Too Cool For School

[JPolen01]

Steve - didn't know you work for AECOM. Got any secrets on how I can win more bids with you guys? (in before anyone says lower your price)

What business unit are you usually dealing with? What are you usually bidding on? I'm in the management services group so I don't see much in the construction business side. Unfortunately though, price is usually just about everything unless someone can truly deliver something innovative (or much quicker) worth paying more for.

We bid on temporary offices for the engineers/project owners. We have accounts with the environmental and energy/construction divisions.

[WRXtranceformed]

Thanks for sharing that, Lee.  Watch addiction is more fun anyways

I was going to say it's cheaper too....but not at the collector stage I'm at hahah

[.RJ]

Don't you worry.  Time already feels like it moves faster every year and I just hit 30.

[CaptainHenreh]

Don't you worry.  Time already feels like it moves faster every year and I just hit 30.

[D_Eclipse9916]

This is my biggest issue when people tell me free money.

---

True story on the 0% financing. I almost bought the wife a peleton bike the other day because it's 0% interest for 12, 24, or 36 months. Then I remembered she doesn't need a $3k exercise bike.

The treadmill is crazy expensive too!!!  The ads and marketing department is really good though.

I wouldn't mind getting a really nice treadmill next time around if it had really really good shock absorption.  My wife uses the treadmill for 3-5 miles every single day, and since it's on our "third" floor you can hear it almost through the entire house.  I spent a lot of time researching and went as cheap as possible while still "good" and it was still 700-800 on sale.

Speak of the devil our Lifespan T1200iR just broke.  Customer service was awesome and is sending out a motherboard without so much as a 2 minute discussion.  Treadmills seem to be so hit or miss with reliabiltiy; and this is only about 2 years in on our current treadmill.  I am just happy their customer service was on point.

[GTBrandon]

Wow, this has been amazing. I really was not expecting the openness of everyone's stories and it speaks volume to this club. I know a lot of these subjects are taboo to talk about, and it leads to people who need the advice to stay quiet and make the same mistakes as everyone else. So thank you, this really helped ease my mind and realize that I shouldn't be comparing myself to 30 year old's lifestyles or people on social media who seem to have it all.

I guess I'm curious why all of you say it's easy to get trapped in a job or location? I hear everyone say that you should just move around to a new job if you want a raise or new role, maybe that's harder than it seems?

My big thing with moving is that I feel like there is no reason to move other than curiosity, but maybe that's all the reason I need. I just don't want to regret leaving the DC/Nova area since there are obviously so many opportunities and high paying roles available. I guess I just don't know why I want to move, I just grew up here all my life and think I'd regret it if I didn't.

[Sijray21]

I guess I'm curious why all of you say it's easy to get trapped in a job or location? I hear everyone say that you should just move around to a new job if you want a raise or new role, maybe that's harder than it seems?

When you start building your life in one spot you're developing friends and possibly a relationship with a SO in that area it will make things more difficult to leave. Also once you start making money consistently I also find that breaking that to do something you want where the income flow is paused indefinitely is also difficult. Buying property also makes things more difficult. None of that makes it impossible to move, it just may feel more difficult in the future than you think it will be at this moment. I don't think any of that 'traps' you, but I think that's the idea you build in your mind.

My big thing with moving is that I feel like there is no reason to move other than curiosity, but maybe that's all the reason I need. I just don't want to regret leaving the DC/Nova area since there are obviously so many opportunities and high paying roles available. I guess I just don't know why I want to move, I just grew up here all my life and think I'd regret it if I didn't.

Curiosity is not a bad reason to move; its a sense of adventure. While it may not be a good fiscal reason it could be a good mental reason. If you think you'd regret it then why not try the sooner you get out of college? You can always go back.

I sort of got the idea of moving out of my system because I traveled for work for 2/3 years after college. I stayed in many cities in the states for much of the year and that kind of gave me a taste of different areas. Not the same as moving, but I feel I got enough experience in many other places to get a feeling of what I liked and didn't like about certain aspects of living. It actually made me appreciate where I lived a little more. It also made me realize which areas I could definitely move to and where I would definitely avoid.

[Apoc]

I guess I'm curious why all of you say it's easy to get trapped in a job or location?

Inertia's a bitch - humans tend to discount the cost of doing nothing (e.g. unhappiness, regret) and overvalue the cost of lifestyle changes (e.g. money, regret). It's easy to say "I'm just going to stick it out for x more time" and see if job/location/relationship/whatever plays out in my favor. They rarely do.

There are opportunities and high paying places in a lot of places. If you move and regret it, you can move back. Moving costs money, but not as much as wondering what might have been the rest of your life.

[GTBrandon]

So after getting a job offer from my summer internship, I realized for better or for worse that staying in VA is my best option. I made some great connections over the summer, as well as made a big impact with my project which got implemented and rolled out to our client. So I’ll be in Alexandria for the time being.

That being said, I made sure to give myself two months from graduation until starting to travel around the world if I so choose. Right now I’m thinking of going to Japan and Indonesia for around 3-4 weeks. Curious if y’all have been there. Also curious if you’d go anywhere else while I’m on that side of the world. Or maybe go somewhere completely different. Thoughts appreciated!

[Jake]

So after getting a job offer from my summer internship, I realized for better or for worse that staying in VA is my best option. I made some great connections over the summer, as well as made a big impact with my project which got implemented and rolled out to our client. So I’ll be in Alexandria for the time being.

That being said, I made sure to give myself two months from graduation until starting to travel around the world if I so choose. Right now I’m thinking of going to Japan and Indonesia for around 3-4 weeks. Curious if y’all have been there. Also curious if you’d go anywhere else while I’m on that side of the world. Or maybe go somewhere completely different. Thoughts appreciated!

The good thing about a company like BAH is that you can transfer to other offices in other locations once you get some experience. So you're not tied to Virginia forever.

I loved Germany, and want to go explore more of Europe now, but if you have wanted to go to Asia, go. Joe went for two weeks in late spring and would be happy to share what he learned with you at VIR or some other time.