Engineering isn’t just a degree—it’s a rollercoaster of triumphs and failures, breakthroughs and breakdowns, and those infamous caffeine-fueled all-nighters before exams.

The STEM industry desperately needs talented, driven engineers, yet many potential candidates are deterred by the field’s notorious reputation. It’s no secret why: overwhelming pressure, intimidating professors who seem to speak another language, homework that multiplies like rabbits, and formulas that stretch longer than your grocery list. But here’s what I discovered: earning an engineering degree doesn’t have to feel like Atlas holding up the sky.

That is why Midnight Mech was created.

My Story

Hi, I’m Ethan. I’m a Mechanical Engineer by profession, but my path here wasn’t exactly conventional –

Unlike many of my peers who knew they wanted to be engineers since they could take apart their first toy, I chose engineering on a whim during college orientation. Little childhood fascination with how things work. Minimal knowledge of what it means to be an engineer. Just a split-second decision that would change my life forever.

That first semester? It nearly broke me. I stumbled into college life prioritizing parties, new friendships, and pretty much everything except studying. By December, I was staring at a 1.8 GPA and contemplating my degree.

But here’s the thing about engineering—it’s not just for the “numbers people” or the “science geeks.” Sometimes it’s for the stubborn ones who refuse to quit.

For 4.5 years, I carried the weight of mounting student loans on my shoulders. Failure wasn’t an option. I had to make this work, even though my approach remained unconventional. While my engineering classmates joined robotics clubs and competed in technical competitions, I was the rare engineering major in a fraternity (one that eventually got removed from campus—that’s a story for another day). My closest friends were business majors who couldn’t tell a torque wrench from a hammer.

I participated in Engineering Week festivities but skipped the rocket-building clubs. I secured engineering internships every summer but maintained a social life that looked nothing like the stereotypical engineering student.

Through it all, I discovered something important: success in engineering isn’t about fitting a mold. It’s about persistence, adaptability, and building a support network that works for you.

Now as a young professional, I’m here to share what I learned the hard way. This blog is for anyone who doesn’t fit the engineering stereotype but has the drive to succeed anyway. It’s for the students who are struggling to balance academics with a real college experience. It’s for those wondering if they belong in engineering when they don’t live and breathe equations.

Trust me—if I could make it through, so can you. Let me help show you how.