If you blinked you might have missed it, but my fourth year of school is complete. Let me take a moment to reflect.
Summer 2015
What a whirlwind this summer was for me. I went to class, researched, lived with two best friends, had a workout regimen, and had a brilliant time with friends.
I took Thermodynamics, Transport Phenomena II, Linear Algebra, Furniture Construction, and Financial Accounting. Looking back, my Chemical Engineering classes felt too easy, and like I hadn’t learned anything all that useful. I know at the time I was being challenged, learning, and spending time to understand the material. I think I spent less time than I was accustomed to spending, because overall there was less work, I was making myself work less, and the material may have been slightly less challenging, or just more well-taught. My other classes were interesting. Linear Algebra gave me a good sense for how to solve systems of equations, when a system is solvable, and other more technical skills. Furniture Construction was frustrating at times, but so fun and useful. I feel more competent in the workshop, which is awesome, and I got a decent table out of it. Accounting was interesting. At times, it was a bit dry, but it gave me a better understanding of how money is accounted for in an organization, which benefits me as an employee. It’s interesting, I was actually able to spend less time on classwork, just as I had planned to do the previous year. I had more time for other things because of it, though I do feel like I could have understood the material more deeply, and in a more lasting way had I spent more time on it. I guess you can’t have it all, but I made my decisions, learned the material well, and had amazing other experiences.
One of those experiences was researching wastewater treatment in a Chemical/Environmental Engineering lab. I learned how to use equipment, plan, organize, and perform experiments with limited time and resources, and how to maintain a relationship with a research supervisor and fellow researchers. I was able to accomplish so much because of my friendship with Urvi, a graduate student in the lab. I came to her with all sorts of questions, and she mentored me a lot during my time there. This was a confirmation that genuine relationships with coworkers benefit you both professionally and personally. It was interesting working in a lab where you have to document every step you take. It made me slow down when I was working. It makes you accountable for the decisions you make and the results you present. I certainly made errors in my semester there, and realistically I could have done a better job documenting. I felt so rushed all of the time because of my schedule otherwise. The important lesson is to take your time, do it right the first time, and if you do make a mistake: see if it can be remedied (consult others if necessary). If it can’t be remedied, start over. This mindset followed me to my co-op (see Fall 2015).
I lived with my friends Cloe, Ally, and Angela. I had reservations about living with girls, but it turned out to be an amazing summer. They became my best friends. It was awesome having them so close, and it made any moment of downtime fun. They even pulled me away from studying sometimes, which is probably what I needed. We have similar senses of humor, but different approaches to life, which made for some interesting discussions, and lots of laughs. I learned: take risks. They don’t always turn out like you thought. In this case, the result was much more than I could have asked for.
Fall 2015
The fall semester had a bunch of ups, a few downs, and a whole lot of learning. I co-oped at a wonderful company called Kaleidoscope, downtown in Cincinnati. Kaleidoscope is a lot of things (http://kascope.com/), but I focused mainly on a medical device as an engineer. We advanced the project through prototype development, 3D CAD, research, group brainstorms, animal labs, collaborating with vendors, and much more. This position was incredible, due largely to the team I worked on, the quality of the work I was doing, and the sense of autonomy and decision-making power I was given. My supervisor is one of the sharpest people I've ever met, and everyone at KA is just incredibly good at what they do. It is so beneficial to be surrounded by excellence, and I tried to soak up as much as I could. Not only are the people skilled, but they also have an incredible ability to work together. And not in the combative, back-and-forth style that is common, but in the way where a team is able to sit down, voice facts and opinions, determine what is important, and make decisions quickly. It was an honest thrill to be a part of a team where decisions get made based on data, facts, or other reliable sources. As a consultant, it is crucial that we understand our decision-making process, because if our client ever wants to know why we did something a certain way, we had better have a good answer. Aside from efficacy, the team is composed of truly wonderful people. I felt welcomed, wanted, and appreciated. There was also an incredible amount of work to do, so I was just about 100% utilized. This is another major plus for me, as I am motivated by achievement, crossing off to-do lists, and tackling the next challenge. And the work was engaging, difficult, and it changed day-to-day. I was able to become proficient at Solidworks 3D CAD software, print and refine prototypes, further develop my wood shop skills, perform testing of equipment, learn elements of user-oriented design, and better understand client relations by being a point of contact for a company we were working with. I was able to practice more my documentation skills, even if it requires moving slowly. My communication skills also flourished, with a multitude of e-mails, weekly presentations to clients, and phone calls. And, what made all of these experiences truly meaningful is that I was making decisions. My supervisor in no way told me what to do. The team was receptive to any of my feedback or ideas, and we made decisions together. It was an amazing learning in working smarter, not harder. There is no point in doing work for the sake of doing work. KA is all about efficiency, and if we weren’t taking the most direct route to produce what the client needed, we corrected course, and I got to be a real part of that. The work was fun, but the sense that I was contributing not just effort but ideas and direction made the experience wholly satisfying and empowering.
