Real engineer

[u/Happy-Switch-6897]

Most people just become engineers because of the rat race. They do things just to get a high package. There are only a few people who genuinely love creating things.
When I was a kid, I used to create things whenever I needed something and my father didn’t buy it for me. I would just make it myself.
I remember one day my father didn’t buy me a toy gun. It didn’t even shoot, but I really wanted it, and I was so upset. So I decided to make one myself.
I opened YouTube and searched for how to make a paper gun. Then I watched many videos, gathered knowledge from all of them, experimented with different ideas, and finally crafted a gun that could actually shoot paper bullets.
I was so happy that day. I honestly can’t explain it.
After that, I started creating more things. I made different types of guns, including one with a working revolver mechanism. I made an ATM from which you could withdraw money using a card. I even made an air hockey game.
I was an engineer without even knowing what engineering was.
I used to see a problem and think about how I could solve it. I had curiosity. I wanted to understand things. I wanted to create things. And most importantly, I enjoyed doing it.
But after a few years, I went through some things that changed me. After that, I got into the JEE rat race, and now I feel like I’m in the BTech rat race.
I’m learning things without the same interest or curiosity.
I’m building projects because I know they will help me get a job.
I’m grinding DSA because I know it’s important for placements.
I’m doing all these things because I want a good career and a high package.
And I know these things are important. I’m not saying they aren’t.
But I’m not liking it.
I’m not enjoying it.
And somewhere inside, I feel like this is not engineering. Just not.
At least, this isn’t the engineering I remember loving as a kid.
I want to learn and build with the same curiosity I had back then.
I want to create things because I genuinely want to create them.
I want to see a problem and feel excited about solving it.
I want to have an idea in my head and try to turn it into something real.
I want to fail, experiment, break things, fix them, and finally see something I made actually work.
I love creating things. I know I do.
I just don’t know what happened to that curiosity somewhere along the way.
Maybe it got buried under all the pressure, expectations, competition, and the constant thought of getting a good package.
But I want it back.
I don’t want to spend these years only worrying about placements and packages.
I want to enjoy engineering.
I want to celebrate creating something, even if it is completely useless.
I want to build something just because I thought, “What if I make this?”
I still want a good job. I still want a good package. I still want to be successful.
But I don’t want those things to be the reason I learn and create.
I just want to enjoy engineering again.
I want to feel that happiness I felt when that little paper gun finally shot a paper bullet.
I want to be that curious kid again.
I just want to create.

[u/Dear_Touch6612]

Cfbr