ADAPT
This year marked the completion of my sophomore year at the university. And what a year it's been! Sophomore year definitely had its various ups and downs but looking at the negative experiences and learning how to overcome them and grow from them was critical to my success this year. Hence, I titled this years review, adapt.
There were many big steps taken this year. Moving into a new house with six of my closest friends here, starting a whole new level of engineering classes that made me analyze and apply various relevant concepts, starting my first "big boy" job as a mechanical engineering co-op, leading a group of freshman engineers as a peer leader and so much more. I'll try to touch base on all of these as I go along.
Living in a house with six other people may not seem like the most effortless of tasks. However, I am blessed to have a group of roommates and best friends with who I can co-exist so peacefully with (for the most part at least). The friends I have had and made over this year continue to shape me to be the best person I could ever be and their goals and passion always drive me to discover myself. My roommates have always been my crutch to fall back on and am ecstatic to have such an incredible core group of friends I can rely on and trust.
This year also marked the commencement of my spring co-op. I worked as a Mechanical Engineering Co-op for Emery Oleochemicals, a chemical processing company, here in Cincinnati. My tasks included working with maintenance crew and operators to prevent the failure of key mechanical components such as pumps, piping, tanks, valves etc. I was also placed in charge of the maintenance and service of over 200 pressure safety valves spread around the factory. The mechanical engineering has two sides to its field, the design aspect and the maintenance aspect. I wanted my co-op experiences to have reflect one aspect during each job I work. Emery helped me learn and understand the maintenance aspect of my field and the hands-on working environment taught me many invaluable and applicable skills. I look forward to returning in the Fall of 2017 for my second rotation with them and further honing my skills in the maintenance sector of mechanical engineering.
This year finally showed me why I hear so many horror stories of the life of an engineering student. My classes suddenly began to challenge me unlike any other time classes have. Despite my genuine interest and enthusiasm for the material, the work load was unprecedented. Luckily, with the help of my newly acquired organizational skills from being a peer leader and being on co-op, I made it through fall semester on the Dean's List again.
Luckily, I have found enough time to keep myself involved on campus as well. I spent my Fall semester serving as a peer leader for two engineering learning communities. This experience was truly amazing and spending time with my students and various peer leaders has been such a phenomenal time. For an even larger out-pour of emotions regarding peer leading, my reflection can be found under Honors Experiences on this website. I've continued to be involved as an Honors Ambassador and a returning Honors Retreat Leader for the University Honors Program and a member of the Engineering and Applied Tribunal. I have become more involved in Student Government and joined the Elections Facilitation Committee, both of which I am incredibly honored and excited to be a part of.
Overall, this year has indeed been a roller-coaster ride of emotions, challenges and experiences. If I had any goals for next year, it would be to cultivate more professional and industry related skills relevant to my major, dedicate more time to self-improvement and self-growth and, as always, find more things to be involved in on campus. Each year at this amazing university has been full of remarkable experiences and adventures with some of the most interesting and passionate people I have met and I aim to ride that momentum for the next three years here.