Announcing to my family that I was going to be an engineering major was a big moment for me, but it was met with mixed responses. While some of my family members were thrilled, a few appeared skeptical. They told me about all the work it would take to become an engineer and wanted me to think about if I was really up to the challenge. Throughout high school, I took every engineering class I could and even joined the school robotics team. Now that I'm finally starting my freshman year of college as an engineering major, I can confidently say that every minute spent on engineering activities in high school was worthwhile. Not only do I love my classes here, but I have a slight advantage due to my background in the basics of the field. After studying the field intensely for only a month, I've come up with the top eight reasons why I love being an engineer:
8. People Expect Me To Answer Crazy Questions.
"Hey Kenz, how did the ocean get salty?" "Do you know why cars make a different noise going over bridges than on the regular road?" "Hey, how come the space junk orbiting Earth doesn't come crashing down?" "Is global warming a thing?" These are just a few of the many, many wonderful questions my friends and family expect me to have answers to, but I love the fact that they think I'm so smart.
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7. I'm First On Call When Something Won't Work.
I've often been greeted with the phrase, "Oh, good, you're home. The (insert various household object or toy) is broken." My engineering mindset has prepared me for each challenge, and I've yet to find something broken that I can't fix, save for all the electronics I've dropped and shattered...
6. I'm A Total Nerd.
Spaceships, microscopes, solar panels, and particle accelerators fascinate me to no end. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
5. I'm Constantly Asking Why.
I once spent an entire car ride investigating why concentric rings of droplets appear around the bigger rain drops that hit you car windshield when driving through a storm. I came to a conclusion that went down to the molecular level, and proved my theory, all simply by continuously asking myself, "But why does that happen?"
4. People Look Nervous When I Announce My Major.
The conversation typically goes as follows; "What are you studying?" "I'm and engineering major." "Oh, so like, math and physics, huh?" "Yeah, but also chemistry and biology and statistics, with a little bit of management and some history, too." Then there's this awkward pause while they contemplate why anyone would ever want to take on such a workload while I smile politely at them, and then we move on to talking about the weather.
3. I Beleive In Infinite Improvement.
Whether it's the latest iPhone design, a plan for a group project, a race I've run, or an interview I've had, I constantly evaluate the performance. As a firm follower of the design process, we engineers know that the final product is never really final; that is, there's always something that can be done better.
2. I Hold Society's Trust.
Engineers build bridges, purify water, develop new medicines, and control the power supply for entire cities. The public places a high level of trust in us, which is both empowering and humbling. We've seen failed designs in the past (although my engineering brain encourages you to see them as designs in need of improvement, not failures), and we know how devastating these mishaps can be. Society's trust in engineers is a huge part of what makes the profession so high stakes, but it's also one of the most rewarding things about being an engineer.
1. I Inspire Others.
This is my absolute favorite part about being an engineer. I love seeing the sparkle in younger student's eyes as I explain different engineering concepts to them, and the pride they show when their programs work or their bridges hold weight is truly magical. I take great pride in knowing that my contributions will help these children become the next generation of engineers. To see the joy that I once felt when first discovering engineering reignited in younger children is the ultimate gift and is what makes the long hours of physics, calculus, and chemistry so worthwhile.
