24 Tips I'd Give Myself Before Becoming an Engineer

To become a full-time engineer that also creates content and trains jiu-jitsu, I’ve developed a bunch of habits and skills. Every skill I acquired today came out of an L I’ve faced in the past. This leads me to develop these 24 tips.
But first…Thanks to Dice for sponsoring today’s video! If you’re looking for a tech career that matters, check out the links below to #LevelUpWithDice.
Dice, Where Tech Connects: bit.ly/3FhsII7
Find Jobs: bit.ly/3D993Hv
Career Networking Events: bit.ly/3FgQp37
Anyways, timestamps are as follows:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Tip 1: Just do “well” relative to others
00:54 Tip 2: You don’t hate the subject…you hate the teacher
01:23 Tip 3: Finesse the System
03:04 Tip 4: Keep Track of Your Work
03:31 Tip 5: Don’t be Silent
04:04 Tip 6: Workload in High School vs University
04:30 Tip 7: Follow an Engineering Roadmap
05:01 Tip 8: Use a Credible Job Hunting Site
06:08 Tip 9: Engineering is About Building Cool Stuff
06:30 Tip 10: Mind Maps, Diagrams & Charts
06:50 Tip 11: Becoming an Engineer Shouldn’t Be Your Only Thing
07:13 Tip 12: Overtime Finesse
07:55 Tip 13: 3 Types of Fun
09:01 Tip 14: Always have a creative hobby
09:16 Tip 15: There’s beauty in everything
09:50 Tip 16: We Always Remember Novelty
10:05 Tip 17: Travel
10:32 Tip 18: Do what’s good for the plot
10:57 Tip 19: Terror Management Theory
11:30 Tip 20: Don’t assume the answer is “No”
11:45 Tip 21: Host a Party
12:03 Tip 22: 8 Billion People
12:22 Tip 23: Learn to Backflip
12:27 Tip 24: Do a Practical Martial Art
MY SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram: / tamerxi (feel free to DM me!)
LinkedIn: / tamershaheen (feel free to connect!)
Twitter: / tamerxi (new account, feel free to tweet @ me!)
Email: [e-mail]
Discord: / discord (let's chat there!)
ABOUT ME:
My name is Tamer Shaheen and I am a recent mechanical engineering graduate from the University of Waterloo, currently working as a Mechanical Design Engineer. I like to make videos about university/college, engineering, and personal development. Thank you so much for watching!!

[@mr.loonatic4666]

I love this video man. I'm in my first semester of college, taking 5 classes and working part time to invest some money into stocks and because I live in a hispanic household. I love everything about engineering and lose track of time when I'm in the engineering club talking to other like minded people about things we could improve and projects to work on, but I feel I'm too focused and life is getting stale. I'm 17 years old and got no father, living with my mom and 2 sisters and I want to become somebody worth remembering one day. I want to become wealthy and break my family out of the system. Anyways, really great video and I'll definitely take some of this tips Update: got A on engineering design. B on English composition, B on music appreciation and B on economics and didn't care about fye (first year experience) it's "required", but not even on the course curriculum lol and apparently they don't fail student. I got a 22% on that rn, we'll see if what they said it's true.

[@danialcraig4702]

Good luck man, it's great to be ambitious & useful.

[@sanotootoo11]

are u studying engineering or u want to ?

[@mr.loonatic4666]

@@sanotootoo11 I'm studying engineering already. Doing my associates first and then transferring for mechanical

[@TamerShaheen]

Love the ambition! Just keep working towards your goals :)

[@zectortechnology1700]

You got it take care of the fam

[@masternobody1896]

physics 97. dang thats impressive

[@alithedazzling]

Respect the level of effort you put into these videos -- keep working!

[@storyride4833]

Hi Tamer! You've done such an amazing job in this video, love these types of videos from you lately, keep going! 😀

[@lenaetam]

I’m not studying to be an engineer but I do find the advice still useful to my area of study thanks for posting 😊

[@ThiagoSilva-vp2su]

It's always good to see visions of engineers from another country in something you was unsure about

[@thatguy6054]

Great stuff, Tamer! Wish I'd had somebody to teach me theses things way back when. (Although I have to say the school of hard knocks has been an excellent teacher.) One thing to add, when you mention finessing systems made by others, it's useful to keep in mind that most systems you run into in the real world aren't really created by any one person or group. They're almost always grown organically, starting with someone's intentions but then taking on a life of their own and evolving into something the originators could never have imagined. Once you accept that the intricacies of a complex system that has little apparent rhyme or reason are the result of countless decisions and changes by countless individuals, each with their own motivations, you free yourself to dig into the mechanics of it and work it in your favor.

