Year 2
Year-in-Review
My sophomore year has been filled with adventure from start to finish. I kick-started the adventure by traveling abroad to South Korea, where I studied the language and culture for almost two months. When I returned to the US, it was time for my first co-op to begin. Then in the spring, I had my first experience living in an apartment. I competed in my first Taekwondo tournament, got involved in undergraduate research, and, at the end of the semester, I gathered the courage to donate 10 inches of my hair. I even had the pleasure of capturing a photo with a penguin during an on-campus science symposium!
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One of the biggest eye-opening experiences for me this year was at my co-op. It was there that I realized just how different school and full-time work are. The biggest difference is the one that I have become the most fond of: during co-op, you leave the work and problems at your desk at the end of the day, whereas a school assignment follows you around until either you figure it out or the project is due. It is refreshing to be able to leave my co-op and know that I do not have to worry about it until the next day. In the spring when I was back at school, it really hit me how drastic that difference is. I was most impacted by my experience on co-op because while I was back at classes, I suddenly found myself able to leave the schoolwork alone for an evening or weekend and relax. This ability made for a much more calm, relaxed semester, and that is a trend I hope to continue in the upcoming terms.
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Another noteworthy experience of mine was working in the MicroBioSystems Laboratory as a research assistance to a graduate student. I was incredibly nervous about contacting UC professors about working in a lab since I had no prior experience and was just barely done with my first year of engineering coursework. Getting involved in the research, however, ended up being one of the most rewarding activities I was a part of in the spring semester. I worked with a grad student to help her run experiments so that she could defend her thesis this summer. We were testing a tiny sensor that can test for the concentration of heavy metals, such as manganese or lead, in tiny blood samples. I learned a great deal about research, and the importance of documenting work and following procedures. I definitely look forward to finding another research lab to become involved with in the future.
Last year, I challenged myself to be more social in the upcoming year. Looking back, I think I did a good job of working toward this goal. I made myself more active in my extracurricular activities, particularly in the Martial Arts club. In the fall, I will serve as the club president as a result of my increased socializing. I see myself now more as an active leader, and I am feeling more and more comfortable overcoming my introverted nature when it comes to being involved with groups. I learned that I may not always be the most comfortable leading others, but when others are relying on my leadership, I am able to step up to the challenge.
Looking ahead to the upcoming year, I know that the academic terms will only increase in difficulty. This past year, I discovered how helpful it can be to work with my peers on assignments, or even just study together, and I want to remind myself to always utilize these study groups when they are available. If there isn’t a group already, make one. Keep building a network of peers so that you can support each other through the difficult classes and make it through to the end.
I have come to realize through my co-op experience that while I greatly enjoy the notion of being a programmer, I do not exactly like actually being the programmer. As a database programmer at my co-op, I found that I do not get as much hands-on experience as I would like--the bulk of the job is programming at a computer all day. This realization helps me know that I am in the right field as an electrical engineer instead of a computer or software engineer, and I will be able to hopefully find a co-op for my next rotation that gives me a different electrical engineering experience to help broaden my knowledge of possible career paths. While I am not 100% sure the direction I want to take with my career, even crossing one thing off the list of possibilities is incredibly valuable.
With that in mind, my goal for this upcoming year is to try to figure out more specifically what I want to do with my major. The biggest step will be to secure a co-op that is more electrical engineering oriented. I am definitely looking for something more hands-on and interactive, but I am still not sure which field I should try first. Ideally, I will be able to find a position in Columbus so that I can be closer to my family, but I have not yet looked to see what kind of electrical engineering co-ops are offered in the area.
I am also incredibly optimistic that this upcoming year will be a great year for the UC Martial Arts Club. As the new president, I want to help the club grow and prosper as a student group and Taekwondo club. It is my hope that I can work with the coaches and other club officers to bring a new level of organization and unity to the group.
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This year has been incredibly from start to finish, and I hope that I can continue this momentum into the upcoming year. I cannot wait to see what is in store as my collegiate adventure begins its next chapter.