What Did You Learn That Stuck With You?

Good points. I especially love #3!

1. I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day. Tomorrow is not looking good either.
2. I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by.
3. Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.
4. Accept that some days you are the pigeon and some days the statue.
5. Needing someone is like needing a parachute. If he isn't there the first time, chances are you won't be needing him again.
6. I DON'T HAVE AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM, YOU HAVE A PERCEPTION PROBLEM.
7. Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky, and I thought to myself, "where the heck is the ceiling?"
8. My reality cheque bounced.
9. On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key.
10. I don't suffer from stress. I am a carrier.
11. You are slower than a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.
12. Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.
13. Everybody is somebody else's weirdo.
14. Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level, and then beat you with experience.
15. A pat on the back is only a few inches from a kick in the butt.

via : Laugh IT Out: Dilbert's Best Quotes

I will second that. Dilbert is true. Every bit.

I worked with Dilberts boss.....looked just like him, even had pointy hair, he never knew why I sometimes would laugh for no reason.

and also worked with a Loud Howard and of course Wally..........

One of my professors and my mentor.

"The hardest thing you can do is to make something simple."

I learned how to handicap the ponies. I went to college 35 miles from a Thoroughbred horse race track.

I never seemed to be able to apply much that I learned during my formal education.

I'm sure that the experience was worthwhile, but circumstance always seemed to put me into positions where common sense, the ability to deal with people on all levels and the ability to visualize mechanical assemblies in my mind were prized more than a degree.

A good dose of confidence and the ability to think on my feet and speak eloquently have help me secure some cool positions over the years.

I hope that doesn't sound too arrogant.

It sounds like the racetrack provided your education - you can certainly learn all of those points there! They're valuable skills on the track and off.

The two most important things that I learned are how to write correctly and mathematics. Like riding a bicycle, you never forget, and they are the keys to any technical career.

Communication is a great skill. Without it, it's awfully hard to get much done.

No college unless the scool of hard knocks counts. I learned to, "Don't never trust nobody"

I learned (from spelling lessons in elementary school) that the best way (for me) to remember anything is to write it down. Like a grocery list. Even if I forget (!) to take the list to the store, I can usually remember what's on it because I wrote down the names of the items. Anything that's obvious (oh, I know I'll remember that...) is often the very thing I forget.

What I'd like is a way to unload memories I don't need anymore. Like:

"There's a holdup in the Bronx, / Brooklyn's broken out in bites. / There's a traffic jam in Harlem / That's backed-up to Jackson Heights. / There's a scout troop short a child, / Kruschev's due at Idlewild ... Car 54 where are you?"

-- It's been 50 freakin' years, do I still need to have that theme song in my head? (And yes, there are many more.)

Oh, I just realized I wrote that theme song down. That means it'll be with me for another 50 years.

Isn't it, "fights?" Brooklyn's broken out in fights. Like a riot?

-A-

+1 for fights

My lessons: A. Science & Commerce don't gel with Policy. B. Honesty is not always the best policy today. C. The bigger the title, the bigger the ego.

With a Masters under my belt I learned to print very well. Everything else required specialized study.

Gringo Greg, You're very honest wrt your comments. I hope you do go on that Trip to Mexico. I am certainly interested in hearing more about it from you.

One thing I leant is to make an effort to be objective. It's not always easy.

Take time to learn about the new item before planning where and how to locate/fit/wire/use it, as something will have been overlooked (or skimped on) when it was specified.

K.I.S.S

Keep It Simple and Stupid!

Another thing, while i was doing internship in my third year, i was treated as an equal at the companies.

When i started my 4th year back at school, i was back to, "you know nothing" student. :(

When dealing with people (when you think you are definitely in the right) learn to recognise the fine line between confidence, arrogance and smugness. No one likes a smart arse.

Treat everyone with respect. Take people at face value and trust them. I learnt this from my Father.

BUT unlike my father, who took it literally all his working life, he seriously lost out by not being enrolled in the non-contributory company pension scheme (he did not find out until he retired). Enrolment was a privileged concession by recommendation of the bosses, and as no record had been made he had not been recommended - the verbal promise by the bosses did not count - and as the bosses (all senior people had long since retired) there was no proof. My father had suspicions but did not like to question the bosses in case it was seen as professional mistrust and cause offence.

So I have learned that when the outcome of any relationship is important to you (eg, payment terms, promotion, pay rise, bonus, pension), get it in writing at the outset. People will 'forget' the details it going to cost them.

And if people are going to cheat you, it is in there nature, and they will do so at the first opportunity - they cannot resist the temptation. It is better you find out soon. The old adage; '...give them enough rope they will hang themselves...' is so true.

In engineering design,a bit of lateral thinking also helps. And occasionally a brainstorming session to come up with ridiculous and outrageous schemes helps focus on reality - and it is fun.