[@sidneyboakye4662]

Man, even though I just graduated from engineering school this was an incredibly helpful video. I saw tips that I actually used and still use to this day (Tips 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 19). Heck, tip 7 perfectly described all of my 3 internships in the exact order I got them in! And you gave wonderful tips that I was planning on using or will now be definitely using as I start my first job in January (Tips 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and maybe even 23 haha). Thank you for this amazing content!

[@begadanan2649]

Niice shirt ya sahby, you’re dropping cool hints for anxious upcoming engineers like myself , keep up the good work man

[@jackyluo]

Great timing in this video dude was praying for it

[@emperoranywhere2405]

Your video is great thanks for the tips I am going to engineer mechanical next year at college and these tips helped me a lot

[@kwamp684]

Thanks for the advice.

[@merzougabderrahmanebv5260]

I really liked ur view of life and the smart tips you gave it to the world in very young age and experience, this is a Proof that Age doesn't matter compared to what we see in life and how wise we may be in it, i hope that we meet and have a good talk in the meantime i wish the best for you brother. بارك الله فيك وفي علمك وعملك☕

[@lamar7912]

Great video. I also made my own version of a mind map for BJJ. It helps me keep direct track of the systems I want to work on, and the options that appear.

[@mostafam07amed]

I'm in my first year as a mechanical engineering student, love your content from Egypt 🇪🇬

[@HowitsDesigned]

keep up the good work!

[@Dice]

Great tips, Tamer!

[@myairspace121]

Recent mechanical engineering graduate that's looking for their first job! These videos are helpful, thank you!

[@annymp]

hows the pay looking?

[@murk959]

Not sure if you have already made a video like this, you should make a video about how to study, break down and understand content, study tips, things like mind maps and what not Specifically for Engineering students!!

[@nikitastarikov1520]

amazing video man

[@danialcraig4702]

Thanks man, for very great wisdom & I hope you get good sleep.

[@TamerShaheen]

LMAOO I do get sleep

[@alihussein1005]

Love your work , keep it up !

[@davidnader3497]

Love your مصر t-shirt bro By the way your videos really help me through mechanical engineering here at Cairo University Keep it up man❤️

[@manierrolla7448]

Hi Tamer I'm frm INDIA , since last 2yrs I seen your verious study type vedio s you have a great explanation skills in depth like what to what that's pretty cool grow on Tamer kp gng👍🏼

[@aminkhaled7284]

The effort you put to provide us with this qualitative content is amazing and unique. I suggest you use the same blue color background that you used in your previous videos!

[@TamerShaheen]

What blue color background are you referring to?

[@aminkhaled7284]

@@TamerShaheen I mean like in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJC1l6qNmspoec0 (not actually blue, but the lights were blue)

[@ILKG_]

Great video Tamer

[@mwisalamukwemba2815]

I'm an incoming 2nd year engineering student love this content!!!

[@therayman3]

Great video.

[@TheHatManCole]

One of the huge advantages I've had being homeschooled is that I am personally responsible for my time and schedule. Honestly, being homeschooled for me at least is much closer to College than standard American Highschool

[@abstract2919]

that movie plot tip hits sooo hard.

[@Lalalalams]

I really agree with the 2nd advice

[@DivisTendertunes]

hello brother , iam from India stepped into 1 st year of my mechanical engineering ... love your vds ..they r very helpful, most of the youtubers don't concentrate on core ..field but u ..are doing great work thanks ..one request if u can make a detailed vd on what skills to learn first ..for intership on basis of entering the clg as..per the 1st year , 2 nd year ... just a request..as u r senior and have gained some experience .

[@AlexNH56]

Finesse!!! Hell yes!!!! Love that! Haha

[@thejomarifernandez7554]

2:43 This is exactly what I wanted to tell my siblings, but couldn't share it clearly & shortly. I hate people who won't bother changing your sched based on your needs. That's why when they placed me in English learning development 2 and dropped me off AP History & AP Statistics during my sophomore year, I fought back & even involved the vice principal and the principal. After that, I still wasn't satisfied. I wanted to get out of now English learning development 3 since I don't need it so I passed the ELD exam, talked to a Pre-Calc teacher to let me take the final exam & passed first sem of pre-calc with 103% (I did the extra credit as well) by only taking the exam & not attending the entire semester. I proceeded to take AP Stats, AP History & Pre-Calc including honors Chem & AP Physics during sophomore year. Sometimes, u gotta do what u gotta do. Don't let someone's expectations limit what u can do.

