The Joy of Engineering by Omar

The Joy of Engineering by Omar - August 2014 Scholarship Essay

Engineering is known for its extensive use of mathematics in every course throughout the program. As a sophomore engineering student, I was enrolled in Differential Equations; the last of the four math courses that are to be used throughout the rest of the Engineering program. On the first test in the course, I scored a 50%. I figured it was just the first test, and I could make it up on the upcoming tests. I study every possible subject that can be on the test, and receive a 30% on test number two. This completely destroyed me. I remember getting home that day, sitting in my room, and just crying for hours. The way the grading system was set up was that the final exam grade can replace the lowest test grade, and it is worth two tests, so it was actually worth three tests. Fortunately, I was able to do well in the class because of the final, but I gained much more during this experience than just the grade.

During this past semester, I was on the brink of failure. Everything was racing through mind at the same time. I remember worrying what my parents would say, or being fired from my internship because my GPA would drop too low, or not being able to find a job after graduating because my GPA would be too low. Every possible scenario went through my head at least fifty times. Now the beauty of this, was that I was able to use it to strengthen myself. When the going gets tough, the tough get tougher; and I got tougher. I began to study harder, and go to tutoring sessions. I began to manage my time, and have more confidence in what I do. I proved to myself that even though all odds were against me, I could work through the conflict. This experience made me so much stronger, that I always recommend engineering to everyone I see. Not because its interesting or because people can make money, but because the experiences will make people mature, and become responsible individuals who are stronger because they've gotten back up after falling.