I’m an avid journaler. Looking back at the entries around the time I started college, I certainly had many questions about engineering, Zachry and the university in general! I wanted to share some of the things I wish I had known.

What’s your favorite spot in Zach?

There’s a tech deck on the fourth floor, where butterflies come and go. Ever since my mom passed away, whenever I saw a butterfly, I thought of her. As such, the tech deck is a place I go to meditate throughout the day and allow my mind to wander while I look out at the hustle and bustle of University Drive. Actually, I’ve found that in addition to meditation, to be creatively/scientifically generative, I need to let my mind float so it can process bits of information I haven’t yet fully digested in the background.

What’s something you didn’t expect about being an engineering major?

That not everyone eats and breathes math and science! I had this expectation that I would be around a bunch of nerds (hey, I was a nerd myself), and that the only shared interest we’d have would be our classes. We are human beings first before we are engineers, students or any other designator we may attach to ourselves!

Best advice for getting through engineering?

Very few of us come out of the womb doing calculus and knowing organic chemistry. Give yourself grace to struggle with problems and work through them. Know that you’re not any less intelligent if you need to work through more practice problems than others. I always felt like I had to work extra hard, but after talking to my friends in engineering, we all felt that way!

Controversial advice for making the most out of your college experience?

I know many people say to join professional organizations or programs to build your leadership and character, but I advise against that unless that’s what you’re really passionate about. If ASME or AIChE or IEEE makes your heart sing, do it! But if not, don’t force yourself to go through the motions. Get involved in the strange and crazy things you love. By putting yourself out into the world, you will naturally encounter situations that build character and leadership skills (and a myriad of other things you may not have wanted to build, like resilience). I, and many of my friends, got job interviews and internships, and I was never affiliated with a professional organization. (Shh! Don’t tell anyone!)

What do you do if you’re stressed out academically/overwhelmed?

It’s really not the end of the world if a test doesn’t go your way. You have your whole life ahead of you, and while everything you do matters, at the same time, nothing matters so much that it’s worth your peace of mind. Your sanity comes first; if something, a class, an organization, a job or any relationship, is driving you over the edge, put things into perspective. Every day you’re living through the most difficult thing you’ve ever encountered. That’s more than enough!

Last words of advice?

Your experience is unique to you, so don’t let anyone else’s advice (even mine!) sway you toward or away from something you have a gut feeling about!