I also learned the importance of feedback for me. This experience made it clear to me that I am highly motivated by genuine positive feedback, a statement that my work has been meaningful and appreciated. I also experienced some butting of heads on one design. I disagreed with a designer on how something should be designed. I think the source of the disagreement was a difference of opinions on what the design was being used for, and what was critical to that design. Ultimately, I deferred to his experience in most cases, and he ended up being correct. There is value in experience, after all. I think I fought him more than I should have because of the way he delivered his ideas. He was not great at validating the effort I had put in, but was quick to make suggestions on what I should do differently. I should be able to swallow my pride and take this feedback gladly, but it did bother me in this case. Don’t take it personally in the future.
Outside of work, I was practicing and performing with my A Cappella group, UC Junoon. We always have a lot of fun. It is a funny, excitable, and talented group of people, and there’s nothing like that moment when a song that you helped arrange comes together.
I lived with my friend Nicole in an apartment in Pleasant Ridge this semester. Nicole is an old friend I met my freshman year. We had a lot of fun times, as we’ve got similar senses of humor. It was easy to pass the time with her, and I looked forward to seeing her each evening after work. I also learned a lot from living with her. We shared a small space, so you can’t let your possessions get too unorganized our out of control. For being together for a whole semester, I think we did a good job of respecting each other’s space, and meeting in the middle on sharing and hanging out. It was a good lesson in making the most of what you have.
I rode the bus to work each day, through the UC Metro discount program. It was definitely the most cost-effective option, working downtown. The bus taught me patience and planning. It was definitely frustrating at times, because my route could be slow, or not at the time I wanted, but overall I was very pleased with the Metro. I also made a friend named Laura. She is a middle-aged woman with Tourette Syndrome. She has faced adversity aplenty in her life, and I think it was good for her to be able to talk about some of her memories, struggles, and desires for the future. I listened and offered my views and assurances, and talked to her about my life. I only saw her a handful of times, but they were memorable encounters. She, along with others, has truly changed for the better the way I see people with a condition like hers or otherwise.
I do remember being particularly tired for a good bit of the fall semester. This was due to my contiguous strepp throat and mono infections. I tried not to change my lifestyle, and this led to feelings a bit exhausted at times, but really, my infections were not that severe, and I am thankful for that.
Towards the end of the semester, I also met my mileage goal for the year. This was a great feeling, especially because I wasn’t sure I could still do it having mono. But, I reached my goal with a few weeks to spare. Running those miles was a good reminder of what we’re capable of if the goal is attainable, we are organized in our approach, budget in some wiggle room if possible, and stick to our plan. I had to run 600 miles in 2016, and by averaging over 12 per week for the first several months of the year, I built up some reserves that I was able to eat in to later when I got sick. It was not always fun making myself go run, but I always felt great after I did it. Getting better at running has been a satisfying experience. There was definitely some drudging, but when I’m really clipping and feeling good, it’s a powerful feeling. Plus, it got me outside, breathing some fresh air, experiencing the neighborhood.
