I Was A Physics Major In College. I Might Start Working At McDonald's.

[@official_awei]

If you enjoyed the video... please try to like, subscribe, and leave a comment if possible. It only takes a few seconds, genuinely helps me a ton, and as always, I do my best to heart/respond to everyone. Thanks! If you'd like to support the channel and get in touch with me one-on-one, feel free to join me at patreon.com/AlexWei Finally, thanks so much for 10K subscribers! Appreciate y'all fr. Big announcement soon, I think some of you will like it!

[@KAIZORIANEMPIRE]

OR JUST DO KZbin FULL TIME AND RIDE THE WAVE YOU ARE ON RIGHT NOW LOL, MAKE 20 VIDEOS A WEEK, YOU WILL BLOW UP AND THEN RELEASE 3 A WEEK AFTER 6 MONTHS. YOU ARE GOOD, there is no easy way in life,

[@Jc0i3]

First mistake: majoring in physics Jk just become a physicist that's super easy bro 😎😎

[@Jc0i3]

How'd u lock in to get into such a university? Did u get good ACT score

[@KAIZORIANEMPIRE]

@@Jc0i3 we don't do ACT in europe, you just go to a bad school, score top of the class then switch to a good school.

[@foncbi]

Yo say you’re Eric yuans long lost son or some shi you might get a bag😂

[@gnb911]

from Heisenberg's uncertainty to career Uncertainty.

[@Deeptunester]

You can tell the customer that the sauces are in the bag, but can't tell them their exact position and speed.

[@coronaphone710]

All pride aside...

[@timothyhan9735]

LOL 😂

[@logandekmarques8412]

@@Deeptunester LMAO

[@MrMaguire221b]

DANG

[@Aethon_Angelo]

From joules to calories brutal

[@official_awei]

That's a clever one

[@crisptomato9495]

💀💀💀

[@alsldoekd]

just put the fries in the bag

[@official_awei]

Let me cook

[@zackmanrb]

@@official_aweiyour humor will take care of you, keep that.

[@misterhipstertheblistertwi4462]

𝐏𝐔𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐈𝐍!! 🧽🧦

[@frankc.astle214]

@@misterhipstertheblistertwi4462ayoo

[@RabaAbaDaba]

help a brother out putting those fries in the bag so i may eat with joy yum yum

[@spicycurry7238]

i really resonate with this video. I'm currently studying bioengineering (masters) at a decently prestigious university, trying to specialize in neural engineering. The past few weeks of jobs have really made me regret not choosing just a traditional engineering major in undergrad, but also regretting my decisions to not attend even informal events like meetups, hackathons, lunches, etc. just so that I could build my network. Obviously you have to be a qualified and skillful worker, especially with the competition getting fiercer each hiring cycle. It's just weird not having connections and feeling so lonely/devoid of hope in an age where everyone is so well connected

[@official_awei]

Like I said, seems like there's so many hoops to jump through for jobs nowadays, for which competition is also so much more fierce. Best of luck with your search though.

[@ege8240]

hey, i used to be a biomedical engineer major, also focusing on neuro eng. i gave up since i live in a 3rd world country and most prestigious uni in this country which i could not get in is 300th or so in the ranking™ (which is still impossible to get into, 0.033 percent of students got in last year, 3mil examined) needless to say my uni wasnt prestigious haha. (i got in an even less prestigious school, 1.2% acceptance and 1000th or so on qs ranking, as you know we should be looking for top 10 or 20, not thousands level 😂) and now i switched to a uni with worse stats for electronic engineering and that rope is looking mighy great! in conclussion, you can get it done mate, you are in a good spot

[@jackedup447]

Felt that on an emotional level. I graduated as a CS major and right now the market is just rough, and it'll get worse with AI lmao even.

[@spicycurry7238]

@@ege8240 lowkey a lot of the work I do and material I study has a deep electrical engineering background. We should talk shop, maybe over discord?

[@gabemadorma2933]

Most Biotech companies need field service engineers to fix their equipment. It may not be what you imagined but it’s a pretty chill and fairly plentiful job. Also usually comes with a company car and paid commutes / overtime

[@morgumi]

From Einstein to Einstein's (bagels)

[@official_awei]

From Kepler to Ketchup

[@morgumi]

@@official_awei from broken symmetries to broken ice cream machine

[@suckmaballligmaass]

i like my slop drippy bruh

[@npx_riff_lift-g]

From Laplace to lifeless

[@rtothec1234]

From Schrödinger to Shamrock Shakes.

[@TibetYılmaztürk]

“Let us assume spherical french fries…”

[@fullmetaltheorist]

So potatoes😂

[@420rollinup3]

​@@fullmetaltheoristbro added the Q E D

[@Aurochs330]

“Model fries as uniform rigid rod”

[@AlgorithmicWizard]

From “I’d rather live alone in the desert than work a 9 to 5 job” to “I might have to work in McDonald’s” 😢

[@official_awei]

It's all part of The Plan...

[@PeterOMalley-o6b]

Well it's not 9 to 5

[@GirtonOramsay]

He can probably afford the Arizona desert on a McDonald's salary too. Was looking to move to Vegas from SoCal just for the COL differences

[@mrgamer-lu1im]

Love you man. I'm 17 years old and thank you for sharing your opinion man / story.