[@salmamazguini1641]

great video

[@Shubham.Sldasm]

6:42 automation and control... Amazing 10 rules for block reduction, Mason's eqn, 1st 2nd order system! I'm currently studying that in my 3rd year of btech. Got any suggestions for study material?

[@murk959]

Can you share your desk, room or streaming setup work ? It's simple and I like it a lot

[@YouTubeShortPakistan]

Love to watch your video such amazing good feelings in your video.I am first year student of mechanical engineering In UET Pakistan Top engineering institute. I follow you since 2021 🔥💓

[@hishamreda8164]

شكرا ليك جدا علي الفيديو العظمه من داخل كليه الهندسه من مصر 💙

[@AntonioCaruso906]

Greetings from Europe!!!

[@eliaswischnivetzky4588]

bro... hearing 8:34 right after your last video, feels bad man, stay strong

[@thrasher2344]

Material science was my first eng course too

[@yazka9023]

nice on the promotion my g

[@elsayedhisham9998]

Wow great video and nice t-shirt. Your follower from Egypt

[@vanci2039]

معلوماتو ماتنفعش فى مصر

[@elsayedhisham9998]

@@vanci2039 فعلا مش كل معلوماته تنفع في مصر بس احنا ناخد اللي ينفعنا والباقي اهوعارفينه مش جايز ربنا يكرم والبلد تتحسن او نمشي منها سعتها علي الاقل يبقا عندنا فكره الجماعة بتوع برا الدنيا بتمشي عندهم ازاي

[@caplukas9326]

Hi Tamer, could you make some video about important (or useful) softwares for ME to learn? Thanks!

[@novart9437]

some channels i just want to subscribe a second time. And this is definitely one of those channels

[@himangshudeka4169]

1st to comment.. Recently got my first job as a design engineer in a mnc.. Quite excited about it.. Wanted to know how can i be prepared so that i can adjust quickly in the work environment.. Your videos are really awsome.. Great work

[@TamerShaheen]

Congrats on the new job! To be better prepared, you could look at what skills the job requires you to have and work on improving these skills in your free time.

[@himangshudeka4169]

@@TamerShaheen thanks a lot Tamer keep up the good work

[@arbabkhan_original]

Tamer just wanted to say you went to the same high school as me. That's great.

[@TamerShaheen]

Oh that's dope

[@gavindavid7495]

This man is insanely cracked

[@HassanT1357]

Oh my gosh, Rick Hansen SS!!!

[@alexchristiantakam4862]

definitely good for the plot watching you.

[@iftekharuddinshohan509]

Would you be able to make a tutorial on stress-strain analysis using SolidWorks?

[@lukashruza8570]

I'm a first year engineering student and have used your resume template (everyone I've shone it to has been impressed), one issue I'm currently facing is narrowing down on what I want to do. I am currently a mechanical engineering major (I enjoy building and designing parts) but I also enjoy coding and electrical work. Do you think mechanical engineering is a good field to jump into if I would also enjoy electrical and software? Thanks for all the tips you have shared with us.

[@thatguy6054]

Lukas, as a first year student, I don't think you should get too hung up on titles. You'll be learning fundamentals for a couple of years. Learn, understand and see how it's all interrelated. Get a feel for what you're good at and what you like. Once you're out in the world people are more interested in what you can do for them than what your degree calls you. I know a mechanical engineer who spent most of his career writing code for electrical power systems. Almost none of the manufacturing engineers I've known had manufacturing engineering degrees. Most were mechanical engineers, some were chemists and one was a metallurgist. I know a chemist who started out as a software applications engineer and ended up as an exec at a series of software companies. If you're interested in mechanics, electronics and software there's nothing stopping you from learning all three at some level, even if you have to specialize in only one. The fields of mechatronics, robotics and control systems demand integration of all three. Having deep knowledge of one discipline and functional knowledge of the others can put you well ahead of the game.

[@lukashruza8570]

@@thatguy6054 Thanks for the thought-out reply. That's what I've been trying to do currently, just gain as much knowledge as I can. I'll take a look into mechatronics ik my engineering prof specialized in it so he might have some good feedback about it.

[@kevingarfield2094]

Hey Tamer, what if you take mechanical engineering major and electronics minor as your degree? Does that make you a Mechanical or Mechatronics engineer and get the corresponding jobs?

