Finding things to get involved in at college can be a daunting task. While trying to manage the core stuff such as school work, taking care of yourself, and managing a healthy social life, joining extracurriculars seems to put one over the top at times. Initially, I joined a few very low commitment clubs that meet just once a month or once a week for about an hour. Though this was technically getting involved, I didn’t feel like I was truly committed and invested into anything.
As an aspiring engineer, I have been told numerous times to get involved in something that will complement my major and prepare me for a career one day. This being said, I decided to join a project team called Supermileage. This team essentially is building a mini car that will compete against other schools to see who can construct the most fuel efficient vehicle. The meetings last about 5-6 hours and happen twice a week, so the level of time commitment is high. At first, being a part of the team made me feel very useless. I don’t have the skills that these 3rd or 4th year mechanical engineering majors do and I spent most of my time getting stuck on problems and trying to figure things out. Though this was discouraging, I received full support from the team. They advised me that the learning curve is steep, but once I get over it I will be moving fast and accomplishing things frequently. And this has been true. Each meeting, I am accomplishing more and more and slowly getting the hang of things.
2017-2018 car
It is refreshing being a part of a team that is working towards a common goal. I also am grateful to be a part of something that lets me discover and explore myself as an engineer and putting my learned skills to use, while also learning about professionalism. In the classroom, we learn principles, fundamental, and techniques of engineering, but seeing how they can actually be used is very exciting and allows me to understand exactly what I’m getting into with my major. I hope to continue with this project team for the remainder of the year and also throughout my years as a student at Ohio State. I plan to continue to gain skills and knowledge while also moving into leadership positions some day. I encourage any major to get involved in something that develops them further as a professional and prepares them significantly for their career. Whether that be undergraduate research, internships, clubs, project teams, or anything related, it is very beneficial and, at times, can teach you more than a class ever could.