[@official_awei]

Of course brotha

[@hurtled64]

“I’d rather potentially fail while living on my own terms than succeed while living on someone else’s terms” Love that quote, it’s something that you don’t learn in school, but only learn from yourself. It’s admirable knowing exactly what you want of yourself

[@official_awei]

Absolutely, I believe everyone has the right to live their own truth, whatever that may be

[@martybuck]

No, you're being dumb. You really do have to make yourself a product. But you can be you outside of work. Naw, just do it your way and fail

[@hurtled64]

@@martybuck martybuck when people would rather be happy than miserable:😡😡🤬

[@official_awei]

@@hurtled64 That guy is obsessed with me, comments on all of my videos like a jealous ex

[@TravelingZebra]

@@official_awei It's because he wants the d

[@Eric_X]

Bro is gonna compete with me for the last bed in the homeless shelter (civ engineer major)

[@dudemanismadcool]

Get your masters in Goetech and go into mining. At least in Australia, they are desperate for them.

[@someguywithabirdface2583]

I you can fight kangaroo, maybe Australia

[@apastrana26]

From Mechanics to McNuggets

[@phi1688]

e&m to m&m (milkshakes)

[@tungprime]

Thanks for sharing. As an immigrant Asian parent, I find your videos helpful. Good luck with your journey!

[@official_awei]

Thanks, good luck with your parenting journey as well

[@TheAstralftw]

seems that Asia is much better than USA for smart people

[@alphax101-gaming2]

@@TheAstralftwWithout a doubt.

[@thebeastoffeasterpark]

I live in NJ and was a Physics major. It's so expensive here. My rent is $1503.61/month and that's for a basement apartment. The rent is supposed to be much closer to $2,000/month but I get a little break because my apartment is the only one in the building that doesn't have heating. Went on a small vacation to Utah and I loved it. I want to move there. The cost of living is better and the culture and community is SO much better.

[@MurnaKota]

I moved from DC to a small mountain town cost of living is much cheaper I don't regret leaving

[@martea726]

I’m an accounting/finance student with 4 internships under my belt. I’m DONE with all of it though. I’d be completely happy not working in another office for the rest of my life. Now we just have to pick up the pieces and make our next move. I’m probably going to quit my part time financial paraplanning job once I graduate and then I’ll take a year to work in greenhouses and grow plants. At this point I couldn’t care less if I don’t acquire fancy job titles or certifications - I just want enough money to live a basic life

[@official_awei]

Best of luck on ur journey man, u got this

[@XenoRaptor-98765]

There a book tiled “A students work for C students”.

[@official_awei]

I see how it works now

[@aryansudan2239]

man im a physics major now in software. Physics is interesting but at the end of the day, got to do stuff that puts food on the table

[@brandonberisford]

Same here. Kinda ended up there due to the pandemic and it's not what I wanted to do in the long run but at this point I'm making great money so.

[@aryansudan2239]

@@brandonberisford honestly man its kind of sad. Im 3 years into my physics degree. The hard ass courses and the labs. Spending hours writing shitty reports, learning hard math like PDEs, special fuctions, complex analysis etc. and more, only to end up in a field that required a course or 2 on algorithms, a course on a programming language and learning some tech stack. (SpringBoot, java in my case) . I always hoped to get into something more mathematical, but ig this is the reality for now.

[@brandonberisford]

@@aryansudan2239 yeah, I still study physics in my free time. I'm working on making a rigid body physics engine which kind of gets me using both my programming and physics knowledge. I think one day I'll go to grad school though and make a career shift but idk when that day will be.

[@aryansudan2239]

@@brandonberisford absolutely I too have my physics books with me and like reading some chapters in my free time here and there. I still have 3 semesters left so I'm trying to enjoy my time left in Uni. Idk about gradschool in physics but I am considering going for MS EE in Signal Processing and ML.

[@aryansudan2239]

@@brandonberisford also I had a look at your channel. Nice work man! I also plan on teaching some concepts and solutions to books like Morin, Zettli, Griffiths etc. also plan to upload some videos on theoretical computer science.

[@IJNAtago-Kai]

From solving the heat equation to heating up McDonalds. On a serious note, its hard bro.

[@aryansudan2239]

from using separation of variables to separating the patties.

[@princessmarlena1359]

That’s what hard work and education gets you. Lawyers and doctors are even struggling. Lawyers are in a saturated field, doctors are trying to dig themselves out of debt and slogging through residency as well as dealing with bureaucracy and the board. I hate those pushy parents who steal their kids’ childhoods in the name of “future success”. That’s not guaranteed, not anymore.

[@official_awei]

So true, nothing is guaranteed anymore

[@princessmarlena1359]

@@official_awei My sympathies, I wish the best for you and those in the same situation.

[@JimTheCurator]

I've heard that a lot of doctors are quitting because they're tired of dealing with insurance companies all day. They go into that line of work to help people but they spend like a third of their day on the phone just fighting with insurance companies.

