7j wrote: »

DON'T START A BUSINESS - yes I'm shouting. Buy an existing business from a guy that is retiring, moving out of state or otherwise moving on. 90% of startups fail. Only about 10% of existing businesses bought by others fail. Chris

I agree that it is very hard to start a business. When I did I told my X not to expect any income for 2 years. I started to make some money after 18 months. I think that the 90% failure rate of starting a business is that many people get this little dream about how great it would be to be your own boss, all the money you will be making, and you can take time off when you want to. Well those are 3 big lies. You have to be working on your business all the time. If you get to the point of having employees you work before they start, and don't stop till much later. Count in all the time of estimates, advertising, and bookwork you really are not making a ton of dough. You think you need to love a job... You so need to love your work if it is your business. Then you have to deal with people no paying, and again if you have employees you have to pay out of your pocket. I am not trying to scare you away from it, but just warn you it has to be a labor of love. Now a good solid job you can turn off work when you punch out. That's it done. No paper work etc. Just done. You can go on Va-ca without any worries. I so wish I could get a job, and go back to work. I wish I could turn back time. In my field you need degrees to get a job. They won't even look at your resume if you don't have a stack of degrees. %95 of what I learned in school was worthless in the field, and hands on is the best teacher, but a degree shows you worked hard at your goal, and are serious about getting the job you want. Keep your record clean. I know at 19 I was a bit of a loon, but if you get busted for enjoying better living through chemistry, or any sort of criminal activity no matter how harmless it will fallow you. Some real nice jobs out there require extensive background checks so you don't want to blow it because of some stupid thing that even a friend did not you, but you just happened to be there.
Sorry for being long winded
Ben

John30_30

appadv wrote: »

So - I'm currently in college majoring in Electrical Engineering, really enjoying the program and getting good grades.

Here's my dilemma:
I want to do something with smart homes - either in the home automation field, designing security systems or HT electronics, working at a company such as Crestron/AMX/Elan/NetStreams/etc. However, recently I spoke with my advisor and I was told that I really should be majoring in Computer Science, as the Electrical Engineering program here at my school doesn't cover a lot of what I'll need to know to get into that field.

My other plan is to work at a speaker company such as Polk Audio, as I absolutely love great sound and want to tinker around with speaker designs and associated electronics. I'm not only into audio, but really I'm into music and performed at Carnegie Hall a few years ago.

I'm not really sure which path to choose but I guess that's life Maybe I'll do something with robotics as that is one of my other interests and something I enjoy doing. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I want to explore my options before I go to grad school.

Thanks!

You could transfer to a school whose E.E. program does cover what you want to know in smart home technology. It's a great future- definitely going to keep expanding.

In the meantime, don't worry about how you'll be living your life. It will live you. Ga-ron-teed.

Beekyman

Hijack Alert:

Beekyman...Your sig lists that you have a lot of Parasound Halo equipment. How do you like it? It appears that you are using the D3 for 2-channel. I have heard that this player is pretty good as a CD player. Any thoughts? What about the other HALO gear?

Hijack done...KG[/QUOTE]

I personally really enjoy everything about all of my Parasound Halo gear. I know thats a rather broad statement but I seriously enjoy everything about the equipment I have. My only regret is that the D3 wont do Blu-Ray or HD-DVD but I knew that upon purchase anyway.
Performance and build quality along with an outstanding warranty are the primary reasons for my choice. The aesthetics of the equipment (in my opinion) are just downright sexy. If you want to know more email, PM me, or begin another thread.

BTW...your advice on "No regrets" is good and I like it. I just wish that I convince myself to not feel some regret at times! Hindsight is 20/20!

obieone

Disclaimer: I'm not an engineer, but...
Step 1: Get your degree. Step 2: Suck it up for ? years and get your P.E. certificate.
You want SOMETHING that say's you're NOT a 'chowdahead', and can take direction.

Serendipity

KG Audio wrote: »

Sit back, get drunk, and enjoy your youth!!!

I don't think so...

steveinaz

Ron-P wrote: »

HA! I'm 42 and not sure what to do with my life, other then go to Disneyland. Life's too short to play grown-up. Don't worry about it, just enjoy the ride.