Winter Break 2015-16
Ah, winter break. This break I was able to spend time with friends and family, which is nice. I like to be busy, but I should probably make more time for others. I also put together five songs, featuring my friend Sami’s voice on a song. The tracks were mixed by my friend Joey, who is a wiz at that sort of thing. You can listen here: http://grantcothrel.bandcamp.com/album/rapid-cardiac. I am so grateful for the opportunity to write, record, and also work with these amazing people. It took longer, but the time I spent both alone and with Sami and Joey was well worth it. They are amazing people, with amazing abilities, and I am glad we got to work together. The sound on this release is definitely the most professional I have had. It is crisp, more carefully planned, adventurous, and in my opinion some of the more interesting and fun stuff I’ve done. It brings me great joy to be influenced by other artists, ideate a sound in my head, and create and navigate songs like this.
Spring 2016
This spring I loaded up on classes. I took my required courses: Separations, Chemical Reaction Engineering, Controls, Engineering Seminar, and Professional Development. I also added the technical electives Operations Management, Mathematical Modeling, and Men’s Chorus. It sounds like a lot, but it was 17 credit hours, so it was not unmanageable. I also added UC Junoon and some tutoring. I became very busy. I liked to think of it as getting the most out of each day, or “squeezing all the juice” out of each day. It was busy, but I loved what I was doing.
Chemical Reactions Engineering was challenging. There are a lot of things that can be varied in a chemical reaction: the reactor, the time, the extent of reaction, the volume, the temperature, the catalyst, etc. So, understanding what needs to be done to perform the correct calculation can be tricky. There is no universal approach in solving these problems. This made it a more interesting and frustrating course, and a more satisfying learning experience, once I understood it. I learned also that I may need to adjust my learning style for certain courses. I spent many lectures frantically writing down notes that I rarely referenced later. I am sure that this was not entirely ineffective, but many other students printed out the lecture slides and took notes on those. I should keep that in mind for future semesters. I also should have read the book before lecture. When I did this a few times, it greatly enhanced the presentation. The instructor was the professor I researched with last summer. It was useful knowing him and being able to stop by his office with questions. I also felt a pressure to do well in his course that I don’t normally feel. I don’t know that it altered by study habits, and ultimately I had to not worry about how my personal relationship would be affected by my performance.
Separations was a good course, packed with material. Lectures were meaningful, and homework was plentiful, if not excessive. This course was different from Reactions, in that many problems had a prescriptive solution. As long as you could follow the steps, you could do the problem. Some problems were more challenging than that, and had some very cool iterative solutions. I had some really good conversations with the professor about the course material. He elucidated concepts I had not grasped.
These two professors showed me the value of being attentive to students, and making time to meet with them. And it’s not just the act of meeting with them, it’s the attitude the professors have towards the meeting. They are collected, responsive, and eager to help. I am a little surprised on how much effect personal attention has on me. As a student, I feel heard, cared about, and enabled to understand the material more completely. I should do well to incorporate the behaviors of these professors into my life and interactions with others.
Operations Management was a neat exposure to the business world. The professor was stellar, engaging, and obviously in touch with her students. She helped us understand our place in the world of production and services, and made sure we got the big picture. I learned some cool techniques like line balancing, statistical process charting, scheduling, and MRP, and we got our feet a little wet on concepts like Lean. I may not apply these learnings in a straight-from-the-textbook fashion, but they opened my eyes to new ways of thinking, and for that I am appreciative.
Mathematical Modeling was an interesting course. It was a real application of differential equations, and it was less theoretical and more practical, as emphasized by a final project where a partner and I examined population dynamics of homeless people, given government-sponsored housing. It was a sort of elementary model, but it was a cool taste of the power of modeling to predict the behavior of a system. I was very impressed by this professor’s ability to think on the spot and understand what students were asking.