[@Robert-fv1tc]

This is coming from someone with a PhD in Physics... dont study Physics... unless youre truely gifted, passionate, and willing to go all the way. BS, PHD, multiple post-Docs, for a very small chance of landing an associate Professor position at a Uni. This is the only reason anyone should ever study Physics. Dont listen to yojr professors, they followed the above path and have no first hand experience of what its like to navigate the job market with a Physics degree. Imo university Professors are generally very out of touch with the real jobs market. I transitioned out of Physics and into engineering. Worked for a while as a hardware / EE, now im a embedded software engjneer. It was a PAINFUL process and it still haunts me to this day. My Physics education was largely not helpful and have spent my time out of college catching up on skills I should have learned in college. If you have a BS in Physics my advice is go get a MS in something specialized... data science, ML, something. Hopping into engineering might be tough if you dont have an ABET accredited engineering degree.

[@arekpapierz6212]

Cant you work for Nasa or some aerospace company with physics degree?

[@Robert-fv1tc]

@arekpapierz6212 Yes and no. The kinds of jobs you'd be offered working at Nasa would be very research focused either in Telecommunications or materials science like their solar cell division. But again in the research part of things. These "pure" research jobs are few and far between, so get ready to move around hunting for research positions. Also... you could also get those jobs with degrees in EE or Materials Eng... plus you know... engineering jobs. Aerospace wont hire a non-aerospace engineering abet certified engineer. Any job which involves a critical safety environment will lean heavily on requiring precisie degrees and certification. Again... nothing is impossible. I know Physics majors working in those roles. To be fair they're all PhDs which goes back to my original point... dont go for a Physics BS unless youre willing to go all the way. If you love Physics, which I do, then study Physics as a minor. But FOCUS... specialize on a trade EE, CS, Materials, Aero... whatever. Industry does not value generalists.

[@aryansudan2239]

fr man. If you like physics and math but also want decent options, just go for EE. An EE degree is self contained with lot of sub-fields to branch into like: analog, digital electronics, Signal processing and ML, EVs, Optical electronics, Semiconductor physics, Embedded Systems and what not. really regret going for Physics over EE. Not that physics is bad but EE is more rigorous at the bachelor's level.

[@hamzerpanzer]

Feels like that goes for a lot of conceptual or theoretical focused fields, like physics or math or philosophy

[@jakoblindelof92]

Hello, do you rehret your degree Robert? I mean was it still worth the PHD for the "achivement" or would yoou have prefered to just start working? I am just asking, I have no interest in a PHD, but it was interesting to read your comment. Because sometimes when we burn out we regret things, if it too to much time etc.

[@karlstrauss2330]

I graduated school in 2008, one of the worst job markets in American history following the Great Recession. As bad as that time was, I’d argue today in 2024 it’s even worse. In 2008 there was an undercurrent of optimism that kept us pushing forward. Obama promised Hope and Change and Silicon Valley was still a vibrant place of growth and innovation and people were confident that the economy would eventually recover. Today there is so much nihilistic pessimism that pervades every facet of life. It feels like the economy is going to stay stagnant indefinitely and there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. If you feel isolated and disillusioned you are not alone.

[@notreallyafamousartist695]

Thank you for being honest, most 2008 grads keep downplaying this job market when in reality… where was the ai? Where was THE PANDEMIC, where was the online application& globalized market

[@karlstrauss2330]

@ there was also low inflation and less corruption in government and in corporate America at that time as well. Social media and smart phones were around, but they weren’t the addictive products that turned us all into zombies like they do today. The late 2000s and early 2010s was the last gasp of a normal America where social trust kept most Americans united together even during rough times. It makes me sad knowing most Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids today will probably never know what it was like to live in a happy and prosperous country.

[@joepup8348]

If you can integrate good service into good food prep, differentiate hot mustard from honey mustard, and derive satisfaction and self-worth from this while realizing your own limits, then McDonald's is your domain and range.

[@official_awei]

U guys are way too creative lmao

[@joepup8348]

@@official_awei You are the muse.

[@lilarrin1220]

Yea, an undergrad degree in physics isn't worth that much, you typically need to see it all the way through PhD. This also means getting research experience as an undergrad to set yourself up for grad school. I'm hoping your professors/counselors mentioned this to you, but given what you said in your video about them thinking you can get a job easily with an undergrad degree, I'm thinking they didn't. But then again, it doesn't sound like physics was the right choice for you to begin with, so sorry about that. Hopefully high school students considering physics will see this and be forewarned to make a proper decision before they sink too much time (and money) into the degree. On a slightly different note, reputable physics PhD programs are pretty good with funding, so it's a path that can lead to little to no student debt if done right. I got through mine with zero debt, even if I was dirt poor the entire time.

[@official_awei]

Spot on, this is the exact point I was trying to make

[@cryora]

A PhD isn't worth that much either, unless you want to stay in research with all its publish or perish culture and listen to all the researchers spew hot air alongside only partially useful information.

[@Number16BusShelter]

@@cryora Yeah, from what I hear a PhD won’t make you much more hireable than a masters

[@cryora]

@@Number16BusShelter I heard that condensed matter, like semi-conductors is a hire-able field with just a masters. A lot of applications in industry, unlike something more pure or esoteric like particle physics or plasma physics.