Ron, you are my new idol.

Fatbrando

Nail everything that moves!

F1nut

Yep, try getting laid. Maybe you won't be so uptight then.

Jstas

Number one, why are you asking for life direction on an Internet forum, let alone this one?


Number two, lighten up. Really. It's not so dire.

Get a girlfriend! Don't settle, ask the ones you think are hot. Never gonna know 'til you try.
Have a drink! You don't gotta get piss-yourself drunk but grab a beer. Try a few different kinds, hell, try them ALL! Beer is evidence that God wants us to be happy! History flows forth on rivers of ale! So much beer, so little time!
Get a fast car and annihilate the tires every so often!

You're 19 kid. You're not even half way through college yet. Lighten up and live a little. Stop trying to be who you think your parents want you to be. This is college, junior! This is where you find out who YOU are not who you think everyone else thinks you should be. Yeah, get an education but part of that education is defining yourself. Academic questions can be answered by your guidance counselor. Go talk to them about that. Everything else? that's you.

Nobody here can tell you what is right for you. They can only tell you what is right for them and a good chunk of them probably have it wrong too and they just haven't figured it out yet. But the only way you are going to find out what is right for you is to do stuff. Push your limits, find your boundaries and burst through them to the other side.

All this straight-laced, good boy, make the parents proud bs? Yeah, **** that ****! Go find YOU. I didn't go with the establishment when I was younger. My parents told me to straighten up and fly right and I hid a successful amateur drag racing career from them for about 6 years. I still graduated from college and got a job working for a defense contractor doing missile defense work. Before I started doing my racing, I had no clue what I wanted to do with myself and I did what you are doing and did my best to please the 'rents. You know what? It's not their life, you are not them. It's YOUR life only YOU can live it.

Stop worrying about all this pious, think of the future malarkey. You have questions because you don't know who you are. If you knew who you were, you wouldn't have to ask what you should be doing with yourself. You wouldn't necessarily know but you'd have a clear direction to start heading in.

You shouldn't be asking what you want to do but rather how do you go about doing it. The fact that you don't know what you want to do is not a bad thing. It just shows you haven't put much thought in to you and what you want out of life. You've put alot of thought in to what everyone else says you should be getting out of life but how in the hell do you know if that's right for you? Get your education and graduate. If you want grad school, great. Go for it. But the academics is only a small part of your life. A degree gives you alot of things but it doesn't give you life experience. You gotta get that on your own. You won't get that with your nose buried in a book and driving in the slow lane on the highway.

So my answer to you is get yourself a hot car and drive it like you stole it. The best thing you can do is find yourself a girl the loves you for who you are. That puts alot in perspective. Grab a beer with the guys and watch a football game. Better yet GO TO a football game! Don't sit in the lounge chair in the living room and watch it on TV. Then, get that new girlfriend and a couple of the guys, pile in to that hot car of yours and take a road trip. Where? WHO CARES?! Just go! In others words, start living YOUR life. Ya better get to it too, you've missed out on alot of stuff already and you still got alot of living to do.

rayslifecycle

I'm 34, enjoy life, & sleep well at night........

Think about what you are good at.
Figure out how to make money doing that.......
Make sure you like yourself making money doing that..............
It will make life easier:cool:

Stay out of stupid debt as much as possible......if you are taking loans out to go to school - make sure that school is giving you what you want - School is not the place to find yourself (ie - partying, getting laid, buying shiny trinkets).

That kind of start in life = enslavement to the man.

wz2p7j's books :
"Think and Grow Rich" - Napolean Hill
"Rich Dad, Poor Dad" Robert Kiyosaky
are an important read..........
regardless of your career path.....

Also check out:
1984 by Orson Wells
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Economics in 1 Lesson by Henry Hazlitt

daniel_paul_

bobman1235 wrote: »

If you're unsure or trying ot get your foot in the door in an industry, INTERN. Work for cheap. Get experience. Get in the door. Work nights.