I am not using the knowledge in my career now, but did in my "middle" career. My roomy in school was a geology student and bent the rules to get me on the various field trips he went on, and I did quite a number of his lab projects as well. (still have my thin section slides) I was supposed to be an EE, but came out of college knowing nearly as much geology as electrical engineering. This really helped me in my second career which was as an oil well/gas well analyst. It turns out any engineer is better at this sort of thing than the typical geologist, because it involves a lot of instrumentation. There was a lengthy training class for this field by my employer. I was years ahead of the other engineers in my training class when we got to discussing reservoir geology, and stayed that way until this career became to tough for an old guy. I still pick up rocks as I walk through the woods to identify the type and formation. My train layout has area correct geologic formations on it.

The difference between

there, their, and they're

your, you're, and yore

and the most important thing I learned is... never be afraid to ask a question.

1. the 1-st 6 month in real'ife job/work teach you more (useful/practical) than 3y in university
2. you should 1-st go to work and then learn what is required by quick/compact courses (read/leave the reast of the science as your own interest)
3. i have2 agree that it takes min10 samples to get scientifical average (there are occasions where min3 or min5 will 2)
4. there is no course that teaches the PM(philosophical/metaphysical) mathematics (note. it's not A(analytical) coz such usually bounded to real life problems it's also not theoretical coz it's theorems bounded (that need to be 1-st proven(read confirmed) 2B PM-lly valid/correct) ... i hope you can crasp the idea)

(B4 submit the EDIT showed 1.0 min left & then it didn't update -- WTSh you display as ?time? ?heuristics (only 3(2+me) of our 24 informatics group didn't copy 'heir end work from elder stud.1-s - i assume CR IT Dpt has same problem))

again ...

1. the 1-st 6 month in real'ife job/work teach you more (useful/practical) than 3y in university
2. you should 1-st go to work and then learn what is required by quick/compact courses (read/leave the reast of the science as your own interest)
3. i have2 agree that it takes min10 samples to get scientifical average (there are occasions where min3 or min5 will 2)
4. there is no course that teaches the PM(philosophical/metaphysical) mathematics (note. it's not A(analytical) coz such usually bounded to real life problems it's also not theoretical coz it's theorems bounded (that need to be 1-st proven(read confirmed) 2B PM-lly valid/correct) ... i hope you can crasp the idea) see fig.B-low

fig. such as tetermining the parity of integer infinity e.c.

Agreed...Everyone should be able to write clear and simple questions and answers.

"i² + g² = 0" is incorrect....and the error carries forward.

I am not in the field of my college studies, as is the case of the majority of college graduates, and I have learned tremendously more since being out of college than I ever did in about any kind of formal schooling.

The thinking process in solving problems is critical. Knowing what questions to ask, i.e. what do I know about this; is there someone else available that has dealt with this; what resources are available; what is the timeframe for resoloution; level of urgency; have I ever experienced anything in the past that may be applicable to this situation? We can't just react the same way we always have because maybe there are variables in this particular situation that have changed the dynamics.

Learning how to get along with people is critical. We may have the best idea or solution in the world but if we can't work with people our ideas will never reach their potential. "No man is an island." Marshall Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There is a great book that deals with that. Knowing personality types of people is also critical to a healthy work team.

If you want to lead others one needs to be able to communicate ideas, give direction and cast a vision well.

Be willing to learn from anyone who has positive results as well as any situation I am involved in or see happen. Mark Twain said, "we should be prodigious noticers".
Benjamin Franklin said, "He who learns only from himself has a fool for a teacher." Understand that learning needs to be a never ending process.

Going along with people skills is the ability to handle conflict and bring resolution in relationships. Ken Sandee wrote Peacemaker (conflict resolution and restitution). Crucial Conversations by Kerery Patterson is a great book as well for being able to work with people effectively on a daily basis.

This one should have been first in the list: find out what you want to accomplish in life regarding purpose/mission in life, time freedom, money, level of impact with those around you. Once you know that then you find out what you like to do, what you're good at, what natural abilities you have and what skills you have developed.

I was in college when I was 15yrs old. I took Industrial Engineering. As a Plant Manager now, I can say the time studies were the most important to me.

From the practical side as a machinist apprentice:

Always follow your trainers advice for knocking off the cutting edge of tools before cutting brass. Neglecting to follow this advice can result in much pain and significant loss of blood.

Hard learned lessons from the shop have stuck with me with far more impact than any classroom studies!

Hooker

I learned plenty, but all those thousands in tuition were well spent on these three things alone:

1) Speak up for yourself. Go outside the chain of command if necessary. Be polite, but be heard. (Thank you, Bergen Evans!)

2) It takes only one person to start a riot, and it takes only one person to prevent one. (This was the 60s. Thank you, Eva Jefferson!)

3) Knowing facts is good; knowing how to find facts is immeasurably better.

In fourth grade I had to learn the Gettysburg Address. 50 years later I still can't get it out of my head. Started reciting it while watching "Lincoln" with my family. Still can't remember what I had for breakfast.

Fore score and 2 flapjacks, sausage and Eggs ago, We, had two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame bun.......

I am still in college. Thank you for sharing your lessons. I will put them to use!

As others have pointed out, the "stick with me" experiences don't necessarily fall within the narrow confines of the college "era" of one's life. But I'll stick to that narrow range, as per the OP question and say the most important thing I learned from that slice of my life was to never let science -- since Physics was my major -- or any career, become the major part of my inner life. It's just a means of providing the necessary support for self and family.