[@Number16BusShelter]

@@cryora Yeah, for sure. I just finished my Bachelors majoring in physics and mathematics, and I was considering going on to do a masters in theoretical physics, but I’ve realised that would be quite a commitment to staying in academia. Since I’m in Western Australia, specialising in astronomy actually seems to be a decent option if I’m not certain about continuing with research afterwards. It at least seems to leave me with a lot of options. The fact that universities promote their degrees like products makes it harder to figure out what my options will actually be like afterwards though.

[@VagrantCode]

I was a business Major and I was in the same spot as you when I graduated. I was able to pivot to software engineering. I also resonate with what you said about not being neurotypical enough for interviews. Especially the sales/marketing type jobs. The nice thing about SWE is a lot of us are weird so it’s fine.

[@seeibe]

"Learn to code, bro" The IT industry: 🔥🔥🔥

[@BunnyRaptor]

This is my experience as well with a BS in physics and working on an MS and looking for jobs. Physics is no longer a "hey, you're smart, here's a well paying job in anything". The idea of job security they sold you on is completely antiquated. Nowadays since everybody is going to college the market is so saturated with people who specialized, and physics doesn't train you to do anything in particular. All these specialized fields that used to be on the job training, they expect you to specialize at school and you're boned if you try to get those jobs in a pool of tens of thousands of specialists. And I relate to you with being a straight asian male lol. Applying for college, grad school, and jobs, (not certainly, or course, but probably) with my grades and experience I punch much below my weight in terms of what I ended up with.

[@treeleaf2089]

“To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone else's.” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

[@owl6218]

A bachelor's in any pure science is nothing to sneeze at. It is SO much specialized knowledge, so what if it was all found 2-4 hundred years back. it still needs so much discipline and engagement to understnd a proof, understand an experiment, calculate a physical quantity. The man/woman in the street cannot dream of doing any of it. sadly, the way our society is working these days, it has no value for people who have put in so much effort.Dont worry, something will come up. do not compromise by rushing into some marketing job or a corporate job, if you cannot rustle up those vacuous people skills

[@felixthespaghettifan7541]

Intro is a relatable banger, goes hard

[@official_awei]

Thank you thank you

[@Akkk-ju9sx]

You did what i wish i had the stones to do in my early 20s. I sit with regret thinking of what couldve been if i was brave enough. Kudos to you brother. Keep fighting the good fight. Take care!

[@StefanH]

I don't know the physics grad job sector but even in software engineering it's everything but easy. We always hear about "shortages in IT staff" but they really mean "shortages in senior to senior IT staff" so as a youngster you still don't get hired. It feels like you have to go above and beyond 3x the usual expectation to even get an entry and the pay isn't immediately what you might hope it'd be. Depends on the country of course. I don't live in america so no idea how it's there

[@IDK-no7od]

the intro is so fire

[@TheTrueBobert]

Just found this channel tonight, I'm already hooked.

[@aishi_rei]

*Education is merely a gambling casino in Asian parents’ mind.*

[@thejevjeff19]

The feeling of all the work you did are not appreciated and nobody cares. I personally defined it as "the feeling of wasted effort" - a mix of anger, sadness and disappointments to myself and society

[@kdeuler]

Not to mention DEBT, for many.

[@JessieAllen-r6m]

Same story here. Refusal after refusal made me so depressed and lost all my motivation. But I think this circus system won’t last forever. Because the people who refuse applications such as yours are themselves probably not very bright.

[@daysofend]

This mentality won't help you in the least. Be humble and realize that there are many ways to be useful and productive without being "very bright". I'm of average intelligence, as well as some of my coworkers, but we still earn well with frontend dev jobs. The sooner you lose your high horse, the better you'll do convincing these "not very bright" people to give you money.

[@georgejburnett129]

Lol, love your thumbnails! By being yourself and sharing your story, you’re helping a lot of people. Keep living on your terms, you’re an inspiration!

[@official_awei]

Thanks man, and I really appreciate your support on Patreon. Means a lot!

[@georgejburnett129]

@ Of course! Happy to contribute.

[@MPlaysX]

I graduated last December with a bachelors in physics and a year later I still don't have a full time job.

[@official_awei]

Best of luck brotha

[@BigClement12345]

it's really tough with a bachelor, gotta get a master's

[@The_Natalist]

​@@BigClement12345 Thats honestly gross, how much more debt is that?

[@BigClement12345]

@@The_Natalist I have no idea, I am from Europe

[@CamMST12]

Science degrees often require PhD's to be employable it's disgusting that career councillors do not tell you this when, they tell you "how employable Science degrees are".

[@Onar72]

Your words flow well and your content is good. Your explanations are clear. You will do well in whatever you find your best place is. Blessings!

[@timothypulliam2177]

I went through the exact same thing as you 10 years ago. Went to college for Physics. My first job out of college was Best Buy. Now I work in IT. Everything you say is the truth.

[@DanielL-ee7fe]

I successfully transitioned from the physics to another career becoming a senior electronic engineer. It's not straight forward and took some time and effort. You can bullshit and it's a talent that not everyone has. People skill is very important in the business world. There are so many opportunities now (there is no fundamental reason that it will last forever). Start with something and work it up from there.