I also joined the Learning Assistance Center’s Peer Tutor program after the semester began, and tutored students in Chemistry and Statistics for seven hours per week. I’m so glad I was able to join the program. At first, I had reservations about my ability to remember the material I would be tutoring in. After a handful of sessions, and some peer mentoring for myself, I understood that I didn’t need to be a master of the material, I just needed to be able to help my students find the answer. I consider myself a social person, and I got to meet so many new people through this experience. More than that, I was able to do something meaningful for them, have a conversation about a topic that interests me, attune myself to their needs and shortcomings in understanding, and help them master the material. For seven hours per week, I got to have meaningful experiences with these students. They probably saw it as just more time to study, but I saw it as a way to connect with others, and help them in a way that I knew how. The material can be challenging, even for me, and there were times I did not have the answer. I learned how to accept that reality, and either find the answer if there was time, or learn to move on so that the student can get the most out of their session. My aim was to maximize the effectiveness of my tutoring sessions. I wanted to help students where they needed it and deepen the understanding to prepare them for the test. I think sometimes this may have led me to giving away the answer too quickly. I am also guilty of a little bit of an ego-boost when students ask a question and I can rattle off the answer, or make the answer a little too easy to find. Students benefit from looking for an answer themselves, trying out different methods until something works. My struggle was that students often only had 30 minutes with me, and looking for answers and trying different methods takes time. I think I found a decent balance between letting them lead, and leading them, though in the fall when I tutor again, I think I will let them lead a bit more.
I tutored at Hughes High School, as well. This was a great experience for me to interact with slightly younger students in the community. Their educational background varies from mine, so it was an interesting challenge, and a fun chance to connect with people different than myself. It was an interesting insight into the state of the ability of some students. Some students are not where they should be academically, though I will make no statements as to the cause of this. It is good that programs like tutoring exist, though they are not enough by themselves to get struggling students to where they need to be. This experience was also a learning in scheduling. At the beginning of the semester, I signed up for around three hours per week of tutoring at Hughes. I became dissatisfied with how I was being used for two of those hours. Then I realized I could become a Peer Tutor at the Learning Assistance Center. I didn’t have time to do both, so I cut down hours on Hughes to make room for the other. I did not like backing out of some hours at Hughes, but it was the right move for me to get what I wanted out of my semester.
Men’s Chorus was an incredible experience. The director is an extremely talented man. He was brilliant at establishing a rapport with the chorus, instructing us in terms we understood, motivating us to do our best, and inspiring us to create something beautiful day in and day out. I enjoy the camaraderie of a men’s chorus, and I appreciate the sound we can make as well as the improvements I made as a singer. Some weeks it was a big time commitment, but by planning work ahead of time, I was able to make it work, and enjoy the time I spent in the chorus without worrying about other things.
I took an amazing alternative spring break trip to Americus, GA. We were staying in a church, and working on renovating homes with the Fuller Center. I was “Trip Leader” which meant that I was the point of contact, and had to make sure everyone came and got back in one piece. This week was one of the most fun weeks I’ve had. The team of students was awesome and fun, and included my roommate Hank. There was a good amount of work to do, so that when you were done for the day, you felt like you had accomplished something. That made the evenings that much more fun. We spent time with a local family, with our host, Charles, with the church community, out on the town of Americus, and we took a trip to Savannah at the end of the week. Our manager Thad had a workstyle very different from my own. He moves fast, and has a split-the-difference mentality. It’s hard to keep up, but we ended up working well together once I understood the work we were doing and was confident it was of the quality Thad expected. Thad was incredible. He was in a wheelchair. The Fuller Center built him a home, and now he dedicates his time to building other people’s homes. Our other manager, Nash, was a very interesting man who taught us a lot about home construction. He has an interesting past and present, and tried to instill in us the importance of community and personal relationships with the community, especially the homeowners whose home you are renovating.
UC Junoon was amazing as well. I found myself frustrated at the beginning of the semester because my lack of leadership position. This is in part why I took on tutoring. I wanted to feel effective and make contributions in the group, but other people were already doing the jobs that I would have liked to do. I contributed where I could, but learned how to be a good member, instead of just a good leader. I think in doing so I benefitted the group by being a dedicated member, and leading by example. I ended up taking on various responsibilities for the group as the semester progressed, and so when I ran for external co-president for next school year, I was elected. I am thrilled for the opportunities to come.
