Woo-hoo! (Part 3)

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f1.redbaron
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Joined: 31 Jul 2005, 23:29

Woo-hoo! (Part 3)

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Well, after Scuderia_Russ' and Manchild's "who-hoo's", it's time for mine!

Some time ago (actually, way back in January), I was accepted into Mechanical Engineering programme at the Univerisity in the States. Now, I know that doesn't seem like a big thing, but for me, it is HUGE!

Why? Well, I'm almost in my mid-20's, I have been out of school for over 5 years, so I have forgotten a lot of things. Aside from that, over the last 5 years, I had been working extremely hard on pushing myself up the corporate ladder. Fortunately for me, my hard work had been recognized by the senior management, and I know that I will have a strong backing from them (actually, I don't mean to soung egotistical, but some of them were not too happy with the idea of me leaving the company).

However, possibly the hardest thing to do was to leave the company where I had a great job security, pay that, over the past 5 years, had been getting dangerously close to that much-desired 6th figure, and the benefits which are almost second to none.

Some of my friends, who are aware of my situation, were looking at me as though I was the biggest idiot in the world (maybe I am. Time will tell!). Others couldn't believe that I would have the courage (or "b*lls" as they put it) to walk away from a lifestyle made possible by that company, but a vast majority had been extremely supportive. However, regardless of what any of them think, I am doing this for myself!

So, the Turkish GP will, probably, be one of the last GP's I'll watch in the next little while (free time and the lack of money will prevent me from subscribing to Speed). I'll need you guys to keep me in the loop with your unbiased (yeah, right!) opinions.

Cheers!

P.S. I blame my love for the technical side of F1 for making that decision :D

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Phoenix
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Joined: 23 Jul 2006, 00:29

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Congrats! I too am striving to get into engineering, but at the University of Illinois, so I can see where your excitement comes from and the work you put forth. Hope all goes well and the best of luck to you.

manchild
manchild
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Joined: 03 Jun 2005, 10:54

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Congratulations! Hope you've made the right choice but I certianly wouldn't dare to risk that much 8-[

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Scuderia_Russ
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Joined: 17 Jan 2004, 22:24
Location: Motorsport Valley, England.

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Fantastic mate, I'm really pleased for you. It takes more than some people realise to step outside of your comfort zone and take a chance. I was in a similar situation but in a different industry to you altogether. I hadn't been in any kind of formal education for seven years but even so I took back to it like a duck to water, and my next course starts at Silverstone on the fourth of September.
Over the years I have seen so many people drifting aimlessly through life, and I very nearly became one of those people! We don't get long on this planet, so it always surprises me when people stay in dead end jobs that make them nothing but miserable. There is a whole world out there, so make the choice and f.f.s. people, do what makes you happy!

"The meaning of life is not simply to exist, or to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer." -Arnold Schwarzennegger- ( ! )
"Whether you think you can or can't, either way you are right."
-Henry Ford-

DaveKillens
DaveKillens
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Joined: 20 Jan 2005, 04:02

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Congratulations f1.redbaron, for following your heart. I too have made mid-life career changes, and I consider it worth the risk. Life is short, enjoy it each day, and avoid the misery. If you have belief in yourself, you won't fail.
Good luck, have fun, and savor the freedom from the work mill grind.

monkeyboy1976
monkeyboy1976
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Joined: 12 Jan 2006, 17:00
Location: Midlands, UK

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Well done fella! Enjoy the course and try and get onto the Formula SAE programme too if you can.

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Tom
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Joined: 13 Jan 2006, 00:24
Location: Bicester

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Congrats, good luck, a big risk but it will be worth it one way or another. Never regret this.
Murphy's 9th Law of Technology:
Tell a man there are 300 million stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch to be sure.

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f1.redbaron
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Joined: 31 Jul 2005, 23:29

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Thank you, all!

Yeah, it is a huge risk (adding the cost of tuition (as a foreign student), books + supplies, and the living expenses, as well as the fact that for 5 yrs. I won't be making any money, it turns into an investment of well over 1/2 million dollars), but the potential reward makes it all worth it. The reward comes in a form of a possibility to make more money than I already do, and the advancement through a corporate ladder, but in a different way (best way of explaining it is to use the army as an example - doing what I do now, I would be considered a non-commisioned officer, so the chances of advancing are there, but I could only go from a private to sergeant-"something". With the univeristy education, well, it's a whole different story).

Besides, my ego (yes, I have a big one), and ambition have forced me to realize that there is no way that I will be happy doing what I do right now. So, putting a dollar figure on something like that almost makes it pointless.

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Tom
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Joined: 13 Jan 2006, 00:24
Location: Bicester

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Good for you, it must have took alot of courage, but whatever the result is, always be glad you did it. I don't want to end up speaking to another person who won't stop moaning about how their life is terrible! :wink:
Murphy's 9th Law of Technology:
Tell a man there are 300 million stars in the universe and he'll believe you. Tell him a bench has wet paint on it and he'll have to touch to be sure.

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NickT
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Joined: 24 Sep 2003, 12:47
Location: Edinburgh, UK

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Well done mate. Keep the dream close to your heart and never let it go no matter how hard it gets. Believe me you will be tested, but each test will make you stronger.
NickT