[@loukmannavicenna8982]

Great

[@vseelix957]

Bro I am finishing up 2nd year mechatronics now and have barely any "projects"

[@rahullakdawala9479]

Hey Tamer, I was wondering how to find tiny start-ups as I don't know how to find them

[@cheesypizzajokes]

you should def patent those fun types

[@TamerShaheen]

LOL, it's not a brand-new concept that I developed. I learned it from a book I read in the past

[@VoltscrewVolt]

Can you build a dispenser or a sentry?

[@dhruvownz4178]

Do you think graduating from waterloo made it easier to find a job once u graduated?

[@goodtasteofmusicclub8438]

What’s the subject that the Professor is teaching in the 1:05? I really need the name of the subjet asap!

[@4bdur-rehmanbutt434]

currently in grade 12, also considering to pursue mechanical engineering, but still stressed over whether it is or is not for me

[@xx_noname_xx1976]

this me but with ee

[@holidayseason1205]

Pray istikhara and I promise you will make the right choice

[@TamerShaheen]

Ah I see, well what other options are you considering?

[@4bdur-rehmanbutt434]

@@TamerShaheen I'm also considering IT cuz it's in high demand nowadays and the pay is insane (although I suck at and know nothing about programming 😅), maybe civil engineering cuz why not. Don't have much in mind, but as a kid I've always liked to design and build things. The problem is that tech is advancing, and a lot of jobs are dying because of the advancement of tech. So I'm pretty much considering to do something related with tech, and with a pretty decent salary. I'm sure I can get accepted to the programs I listed above, but unfortunately I'll have to stick with one, although I can do a minor at something as well.

[@outlookthere]

Hey bro.. good luck in choosing your degree and career path. I wanted to advise you to choose a last name befitting your nice first name :)

[@unzeerkamal4479]

i know engineering is a lot of computer work. but what type of engineering jobs has a balance of desk job and hands on type of work as well? im scared to pursue engineering and live my life away behind a computer.

[@c.a.alltheway]

I’ve been a design engineer for 2 years now at a medium sized company. In my experience so far, typically there is a design period (on the computer), a prototyping and testing period (hands-on), the BOM and engineering record work is done on a computer, then it’s working with the manufacturing engineers overseeing the early production runs. It depends on the project how much time is spent designing vs testing/prototyping. Some weeks are most of the days away from the computer.

[@pieroprado8911]

Hello Tamer, I am a recently graduated mechanical and electrical engineer from a third world country and would like to work remotely in a developed country, what would you recommend? Thanks in advance, your videos are useful and interesting.

[@TamerShaheen]

That's a tricky one. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. You can start off by doing freelance design engineer work (or whatever work you're good at) through fiverr or upwork or something like that. Then, once you build connections, leverage them for better and potentially full-time remote work.

[@S.A.M11]

Where do you work?

[@raoulvierra4149]

Nice video . Am studying mechanical engineering. please can you make a list of company where engineers can apply for internship .

[@TamerShaheen]

For sure!

[@marilenastamouli4091]

Wait a sec… that’s my school at 10:43 😮!!!

[@speedracer9132]

Say finesse one more time

[@ibraheemmuslih4389]

أهم نصيحة دايما توكل على الله

[@TamerShaheen]

Of course!

[@its_ahmed65]

جامد يسطا انا دلوقتي بحضر لمعادلة هندسة وكنت متردد بسبب كم احباط الناس ليا بس بعد الفيديو دا انا هكمل

[@TamerShaheen]

Yess!! Happy to hear that, keep going! (btw I'd reply in Arabic, but my laptop doesn't have a Arabic keyboard haha)

[@mostafam07amed]

@@TamerShaheen are you Egyptian?!

[@its_ahmed65]

@@TamerShaheen no worry's

[@holidayseason1205]

Bro learned a new word:finesse 😂

[@OceanIgs]

He probably listen to Kendrick Lamar or something to discover that word haha

[@TamerShaheen]

HAHA I've been using that word for a while, but first time bringing up in a video 😅

[@holidayseason1205]

@@TamerShaheen exams are coming up looking out for a new updated study vid

[@kevingarfield2094]

Tamer, if you choose mechatronics, you only get a limited knowledge of both mechanics and electronics right? Wouldn't that be a problem in excelling in your - 1.)Mechatronics engineering JOB?(i guess!?) And 2.) *MECHANICAL or ELECTRONICS engineering JOB whichever you choose* ? I mean i like mechanics(love physics btw) more but don't have good logical thinking capacity so thought of adding in some electronics and coding to even out. What if i choose mechanical engineering major and electronics minor for ug...Would that get me a job in Tesla where i have to deal with a pretty fair share of mechanics and logical thinking along with some coding and electronics? I am not sure what i said here is holy or not but god forbid 🤔😵‍💫😭😔 Hope you find some time to respond Dunno what to say 😹 the mood is off

[@aliaklee765]

الترتيب بالفديو بيدل عن الهندسة❤❤😂

[@DevPrajapati10]

Currently in grade 12 with a 74 physics mark any tips?