Schooling is all well and good, but I don't know a single person who I graduated with (computer / electrical engineers all) who didn't value their experience in work much more than their schooling. Is the schooling important? Of course. Not nearly as important as just getting your hands dirty with whatever you want to do. Everyone thinks the degree means so much these days, but it means less and less because (no ofrfense of course) every dodo goes to college and gets a sheet of paper these days. What distinguishes you, unless you go to some ivy league school or graduate top of your class, is your experience and your willingness to DO things.

+1 The only way to know what you want is to try something out. Get a summer internship at one of those companies and see what you think. Put starting a buisness out for a few years. You should have about 2 years before you finish school. Dont try to learn buisness and a new skill all at the same time. Pick a job and run with it. Then change directions if required.

rayslifecycle

+1 on getting out there and working - find out what you like.........and have a little fun on an earned dime (sorry $20 - inflation) instead of a borrowed one.......school will always be there to take your money when you figure out why you want to pay them.......and then the college chicks will dig you because you have your **** together............

Fatbrando

Fat ones, short ones, ones that smell like soup, the one with the toe that longer than the other....

Let it all go and NAIL THEM ALL!!!

GEBBY44

bobman1235 wrote: »

If you're unsure or trying ot get your foot in the door in an industry, INTERN. Work for cheap. Get experience. Get in the door. Work nights.

Schooling is all well and good, but I don't know a single person who I graduated with (computer / electrical engineers all) who didn't value their experience in work much more than their schooling. Is the schooling important? Of course. Not nearly as important as just getting your hands dirty with whatever you want to do. Everyone thinks the degree means so much these days, but it means less and less because (no ofrfense of course) every dodo goes to college and gets a sheet of paper these days. What distinguishes you, unless you go to some ivy league school or graduate top of your class, is your experience and your willingness to DO things.

Ivy League schooling is a joke. Grade inflation runs rampant. The only advantage it gives is the power of connections. Granted, they are pretty nice connections and can get you started, but you still have to show that you can actually DO something. Work hard and don't worry if not everyone notices your hard work. Someone eventually will that will make it all worthwhile.

PhantomOG

GEBBY44 wrote: »

Ivy League schooling is a joke. Grade inflation runs rampant. The only advantage it gives is the power of connections. Granted, they are pretty nice connections and can get you started, but you still have to show that you can actually DO something. Work hard and don't worry if not everyone notices your hard work. Someone eventually will that will make it all worthwhile.

Have you attended an Ivy League school? If not, you're disparaging comments aren't worth the paper you wipe your **** with.

I graduated from an Ivy League engineering program and there was no grade inflation, and I assure you my schooling was no joke. The students I graduated with didn't need connections because they are some of the smartest, hardest working people in the world.

Back to the OP, I agree with what other people have said. Lighten up and enjoy the ride. If you try to have every detail of your life planned out in advance, you're just going to be miserable. If you really are enjoying the EE program as you said, stick to it. Get some work experience in something EE related before you start worrying about career aspirations.

GEBBY44

PhantomOG wrote: »

Have you attended an Ivy League school? If not, you're disparaging comments aren't worth the paper you wipe your **** with.

I graduated from an Ivy League engineering program and there was no grade inflation, and I assure you my schooling was no joke. The students I graduated with didn't need connections because they are some of the smartest, hardest working people in the world.
[END QUOTE]

I am right now, and in a decent business school that tends to downplay the amount of inflation that goes on. And depending upon how long ago you attended, I'd agree with you. But inflation is the name of the game now. The schools have to look good on paper. I'm not saying that inflation isn't plaguing other schools as well, but I'm in the midst of it everyday. Those attending that deny it now are only lying to themselves.

Joke was probably not the right wording. It's a joke how easy it is to get a C or B-, which will let you graduate, and end up with a degree that makes people think that you're some genius. Some of the hardest working people I know are from school and some from state schools. The point was, enjoy what you're doing, work hard, and not to worry if nobody notices immediately. It will be rewarded in due time. ENJOY LIFE! You never know when something can be taken away from you.

PhantomOG

GEBBY44 wrote: »

I am right now, and in a decent business school ...

that's all you needed to say.

Business school is a different universe than Engineering... even within the same university.