Oops, I knew people would go ape shyt if I used the word "invent". I apologize. When someone says they made something original, it doesn't mean that "OMG YOU WILL BE THE NEW ROCKEFELLER!". All it means is that the particular individual is not retarded with zero creativity.
I know that "engineering" these days means you are a robot who takes orders from a boss and cranks out a small part of a big project. Of course most *jobs* are about that type of work exactly, but there is no problem here. Do any of you have any idea how many kids go to college without having a clue what they want to do? I ask people in my department all the time, "so why are you doing ME" and 99% of them don't know. Its either because they want a *job* or because their mom made them go to school. These kids have no plan, I tell you. Most of them drink beer, copy notes from lectures, plug-and-chug brainlessly for homework, and study (aka memorize) for exams. None of that stuff impresses me. Even most graduate students are clowns, they're still in school because they have no clue how they can apply their skills (if they got any) for a real world application.
Of course after graduation they'll look for a *job*. Not me. That's equivalent to going around begging someone to put you to work. If I ever get to that state in my life, please kill me because it means I'm a complete failed loser.
Now let's take 10 seconds to breathe, and let me tell you that I try to be the most modest person on PF and on campus. I don't mean to brag, don't get offended. I've been studying my stuff since I was 6, designing cars and systems for cars. I KNOW what I want to do. Why do you all act like design engineers are somehow chosen at random. Design engineers are what they are because they WANT to, because they went after it. Why can't I do it?
When I talk about laboratory I don't mean the school BS where you pull a big yellow lever every 6 minutes and collect data. That's not research. I'm talking about things like this:
http://dreamer3000.wordpress.com/page-3/
But my school is not doing research on engines, so if I get involved with a professor I'll have to work on their retarded project which I don't care about. It's a waste of time.
I'll have my B.S. in ME probably some time late 2011, maybe early 2012 if I decide to stay longer and get a minor in physics, minor in mathematics, and take some extra graduate courses. My problem is that I don't think I'll be good enough in 1-2 years to build all the things I want as proof that I'm not a clown engineer like the rest 99.999%.
If I was good at machining, I could go to the school's shop and build 2 engines, a clutch, a turbocharger, and a transmission (my designs, not stolen), then flip off everyone and say f u I don't need you anymore. Problem is, I'm not good enough in metal machining. I'll still try to spend some time and learn how to use the equipment, hopefully I'll get some of my simpler designs done.
A good thing to do is to partner up with someone who's not an airhead and who has some resources. Maybe a guy like Bruce Crower, for example.
http://crower.com/misc/aboutus.shtml
What do you think? How do I enter the loop?