An artifact that seems to have spoken to me so far this year is my desk. No matter how I seem to place it in my new dorm room, I never seem to be satisfied. I have a weird jut in my wall that makes it difficult to line it up in a way that is pressed against the wall. The other day I found a way to press the back of my desk against the end of my bed and it is the perfect dorm setup for me. This has represented my college experience so far. I have been scared about my major and have not found a way that I think a Computer Science degree could really impact the world without working for a large corporation. I looked into what I could do with Computer Science and realized that even though you can make amazing differences with this degree,  Mechanical Engineering would allow me to really pursue my passion of helping people. I’m a hands on learner and am excited to explore what this major has in store for me. So far, my first semester has been stressful, but I am glad to finally have found a good fit for me.

Half Dome at Yosemite National Park is an artifact that represents a time of growth in my life. When I was younger, my grandfather would take us hiking there-teaching us about human nature and hard work. He attended Princeton when Einstein was working there and would often pass where he lived. My grandfather would teach me and my brother that if you work hard, you can achieve as much as you want. He also taught me about how to be a kind person and use our privilege to help others. Since we were given so much as children, we should try to give others some of the opportunities that we had. He is what has inspired me to join the community of Humanitarian Engineering Scholars where I can truly put my privilege of education towards helping others. Whenever I see a picture of Half Dome, I think about all the things he taught us and how to truly make the most out of life by giving back.