My first year as an apprentice ,my mentor ,one day came with ten dollers in one hand and an aluminium rivet on the other hand.he asked me to choose one, either money or rivert.I chose money ,he asked why i had chosen money,I answered i want to buy lunch.He said your choice lasts only today,if you chose a rivert you were going to understand more,ie ,what it is used .He went on to explain about the vast uses of a rivrt,.At last he said 'knowledge is life,knowledge is power ,knowledge is money.Then,i could not understand what he meant ,but now ,as i am conquaring the world, I can see that i am more powerful than the wealthiest man on earth.Because i have knowledge,i know something that can change the world to the good.

Great question!

Over the years, I've shared with many people what I'm going to share with the group. The three things I learned in college are:

1. Confidence in myself. College was my first challenge in life and getting a BSEE wasn't the easiest thing to do. I gained confidence knowing that I could finish something difficult. I also have the confidence that I know what other college graduates know (specific things like who is Aristotle, Camus, Locke, Rousseau, etc)

2. I learned how to research. I learned where to look for answers and how to be efficient at it. I may not remember things too well, but I know where to find the information.

3. I learned how to think. Logically solving problems is the key to engineering. The scientific method is ingrained in me and in my professional life, I have melded this with experience, common sense, business acumen and lessons from my mistakes.

If you ask me to do a Fourier Analysis, work a Smith Chart (or Linville Chart), solve differential equations, design a functioning op-amp or write assembly code, I can't. More importantly, I know where to get the information.

I feel I got the foundation set well with my college degree and when I went for my MBA, it wasn't difficult for me. Many others struggled - not because they weren't smart, but because they didn't know how to solve problems.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

Never trust anyone more than you trust yourself.

Always have a backup plan or alternate route. You never know when you will need it but when you do you will be glad you went through effort to have it.

You can have many jobs but you only get one life. Don't get the two mixed up.

Sometimes walking away from the problem is the right solution.

Give a wise man enough rope and he will make a hammock. Give a manger enough rope and he will hang himself and everyone around him.

Those who want the most credit for their work are usually the ones who have done the least to deserve it.

Indulge your lazy side and you will always find an easier way to get your work done.

Know the difference between being conservative and just being cheap.

It's okay to run with scissors.

Never be afraid to hand someone a lot of rope and then stand back and watch. It will quickly show you who is a wise man and who is in management but regardless of which they turn out to be both experiences will be educational.

You don't have to be the 800# gorilla to make your point. You just have to know what it takes to hire him.

What your mouth can say you can do and what you can actually do are not the same. If they were everyone would be superman.

A fool who knows how to use spell check in online forums always looks smarter than the wisest man that doesn't.

My calculas professor in college, told me three things that stuck.

1.) he does not grade math on a bell curve, you either know it or you don't.

2.) math is easy if you can recognize the patterns in the sand.

3.) you can become an expert of any subject if you spend 2 extra hours a day for one year learning about that subject.

I have learned, if you don't learn something new every day why are you doing it. You should not be doing what you do unless you are willing to learn every day. Life would be boring otherwise...... right?

If it didn't stick with you, did you really learn it?

I think so, yeah. You can learn it, then think better of it & discard it. For example, Boolean logic has stuck with me, but Fortran IV is just a fond & fuzzy memory.

How can you be certain that, instead of having learned and subsequently forgotten Fortran, you didn't just learn (maybe incorrectly) that you once knew but then discarded Fortran?

Nope, I'm sure I learned it! I wrote some pretty splendid programs in Fortran IV, got great grades. Somewhere I still have the card deck (!) from my biggest project, a stellar coordinate conversion program. Ah, memories...

If you find those cards, look over them and cannot decipher the code, you have forgotten it. BUT, I'm sure the act of looking would trigger the deep memory and remind you - that you have not really forgotten.

I took 21 years 'out' between finishing high school and starting on a degree, and was amazed by how easily it all came back - to the stage I was helping those just out of school with the parts of the course no longer in high school curriculum.

My biggest memory of Fortran was Startrek.

The most important thing I learned was after college; actually when I was about 35. I read a book called "When I say no, I feel guilty" and I follow the examples in it every day. The book effectively shows you how to recognize when someone is trying to manipulate you and how to combat it. It has proven to save me of a lot of consternation every day of my life. Read the book. It is enlightening.

I would refuse, but I would feel too guilty,...

.

I guess I'll have to read it.

.

I graduated from HKU (Hard Knocks University), so 3 things I learned that stuck with me are:

1. RTFM, in all it's forms, whether book or internet.

2. All machines, no matter how simple, are part of the medical profession. They must be, because they all demand a blood and tissue sample.

3. When troubleshooting a process or piece of electronics, if you start going around in circles - STOP. Go take a break, drink some coffee/tea, shoot heroin, smoke a cigarette or anything else that will get your mind off of the problem. Somewhere along the line, you have assumed a signal was bad when it wasn't, or assumed a signal was good when it wasn't. Once you do that, you are more likely to make the same wrong assumption the 2nd/3rd/Nth time around the loop. The only way to break it is to stop, slow yourself down, then start fresh on the problem.