[@wojciech7358]

I studied my Physics master, heck I even passed all the courses but to obtain diploma you need to write thesis, and I just could not. Depression took from me everything, I love physics and I loved my topic but still nothing. I even took a 1 year brake, went to work but still after that I could not write a single page. Now I am looking for a job for many months and there is no hope on horizont. But i still want to believe that things will be ok, I have 5 years in my country to restart the studies and have the grades I already earned (one of the top ones). I believe it will be better for both of us some day, we just need to keep going our paths.

[@lixqr]

keep the momentum going. ur already doing great.

[@Miketar2424]

I could never have remotely imagined this hellscape of work when I entered the work force over 25 years ago. I can see why so many young people are simply dropping out when the world is basically telling them you are not needed much now, and we really don't want you in the future.

[@steph4638]

your videos are rlly good you got this I hope your channel blows up

[@official_awei]

Appreciate it, I hope so too

[@Yaya-Nakiami]

ur story really inspired me, gotta lock in now

[@official_awei]

Yessir time to lock in

[@gerbilpmc]

the time to lock in has already passed 😔

[@ClintStone-t9m]

@@gerbilpmc it's time to log out 💀🔫

[@jon6309]

The job market is definitely hard. I majored in Finance and graduated 9 years ago. Currently work for a bank’s wealth management division for the past 8 years and I still can’t find a new job even while I’m still employed. I’m also applying for jobs where I actually have relevant skills and some of my current tasks that I do has transferable skills since my company services these companies and that would be a learning curve for me but no interviews scheduled so far. One job application said I passed the screening process but never passed the interview stage!

[@broccoli2237]

This video actually could make a difference for me. I'm 17 and doing my last year in high school. (In Belgium, so it might be a bit different.) I'm highly interested in studying physics, but I'm scared that I can't make a living of that. Rent in Belgium is also very high, and I don't see myself with a partner (especially one that brings home the bacon) for few years. So I'll probably do something else (I'm interested in more domains of science and engineering) but it will still be a shame. I do really like your approach and positivism, but those are sadly not traits that I own. In any case, I wish you all the luck in the world that one day you'll find your dream job.

[@official_awei]

Wishing you only the best as well!

[@CamMST12]

If you like Science do Chemistry or Engineering, Chemistry is surprisingly employable compared to other Science degrees outside of a Research setting, if you do choose Engineering don't choose a Niche subfield.

[@nestorv7627]

Study electrical engineering and minor in physics. I studied physics in undergrad, couldn't find a job, and went back to schools for a masters in EE

[@fern3436]

​@@nestorv7627 This is good advice, but I wouldn't necessarily limit myself to EE. I would think about what kind of job you would want to get with a physics degree, and then see if there is a more direct way of getting that job. I say that as an EE who saw loads of smart people fail out because they didn't love the major.

[@tyleradkins9366]

I think it's interesting to hear other people's life experiences. For me, I graduated in 2023 with my BS in mechanical engineering and got a job in new product development at a large company. Now, I'm pursuing my MS in autonomy/controls, working full time, and bought a house. This has been really good for me, especially because I came from a poor family. I can see how the 9 to 5 work in an office wouldn't be for everybody, but I feel like it's an incredible privilege.

[@Hacoby]

Well done on SAT man

[@Heavyiron710]

Your channel is criminally underrated and enjoyable

[@official_awei]

Means a lot man, thanks

[@innerthrill]

Fellow physics major with an undergrad. Hang in there. It's definitely possible to get a job in industry - medical IT is a good place to start. I got that first job pre covid, pre chatgpt and maybe things have changed now, but from my experience entry level solutions engineering, data science, and even software engineering are good fits for physicists out of college.

[@ejc5105]

I'm definitely older (36) and I feel like I've been making a Faustian bargain since I graduated from college (mechanical engineering). My job has some moments where I feel engaged with my work, but overall, I feel like I'm languishing. I find myself using my PTO now to just relax at home and do nothing just to de-stress. I'm pushing through, but my plan for years for now is just to throw a ton of money into stocks that way I can retire early. I might even leave the country to go somewhere cheaper, but I'm not totally committed to that. I was fortunate enough to pay off my student loans early and focus on retirement, but I feel like I'm just taking delayed gratification too seriously. I got diagnosed with testicular cancer last year (I'm fine), but it put everything into perspective for me. What's the point of so much delayed gratification if you could just die at any moment.

[@lukephillips7239]

Invest now not later

[@MatchDad44]

As someone who graduated with a BS in Physics last year, I feel your struggle. If you get a Masters/Residency for Medical Physics then you can do that, or a PhD will open up the good opportunities based on what you did research in. Kinda like your “transition into other fields” based on your quantitative skills type jobs. You can 100% get a job as a highschool teacher. A lot of faculty at uni would say there is a shortage, and it seems legit enough a claim IMO. I went with a career in data because you can leverage your Excel experience from upper level labs (or what tool you used to analyze data), or programming if you touched on it a bit in other classes. Filling in the gaps of knowledge may be enough to land an entry level role, but job market is tremendously horrible rn. I’ve noticed a lot of entry level data roles respect the biggest selling factor of a Physics degree’s coursework, analytical ability and mindset, as a lot of job descriptions want candidates with a degree in a quantitative field.

