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In the summer of 2023, I decided to take on a wild adventure: a full-time internship, extensive travel and summer classes all at once. I kicked things off with an epic 12,000-mile solo road trip across the western United States with my final destination being Fort Worth, where my internship at Bell Helicopter began. Oh, and let’s not forget that my two summer classes, AERO 303 and 413, also started that week. It felt like a recipe for chaos at the time, but I was up for it. Little did I know what challenges and surprises lay ahead.
When things came to an end, I had accomplished more than I ever dreamed possible. I aced both of my classes, snagged a full-time job offer, checked off my 49th U.S. state and even ran my first 10K race. Wonder how I pulled it off? Read on to find out!
Establish Sustainable Habits
Instead of sweating over whether a habit was “good” or “bad,” I focused on making it simple enough so that even someone as lazy as I am could do it.
For example, my goal was to hit the gym before work, which required me to wake up at 5 a.m. The hitch? I was a night owl who habitually stayed up until midnight. To change that, I banned screens after 9 p.m. and was in bed by 10 p.m. It was a tough transition at first, but soon I was rising at 5 a.m. without an alarm. With this newfound routine, I had time for my workouts in the morning, cardio in the evenings, more than enough sleep and my entire afternoon free for other work.
Set Manageable To-Do Lists
Most engineers love to-do lists. There’s something oddly satisfying about ticking off tasks, but I learned the hard way that overloading my list led to more stress than success.
My solution? Keep it simple.
Instead of planning weeks in advance, I focused on what I could realistically achieve today and tomorrow. Each night, I picked the most crucial tasks for my goals. It was a game-changer. Not only did I boost my daily productivity, but I also enjoyed the
sweet satisfaction of completing tasks regularly. My workload was manageable, my assignments got done and I even tackled personal projects along the way.
Go Against “Normal”
It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing what’s considered normal: work an internship OR take summer classes OR travel. While all of those are easier to do alone than all at once, I believe truly successful people prefer going against “normal” by taking the harder route.
Most of my weekends were spent out of town, whether it was backcountry camping in Banff or climbing Mt. Whitney in half a day. However, that meant I spent many evenings grinding out homework. I even took both of my final exams back-to-back (reach out for the whole story).
The Perfect Summer
In the end, my summer showed me that, with dedication and a bit of creativity, I could achieve amazing things. By establishing easy habits, focusing on short-term goals and daring to step off the beaten path, I had unforgettable experiences and became a better version of myself.
You have the chance to do the same; all it takes is committing yourself to becoming a better you!
Aerospace Engineering, Class of 2024
If you found this blog post interesting, you may consider reading “Tips and Tricks for an Out-of-State Internship” and “3 Ways to Maximize Your Time Abroad.”