One big learning from this semester is not just time management, but compartmentalization of my focus. When I was working on something, I needed to be focused on just that to get it done on time, and still have the energy to work on the next thing after that. In the past, I’ve tired myself by worrying about various things, to the extent that I do not have the energy to do my best on the things I still need to do. By keeping an organized calendar, budgeting time appropriately, dedicating my focus, and letting go of unnecessary worries, I have increased my efficiency, effectiveness, and happiness. I did start to run around like a crazy person towards the end of the semester. It may be wise for me to do slightly less in the future, but I really don’t like the sounds of that! Like I said earlier, it’s nice to make time for the people in my life. I just don’t want to under-schedule myself and end up with downtime I don’t know how to fill. I love experiences that introduce me to new people, afford me time to connect and deepen friendships, and allow me to add value while myself benefitting from the knowledge and ability of others.
For the future, a few things for myself:
Summer 2015
What a whirlwind this summer was for me. I went to class, researched, lived with two best friends, had a workout regimen, and had a brilliant time with friends.
I took Thermodynamics, Transport Phenomena II, Linear Algebra, Furniture Construction, and Financial Accounting. Looking back, my Chemical Engineering classes felt too easy, and like I hadn’t learned anything all that useful. I know at the time I was being challenged, learning, and spending time to understand the material. I think I spent less time than I was accustomed to spending, because overall there was less work, I was making myself work less, and the material may have been slightly less challenging, or just more well-taught. My other classes were interesting. Linear Algebra gave me a good sense for how to solve systems of equations, when a system is solvable, and other more technical skills. Furniture Construction was frustrating at times, but so fun and useful. I feel more competent in the workshop, which is awesome, and I got a decent table out of it. Accounting was interesting. At times, it was a bit dry, but it gave me a better understanding of how money is accounted for in an organization, which benefits me as an employee. It’s interesting, I was actually able to spend less time on classwork, just as I had planned to do the previous year. I had more time for other things because of it, though I do feel like I could have understood the material more deeply, and in a more lasting way had I spent more time on it. I guess you can’t have it all, but I made my decisions, learned the material well, and had amazing other experiences.
One of those experiences was researching wastewater treatment in a Chemical/Environmental Engineering lab. I learned how to use equipment, plan, organize, and perform experiments with limited time and resources, and how to maintain a relationship with a research supervisor and fellow researchers. I was able to accomplish so much because of my friendship with Urvi, a graduate student in the lab. I came to her with all sorts of questions, and she mentored me a lot during my time there. This was a confirmation that genuine relationships with coworkers benefit you both professionally and personally. It was interesting working in a lab where you have to document every step you take. It made me slow down when I was working. It makes you accountable for the decisions you make and the results you present. I certainly made errors in my semester there, and realistically I could have done a better job documenting. I felt so rushed all of the time because of my schedule otherwise. The important lesson is to take your time, do it right the first time, and if you do make a mistake: see if it can be remedied (consult others if necessary). If it can’t be remedied, start over. This mindset followed me to my co-op (see Fall 2015).
I lived with my friends Cloe, Ally, and Angela. I had reservations about living with girls, but it turned out to be an amazing summer. They became my best friends. It was awesome having them so close, and it made any moment of downtime fun. They even pulled me away from studying sometimes, which is probably what I needed. We have similar senses of humor, but different approaches to life, which made for some interesting discussions, and lots of laughs. I learned: take risks. They don’t always turn out like you thought. In this case, the result was much more than I could have asked for.