[@pegasus2682]

Have you considered controls engineering? There is no real degree for it, typically mechanical engineers pivot into it however it's a unique form of programming specific to large machinery. There's lots of jobs available for it all over the country. Seems a bit up the alley of physics as well since you need a good basis in motion, calculus and physics, hence mechanical usually being the go to.

[@davidthang6711]

try to reach out to career fairs and expos. lots of places in the midwest are hiring teachers, which is a good pivot into some type of engineering or corporate if you’d like

[@MatthewMartinDean]

I wish I had these field reports about what it was like in the outside world when I was 23. Excellent video essay.

[@CaesarGhost2030]

calculate the collapse of society

[@official_awei]

Sources say society = cooked

[@yufungwong4480]

d(collapse)/dt = C * exp(kt)

[@FrizzTradez]

While true: Print(“We are so fucked”) Return

[@gerardoramirez6976]

You can become a high school math teacher.

[@mkrowenp]

Hi Alex, I just wanted to say that your story resonated with me so much. I also had a similar upbringing and suffered through mental and health issues trying to earn both of my bachelors degrees. I thought that killing myself to earn the title summa cum laude was my golden ticket to anywhere … but it wasn’t 😢 I just feel like being a good student is all I could be. I still kind of feel this way. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@pancakedroid]

Same, and I'm just cum laude with one degree. I wish I knew how to make myself more marketable, but I'm so tired, I'm lacking motivation to even keep searching for a job.

[@d3adstarr]

5:27 I can absolutely confirm that like you said you couldn't get a finance type job, that could be if you didn't have any finance related internships before. I am in the same shoes almost chem major working at a finance mill run "research firm". Hope we make it out :)

[@official_awei]

Yeah lol even my friends in the business school have a tough time breaking into finance. Ain't as easy as it seems...

[@Geferulf_TAS]

Nepotism is the name of the game. Meritocracy is dead.

[@nisha7454]

Wow this was a great video. I’m also in the same boat as you, so it was really encouraging just listening to you literally put what I’m going through into words. Keep it up man, wishing you all the best…

[@official_awei]

Thanks, I'm wishing you the best as well

[@ryancxe]

damn man… I am also a physics major. The only way I could get into the corporate world was through sales. I tried literally every other job and got rejected. I started working at the first company that accepted me (door to door sales) and moved into sales in a big HR service company. Using a referral from a uni friend I also managed to get a job at big4 which I’ve been for 3 years. I want to move back into tech sales or presales/solutions consulting type stuff for the client interaction

[@official_awei]

Yeah it's crazy... physics is one of the most difficult majors, but it's so much effort for so little payoff (unless you're going into grad school or actual research)

[@ryancxe]

@ and even then the payoff is nothing compared to big salaries in tech jobs etc

[@SoyoyoS]

The first 20 seconds got me hooked up! nice poem :v

[@ardordeleon]

From Newton to new ton of beef patties just got deliver. Move it Einstein!

[@official_awei]

That's a good one

[@danebeck7900]

I graduated with a BS in Physics in 2011. I spent about 6 months job hunting with no luck, but ended up getting a job at a medical ultrasound startup thanks to a connection through my uncle. I've now been working in medical ultrasound for over a decade, not at the same company though. The irony is that right after I accepted that job, some of the other companies I applied to started to respond, shitty timing on their part. I understand that I got lucky through my connections. I would encourage anybody in a rough situation ro leverage their famlly connections as well. Yes that's nepotism and it's shitty, but it's the world we live. In my defense, I had to work 14 hour days in a lab for my first job after college, so it's not like I was a lazy POS. But I acknowledge that working 14 hour days is far preferable to being unemployed and struggling just to get an interview. If I had to do it all over again I think I would have double majored in EE and physics, or maybe majored in EE with a physics minor. This is not an easy problem to solve. If I were in this situation again with a physics degree and no job prospects, I would probably be looking into trade school to become an electrician or something like that. Or learning how to code. Good luck.

[@official_awei]

Appreciate the advice, might look into that stuff

[@yds6268]

I'm a physics major in a different country, and I just stayed in my own university after graduation. Earned my PhD and keep on working there. Not looking for any career advancement, just teaching classes with some research on the side. A pretty cushy job in my opinion.

[@im7254]

I got engineering PhD from top ten school with good grades and awards, and I've never landed a single interview. gave up trying after half decade

[@ruleaus7664]

That sounds seriously unbelievable!

[@mike2207]

What did you get your bachelors and masters in? Not a single interview seems unbelievable.

[@hatebreeder999]

Crazy and scary at same time 😮

[@KAIZORIANEMPIRE]

@@ruleaus7664 i have a phd lol i had interviews and even a job but i quit lol to do youtube

[@being-j2z]

what are you doing currently if i could ask? does it relate to what you studied at all? thank you man

[@davel7037]

Calculate the uncertainty of my future

[@official_awei]

You + future = Success

[@gamersinghking4167]

It was great hearing your story. I also live in NJ so I guess I’ll have to share the same struggles 🤷‍♂️. All jokes aside, this is a great video that gave me some good context about the real world. I’m in HS and I hope I get out in one piece.

