Second Year in Review
Introduction
Another year older, another year wiser: well, I like to think so, anyways. I learned about myself and the world around me through several important experiences. I will discuss these experiences, and attempt to analyze them and my actions in order to take away some key learnings from this past year. 1. Summer Camp at YMCA Camp Kern. What I Did It's already been almost a year since I worked a ten week stint at Camp Kern, but I did not want to leave it out when reviewing my year. Camp was a terrific time and I would regret not having done it. I was a counselor and a lifeguard. I met and became friends with a truly awesome staff, and hopefully made a positive difference in the lives of my campers. That being said, it was probably the most trying summer of my short twenty years. The name of the game at camp was ALWAYS "kids first." That was the culture, and it was strongly embraced. This meant self-sacrifice for the counselors; work was non-stop. Counselors were with the kids for roughly 140 hours a week, with one night off per week. Sometimes you had ten kids to keep track of by yourself! They can really wear you out. The food was great, but my food allergies (gluten, dairy) sometimes gave me trouble. These are my only two major complaints, and I don't mean to whine. I just don't want to lie to myself and say it was all fun and games; it was mostly fun and games, though! What I Learned My learnings here occurred a little later than I would have liked, but they came nonetheless.
And, on your night off, don't be afraid to have fun. I often opted out of the nights off because I was exhausted or feeling ill, but I think I could have had more fun if I just went for it and had more fun with it.
All in all, I had a sunny, muddy, hot, fun, rewarding, and enlightening summer that I wouldn't trade for anything. 2. Co-op at SABIC Innovative Plastics What I Did Again, this experience already feels as though it happened years ago. I worked at SABIC from August to December of 2013, so really just a few months ago. Work was a break from the non-stop action of camp. I got to exercise my brain in a way that I did not get to do over the summer, and my time was dedicated to projects instead of kids. It was certainly a change! My projects were in the Energy Department. I worked on getting lighting rebates for a building, correcting steam and natural gas flow meters, and creating a training document on air compressors for site operators to use. I loved these projects. They were appropriate for my skill level yet still challenging. They forced me to reach out to employees across the site for input and information. Initially, I dreaded meeting new people, because I was intimidated by them. But, team work became my favorite part of each project by the end of the year. When I was not working, I spent time in my apartment, or hanging out with the other students co-oping at SABIC. What I Learned I learned very useful professional lessons from SABIC.
Again, don't take yourself so seriously. If you're not enjoying your work, change either your job or your attitude. With SABIC I could just change my attitude. Sure, sometimes the work is hard or monotonous, but I was surrounded by a helpful community and building my professional experience. The point of life is to enjoy it, and if your work doesn't bring you enjoyment, something needs to change.
I couldn't have asked for a better first co-op! |
3. Spring Semester 2014
What I Did What? I am still a student, that's right! After 8 months, two jobs, and no school , I was a little nervous to come back to class at UC. I hit the books hard in the beginning of the semester, trying to work ahead and stay ahead. My plan worked, and though classes and studying consumed a lot of time, I made all A's. My other three commitments were UC Junoon (the A Capella group), UC Men's Chorus, and AIChE. I was made president of Junoon this year. At first it was overwhelming, but once I talked to the right people, I felt I had a better grip on the group. Running practice was fun, as was composing music for us to sing. The group needed someone to whip them into shape organizationally, and I feel I did that for us. The Men's Chorus met three times a week, went on tour to Charleston in South Carolina, and had several performances. It was a brilliant semester for us, under the excellent leadership of Marie, our conductor. She inspired and motivated us to be an excellent ensemble. She also convinced me to go on tour, where I made new friends, and got to see a beautiful city. My involvement in AIChE was less extensive. I was on the volunteer committee so I helped organize a few volunteering events. What I Learned I gained some valuable insight and skills this semester.
Conclusion It has been the most interesting, diverse year of my life. I feel accomplished. I knew one year ago that camp, co-op and school all in one year would be exciting and challenging. Now that I have survived, I know I can progress and continue to challenge myself personally, professionally, and academically. I need to remember the vastness of learning that can occur from varied experiences as I move forward. Key takeaway: Be with people, make new friends, make music, and be productive. These are the keys to happiness (at least from what I can tell)! |