Fall 2015
The fall semester had a bunch of ups, a few downs, and a whole lot of learning. I co-oped at a wonderful company called Kaleidoscope, downtown in Cincinnati. Kaleidoscope is a lot of things (http://kascope.com/), but I focused mainly on a medical device as an engineer. We advanced the project through prototype development, 3D CAD, research, group brainstorms, animal labs, collaborating with vendors, and much more. This position was incredible, due largely to the team I worked on, the quality of the work I was doing, and the sense of autonomy and decision-making power I was given. My supervisor is one of the sharpest people I've ever met, and everyone at KA is just incredibly good at what they do. It is so beneficial to be surrounded by excellence, and I tried to soak up as much as I could. Not only are the people skilled, but they also have an incredible ability to work together. And not in the combative, back-and-forth style that is common, but in the way where a team is able to sit down, voice facts and opinions, determine what is important, and make decisions quickly. It was an honest thrill to be a part of a team where decisions get made based on data, facts, or other reliable sources. As a consultant, it is crucial that we understand our decision-making process, because if our client ever wants to know why we did something a certain way, we had better have a good answer. Aside from efficacy, the team is composed of truly wonderful people. I felt welcomed, wanted, and appreciated. There was also an incredible amount of work to do, so I was just about 100% utilized. This is another major plus for me, as I am motivated by achievement, crossing off to-do lists, and tackling the next challenge. And the work was engaging, difficult, and it changed day-to-day. I was able to become proficient at Solidworks 3D CAD software, print and refine prototypes, further develop my wood shop skills, perform testing of equipment, learn elements of user-oriented design, and better understand client relations by being a point of contact for a company we were working with. I was able to practice more my documentation skills, even if it requires moving slowly. My communication skills also flourished, with a multitude of e-mails, weekly presentations to clients, and phone calls. And, what made all of these experiences truly meaningful is that I was making decisions. My supervisor in no way told me what to do. The team was receptive to any of my feedback or ideas, and we made decisions together. It was an amazing learning in working smarter, not harder. There is no point in doing work for the sake of doing work. KA is all about efficiency, and if we weren’t taking the most direct route to produce what the client needed, we corrected course, and I got to be a real part of that. The work was fun, but the sense that I was contributing not just effort but ideas and direction made the experience wholly satisfying and empowering.
I also learned the importance of feedback for me. This experience made it clear to me that I am highly motivated by genuine positive feedback, a statement that my work has been meaningful and appreciated. I also experienced some butting of heads on one design. I disagreed with a designer on how something should be designed. I think the source of the disagreement was a difference of opinions on what the design was being used for, and what was critical to that design. Ultimately, I deferred to his experience in most cases, and he ended up being correct. There is value in experience, after all. I think I fought him more than I should have because of the way he delivered his ideas. He was not great at validating the effort I had put in, but was quick to make suggestions on what I should do differently. I should be able to swallow my pride and take this feedback gladly, but it did bother me in this case. Don’t take it personally in the future.
Outside of work, I was practicing and performing with my A Cappella group, UC Junoon. We always have a lot of fun. It is a funny, excitable, and talented group of people, and there’s nothing like that moment when a song that you helped arrange comes together.
I lived with my friend Nicole in an apartment in Pleasant Ridge this semester. Nicole is an old friend I met my freshman year. We had a lot of fun times, as we’ve got similar senses of humor. It was easy to pass the time with her, and I looked forward to seeing her each evening after work. I also learned a lot from living with her. We shared a small space, so you can’t let your possessions get too unorganized our out of control. For being together for a whole semester, I think we did a good job of respecting each other’s space, and meeting in the middle on sharing and hanging out. It was a good lesson in making the most of what you have.
I rode the bus to work each day, through the UC Metro discount program. It was definitely the most cost-effective option, working downtown. The bus taught me patience and planning. It was definitely frustrating at times, because my route could be slow, or not at the time I wanted, but overall I was very pleased with the Metro. I also made a friend named Laura. She is a middle-aged woman with Tourette Syndrome. She has faced adversity aplenty in her life, and I think it was good for her to be able to talk about some of her memories, struggles, and desires for the future. I listened and offered my views and assurances, and talked to her about my life. I only saw her a handful of times, but they were memorable encounters. She, along with others, has truly changed for the better the way I see people with a condition like hers or otherwise.
I do remember being particularly tired for a good bit of the fall semester. This was due to my contiguous strepp throat and mono infections. I tried not to change my lifestyle, and this led to feelings a bit exhausted at times, but really, my infections were not that severe, and I am thankful for that.