[@everydogandhisman4294]

Good luck young man, you are wise beyond your years :-)

[@aboycalledfish]

Has everyone forgotten that Physics teachers exist and are in high demand? I didn't even major in Physics (did Math) and was basically auto-hired at my old high school to teach Physics. Some counties pay very well, up to $100k if you have a masters. It pains me that many people would rather be unemployed when teaching is such a needed profession.

[@jamesmccloud7535]

Yep. I like physics although I lean more towards electrical engineering. But the world needs more people like Richard Feynman who shares his joy for learning and makes Physics accessible for everyone to better understand reality.

[@enduser8410]

Climbing up the part-time/unstable tenure ladder to reach full-time teacher/professor and, god-willing, a 100k salary is something fierce in the US. I'd rather take a low-paying STEM job for a year or two and move up than deal with that.

[@adrianoftheuniverse]

I graduated summa cum laude, but I’m not half as smart as you are. I had a mental breakdown after graduating, so I ended up with a huge gap in my resume; I’m practically unemployable and couldn’t even land a job as a barista. Fortunately, my husband makes decent money and he gives me a yearly allowance. Life has forced me into early retirement-no complaints though. I live comfortably and wouldn’t trade my current situation for mere employment. Overall, I consider myself lucky.

[@darthTwin6]

Love your story. Rooting for you!

[@cheesejam3773]

damn I feel ur pain and I'm in hs. I'm really scared of the future because of what you mention. But I guess, I have no other choice but to try my best and keep going somehow. I wish you the best of luck

[@ladyoftheflowers9781]

You probably need to learn programming and/or IT skills on your own. Can at least make a bit more than fast food at a helpdesk. You can also grow in that field too. Another good area is data analysis, especially at a place where the bar is kinda low as opposed to the well known names.

[@fr5229]

“probably” eh

[@8BitNaptime]

Trust me, most people in a 9-5 went through your thinking process too as well. Reality just wears you down, but eating is fun, so ...

[@amesasw]

I also had a physics degree. The only real path to a job was getting your PhD. All of my PhD physics friends got solid jobs. I went back and got a comp sci masters and immediately found work... but this was 10 years ago.

[@sfdsdfdsfd5122]

It's like I get a underground bachelor's in biology and expect a 6 figure job. I'm currently studying to be a doctor and plan on going to medical school after getting a bachelor's in bio. I feel like most 4 year degrees are currently being taken from everyone atm. You have to study alot more than 4 years to get a good paying job right now. Yes it's alot of debt but it's worth the the time and wait. I know a doctor who was first generation and had around 500k in debt by the time he finished. Always said it was worth it making around 300k.

[@CamMST12]

Most jobs in Science and Medicine require a lot more than a Bachelors only Engineering and Technology you don't really need advanced degrees.

[@sen8078]

it's wild how students in the most important fields like physics and mathematics have a hard time finding a job

[@pancakedroid]

I'm a second gen Asian immigrant who graduated with a degree in marine biology last year. I feel a lot of this. I thought I would pursue a Master's right after getting my Bachelor's, since getting a career in marine bio is pretty much impossible without additional education. However, I'm burnt out of school, and I'm no longer sure if research is really a thing I want to do. It makes me regret not taking accounting or finance or something else that's more likely to guarantee me a job straight out of college. I'm wondering if and what lab certifications I should get to become an entry-level lab tech, or if I should pivot in a completely different direction and gamble on becoming a genre fiction writer.

[@scottknl]

LOL I worked for about a year at 7-11 after my 4 years studying physics. It really did help me get out of my shell and be able to relate to people socially. Following that I worked for a tax company and that really upped my ability to work with people. Electronics Diploma 2yr ->jobs->software diploma 2yr->software jobs->success. These days, I'd probably focus on the fact you understand math & statistics. Those items are super important to the AI efforts that are going on these days. Make it so that someone that runs a business wants you to help them. You've got to learn to be useful to others. Otherwise you've failed in life.

[@johngrimes412]

I just watched the "National Dog Show," and I can relate to getting a job feels like being one of those dogs trying to win the top prize--a little treat and unwanted attention.

[@official_awei]

Sound rough but true lmao

[@houndsraddforb4284]

From quantum entanglement to job entanglement. From particle duality to personality duality. From black holes to back holes lol. From electrical charge to charging for a meal.

[@gavinmoss1603]

i finished my math degree this year and now i’m a starbucks barista

[@official_awei]

Just put the coffee in the cup bro

[@jon6309]

As a finance major who works as a glorified admin assistant for a bank it has humbled me because I know there are more smarter and hardworking individuals compared to me who’s only option available is to work in the service industry like Starbucks. Yes I’m dissatisfied with my current employment situation but I also know things could have been worse and I have more respect for people who work in service jobs because without them who is going to make my coffee or French fries for me? Pretty sure not the employees at the bank!