[@TamerShaheen]

Do A TON of practice!! Every problem set, worksheet, and homework question should be done multiple times. Once when it's first assigned, then once a week or so before the test, and then once more the day before the test. Every time you do it, focus more on the questions you struggled with the previous time. The reason this works is that high school teachers tend to make their test questions very similar to the toughest questions on your homework problem sets.

[@DevPrajapati10]

@@TamerShaheen thanks bro

[@pemo619]

[Warning: Ranty tangent tree from the vid. Keep reading to see someone's view on life that might or might not be different from yours] Regarding a point he made in his video, I personally don't need religion nor self esteem to feel like I'm part of something beyond me. I just know I'm not and I don't give a fuck about contributing to society, since the chance of me actually having any significant impact is so small I'd be better off killing myself so the resources I consume can be used by someone else, but that wouldn't even make a difference. Us people are mostly insignificant and it feels illogical to me how some people refuse to realize that. Personally I don't have much (if any) self esteem, but what keeps me going is not giving a fuck (to a degree) about anything that doesn't directly affect me and to do what I fancy for as long as I'm not hurting anyone in purpose (since we can only fully control our intentions and actions when we act, not how people feel about them) Some people, including myself, think of this attitude as selfish, and I remember feeling like a monster for not caring in the slightest for a war that isn't directly harming me in my early teens, when I realized everyone else seemed to care. I felt guilty for not caring about the tragedy that might've struck a stranger. For example, I perfectly understand that the Holocaust was horrifying having watched several documentaries and videos about it, but I just don't FEEL anything about it. I don't feel sorry or pity. I don't feel anger. I simply intellectually understand it, but I can't connect to anyone I don't personally know on an emotional level. My mother looked at me like I was a monster when I explained to her my (now diagnosed) emotional blindness. With this brain vomit of a comment I guess I just want to say that, even if you can't understand why someone might not feel the same way as you, don't judge them or tell them off or get mad, you don't know how guilty they may feel for not feeling like everyone else. You don't know what kind of personal hell they're in, don't add more shit to the pile they might already have. This applies to everyone, but I believe it's specially important to use it when you just can't understand them. I don't understand most people and things like faith just seem absurd to me. But I don't think you're stupid for having faith. Just because I can't understand something doesn't mean that's wrong. If someone is religious and just doesn't hurt anyone, then I let them be. I won't try to explain to them why they're wrong, not only because I can't know that, but because I don't even understand them in the first place! You can't judge something you don't understand for the most part, and I'm tired and hurt of seeing people doing that. I know how much it hurts when people treat you like a monster for not being the same as them, and it just seems like they think there's only one way of being and that you're not human if you're different. I guess I just wanted to make a (very long) reminder.

[@_pudu661]

Tip 3 : Finesse the System - BEST TIP as this is not common sense

[@kendrickekejiuba6233]

Lmfao my guy is tired he get no sleep

[@bhuuthesecond]

I like your outfits. Sick.

[@lakshyajain385]

Hi tamer!! What is the highest salary we could get by becoming a design engineer?.....and how we can achieve it?

[@TamerShaheen]

It really varies based on location and the company. That being said, it is possible to be making $150K+ as a senior engineer at a company like Apple for example.

[@afnanhegazi9182]

Is it مصر on the T shirt 👕 are you egyptian??????

[@TamerShaheen]

Yes it does and ya I am egyptian

[@sedled2829]

Never plan too far in advanced, Its a fools game. The stoics teach us that every bad thing can happen so prepare for the shit shows coming your way, simultaneously be as open hearted as a kid and never let your childish spirit become dull. If I knew I’d be in my position today. I still wouldn’t know what to say to my younger self.

[@blacklifter5410]

So you're Egyptian. Nice

[@ramseybeing]

I used to believe #Tip 20 was why religious people believe in religion. But then I found Islam and discovered it was the truth.

[@josephadeleke4222]

Learn to backflip 😂

[@thotpatrol7737]

Awesome videos.I graduated ME and its a video ill recommend to any future engineera. In a previous video you mentioned you had an upcoming bjj competition. How did it go?

[@TamerShaheen]

Appreciate it! The competition went ok. I won some fights, but lose some too. Just got more work to do haha