Towards the end of the semester, I also met my mileage goal for the year. This was a great feeling, especially because I wasn’t sure I could still do it having mono. But, I reached my goal with a few weeks to spare. Running those miles was a good reminder of what we’re capable of if the goal is attainable, we are organized in our approach, budget in some wiggle room if possible, and stick to our plan. I had to run 600 miles in 2016, and by averaging over 12 per week for the first several months of the year, I built up some reserves that I was able to eat in to later when I got sick. It was not always fun making myself go run, but I always felt great after I did it. Getting better at running has been a satisfying experience. There was definitely some drudging, but when I’m really clipping and feeling good, it’s a powerful feeling. Plus, it got me outside, breathing some fresh air, experiencing the neighborhood.
Winter Break 2015-16
Ah, winter break. This break I was able to spend time with friends and family, which is nice. I like to be busy, but I should probably make more time for others. I also put together five songs, featuring my friend Sami’s voice on a song. The tracks were mixed by my friend Joey, who is a wiz at that sort of thing. You can listen here: http://grantcothrel.bandcamp.com/album/rapid-cardiac. I am so grateful for the opportunity to write, record, and also work with these amazing people. It took longer, but the time I spent both alone and with Sami and Joey was well worth it. They are amazing people, with amazing abilities, and I am glad we got to work together. The sound on this release is definitely the most professional I have had. It is crisp, more carefully planned, adventurous, and in my opinion some of the more interesting and fun stuff I’ve done. It brings me great joy to be influenced by other artists, ideate a sound in my head, and create and navigate songs like this.
Spring 2016
This spring I loaded up on classes. I took my required courses: Separations, Chemical Reaction Engineering, Controls, Engineering Seminar, and Professional Development. I also added the technical electives Operations Management, Mathematical Modeling, and Men’s Chorus. It sounds like a lot, but it was 17 credit hours, so it was not unmanageable. I also added UC Junoon and some tutoring. I became very busy. I liked to think of it as getting the most out of each day, or “squeezing all the juice” out of each day. It was busy, but I loved what I was doing.
Chemical Reactions Engineering was challenging. There are a lot of things that can be varied in a chemical reaction: the reactor, the time, the extent of reaction, the volume, the temperature, the catalyst, etc. So, understanding what needs to be done to perform the correct calculation can be tricky. There is no universal approach in solving these problems. This made it a more interesting and frustrating course, and a more satisfying learning experience, once I understood it. I learned also that I may need to adjust my learning style for certain courses. I spent many lectures frantically writing down notes that I rarely referenced later. I am sure that this was not entirely ineffective, but many other students printed out the lecture slides and took notes on those. I should keep that in mind for future semesters. I also should have read the book before lecture. When I did this a few times, it greatly enhanced the presentation. The instructor was the professor I researched with last summer. It was useful knowing him and being able to stop by his office with questions. I also felt a pressure to do well in his course that I don’t normally feel. I don’t know that it altered by study habits, and ultimately I had to not worry about how my personal relationship would be affected by my performance.
Separations was a good course, packed with material. Lectures were meaningful, and homework was plentiful, if not excessive. This course was different from Reactions, in that many problems had a prescriptive solution. As long as you could follow the steps, you could do the problem. Some problems were more challenging than that, and had some very cool iterative solutions. I had some really good conversations with the professor about the course material. He elucidated concepts I had not grasped.
These two professors showed me the value of being attentive to students, and making time to meet with them. And it’s not just the act of meeting with them, it’s the attitude the professors have towards the meeting. They are collected, responsive, and eager to help. I am a little surprised on how much effect personal attention has on me. As a student, I feel heard, cared about, and enabled to understand the material more completely. I should do well to incorporate the behaviors of these professors into my life and interactions with others.
Operations Management was a neat exposure to the business world. The professor was stellar, engaging, and obviously in touch with her students. She helped us understand our place in the world of production and services, and made sure we got the big picture. I learned some cool techniques like line balancing, statistical process charting, scheduling, and MRP, and we got our feet a little wet on concepts like Lean. I may not apply these learnings in a straight-from-the-textbook fashion, but they opened my eyes to new ways of thinking, and for that I am appreciative.
Mathematical Modeling was an interesting course. It was a real application of differential equations, and it was less theoretical and more practical, as emphasized by a final project where a partner and I examined population dynamics of homeless people, given government-sponsored housing. It was a sort of elementary model, but it was a cool taste of the power of modeling to predict the behavior of a system. I was very impressed by this professor’s ability to think on the spot and understand what students were asking.