[@FrizzTradez]

Hey nice I actually live in Arizona as well! I can relate to this, I’m 19 and just started college, but I was working at a fast food restaurant and REALLY disliked it. So I left and started a Christmas light installation business. It’s only a holiday thing, but we’ve generated almost 2k our first month alone. However, I say all this to point out that the initial catalyst was exactly what you expressed in your video. Anyway, hope everything works out for you

[@evgenysavelev837]

People who come from abusive families have a tendency to come across as always guilty, almost being sorry for their own existence. You know exactly how I know. And that is what turns away many hiring managers, we just look as a liability to them, not an opportunity. For me I solved this by proving to myself that I can be exactly who I want to be, and that I and everyone around me deserves my respect just for being a human. Because of the way I was treated as a kid, I became very judgmental, only giving respect, if it is deserved. And that alienated a lot of people. I had to unlearn this and it made life so much easier. No longer I need to be stressed about proving my worth to the world. Also, I became very unattractive as a potential victim for abusive people (both in work and personal relationships). There is no way we can change the past, but the bad things in the past have no right to define us. Also, thank you for being open about this.

[@paulinapepra3283]

I don’t know how cracked you are at math but some people from my uni who are insane got into quantative finance from a state university so I wouldn’t say it’s impossible for top performers and they were math and physics majors

[@TheeOnlyStolas]

Your story is much like mine, I am about to graduate in software engineering and the job market has just vanished. With outsourcing and ai my field is looking quite grim, I might genuinely be working minimum wage out of college.

[@TheNigerianPrince404]

This is a voluntary initiative. I’m working on a project looking for people with some JavaScript experience but not required. If you’re interested DM me.

[@VarinderSingh-kx1oh]

It was very relaxing to hear you talk about your experience in college and job opportunities!

[@MaddieFishblob]

Relaxing? I find this very stressful to watch tbh 😂. Appreciate his realism tho & his perspective of the world

[@closhstud3292]

I had to drop out during the first month of my freshman year and looking for a job as a high school graduate to support my family is hard. I realized even McDonalds wouldn't even hire me and I couldn't even get a job as a lunch lady.

[@owl6218]

if you are not burdened by a debt, get a trade skill quickly, if you are ok with working with your hands. You will make a proper electrician as a physicist, and i understand there is always money to be earned there. You can build a small firm, train other people... having studied both physics and the trade, you will be able to teach the aspiring electricians, etc. ....just an idea I could have suggested computational techniques. It is niche and people are still needed...may be you can learn some of these things on coursera

[@ElephantsDoingCrack]

Amazing video man! I work at a dealership as a lot attendent and it is strange because I actually decent money (not a lot but compared to other jobs it is good). Yet I still am strugging with money and it seems like one day I have money and then the next I don't. Stories like yours in the whole reason I decided to drop out of college because I just knew it wouldn't be enough to support myself nor a family. There is also AI and people being replaced by it. I saw AI in the video and well... come on... But anyways, you got a newsubscriber from me and I hope to see more!

[@ExEvMusic]

okay but that intro had me rolling xD

[@CaptainTerror-png]

"I should have known" I thought that was the school's job to teach you what you needed to know? That's what you paid them for. So why would you put pressure on yourself to know a modern trend that's unseen when all your life, I assume since I was told the same stuff growing up, you were told go to college and get a job, and you'll be set for life! You can't have knowledge you were never taught. Even assumptions are based on prior knowledge, so... As you pointed out, you're definitely not alone in this, let alone generation-wise. But I'm glad you have a much more positive view on it, and saying "eh screw it, I chose the path I wanted to." Godspeed to you on your life's journey

[@helpthisasian]

Mans was Dr. Seuss at the beginning

[@Grassmpl]

Great place to debate between string theory and loop quantum gravity.

[@colingraham1585]

MA in philosophy. I think a lot of companies dont think they're good enough to hire us, but we just need a darn job.

[@cryora]

A lot of companies don't have the funding to hire employees. Yet for some reason they seem to have infinite money to hire contractors and consultants.

[@jonathanramirez3189]

How was your experience with Philosophy? I’d like to know your thoughts/opinions on materials that piqued your interest during your time in college

[@aryansudan2239]

companies dont think theyre good enough to hire you???

[@CamMST12]

@@aryansudan2239 Sometimes companies feel intimidated by overqualified employees as bizarre as it sounds, I've heard of people with a PhD in Software Engineering struggling to get a Software-Engineering job.

[@serverhunter]

Wish I could have afforded to be unemployed in college would have gotten better grades during my bachelors of science in computer science. Now, trying to get into grad program at the local California state college that I graduated from, requires a 3.0 and I have a 2.9. It sucks. Anyway I spent my college years working 25-30hrs a week at these types of jobs not fast food but not much better. Just hang in there man and grind out a degree that will provide a paycheck. Now I’m at FAANG as a software engineer. It’s good been good the last 5 years, gonna keep doing it at least until I get shitcanned lmao. I still do have about 30k left in student loans from those years though gd No industry connections by the way. I straight up dropped out of high school and grew up in a single parent household as a bereaved child only had a mom lol. Shit sucked. If I can find success you can do it you can