If someone asked you the best way to become a good mechanical engineer, I bet you’d tell them to start building something.

If they asked you what to build, you’d tell them to build something that’s useful. Better yet, build something you would use.

If they asked what resources to use and learn from, you’d tell them whatever resources necessary for the task at hand. To focus on the practical more than the theoretical, while filling in gaps of time learning theory.

If they asked you what to do when something fails, you’d tell them to build it again until they build it right.

And when they ask you what to do when they’re done, you’d say: “now go and build something else”