I also joined the Learning Assistance Center’s Peer Tutor program after the semester began, and tutored students in Chemistry and Statistics for seven hours per week. I’m so glad I was able to join the program. At first, I had reservations about my ability to remember the material I would be tutoring in. After a handful of sessions, and some peer mentoring for myself, I understood that I didn’t need to be a master of the material, I just needed to be able to help my students find the answer. I consider myself a social person, and I got to meet so many new people through this experience. More than that, I was able to do something meaningful for them, have a conversation about a topic that interests me, attune myself to their needs and shortcomings in understanding, and help them master the material. For seven hours per week, I got to have meaningful experiences with these students. They probably saw it as just more time to study, but I saw it as a way to connect with others, and help them in a way that I knew how. The material can be challenging, even for me, and there were times I did not have the answer. I learned how to accept that reality, and either find the answer if there was time, or learn to move on so that the student can get the most out of their session. My aim was to maximize the effectiveness of my tutoring sessions. I wanted to help students where they needed it and deepen the understanding to prepare them for the test. I think sometimes this may have led me to giving away the answer too quickly. I am also guilty of a little bit of an ego-boost when students ask a question and I can rattle off the answer, or make the answer a little too easy to find. Students benefit from looking for an answer themselves, trying out different methods until something works. My struggle was that students often only had 30 minutes with me, and looking for answers and trying different methods takes time. I think I found a decent balance between letting them lead, and leading them, though in the fall when I tutor again, I think I will let them lead a bit more.
I tutored at Hughes High School, as well. This was a great experience for me to interact with slightly younger students in the community. Their educational background varies from mine, so it was an interesting challenge, and a fun chance to connect with people different than myself. It was an interesting insight into the state of the ability of some students. Some students are not where they should be academically, though I will make no statements as to the cause of this. It is good that programs like tutoring exist, though they are not enough by themselves to get struggling students to where they need to be. This experience was also a learning in scheduling. At the beginning of the semester, I signed up for around three hours per week of tutoring at Hughes. I became dissatisfied with how I was being used for two of those hours. Then I realized I could become a Peer Tutor at the Learning Assistance Center. I didn’t have time to do both, so I cut down hours on Hughes to make room for the other. I did not like backing out of some hours at Hughes, but it was the right move for me to get what I wanted out of my semester.
Men’s Chorus was an incredible experience. The director is an extremely talented man. He was brilliant at establishing a rapport with the chorus, instructing us in terms we understood, motivating us to do our best, and inspiring us to create something beautiful day in and day out. I enjoy the camaraderie of a men’s chorus, and I appreciate the sound we can make as well as the improvements I made as a singer. Some weeks it was a big time commitment, but by planning work ahead of time, I was able to make it work, and enjoy the time I spent in the chorus without worrying about other things.
I took an amazing alternative spring break trip to Americus, GA. We were staying in a church, and working on renovating homes with the Fuller Center. I was “Trip Leader” which meant that I was the point of contact, and had to make sure everyone came and got back in one piece. This week was one of the most fun weeks I’ve had. The team of students was awesome and fun, and included my roommate Hank. There was a good amount of work to do, so that when you were done for the day, you felt like you had accomplished something. That made the evenings that much more fun. We spent time with a local family, with our host, Charles, with the church community, out on the town of Americus, and we took a trip to Savannah at the end of the week. Our manager Thad had a workstyle very different from my own. He moves fast, and has a split-the-difference mentality. It’s hard to keep up, but we ended up working well together once I understood the work we were doing and was confident it was of the quality Thad expected. Thad was incredible. He was in a wheelchair. The Fuller Center built him a home, and now he dedicates his time to building other people’s homes. Our other manager, Nash, was a very interesting man who taught us a lot about home construction. He has an interesting past and present, and tried to instill in us the importance of community and personal relationships with the community, especially the homeowners whose home you are renovating.
UC Junoon was amazing as well. I found myself frustrated at the beginning of the semester because my lack of leadership position. This is in part why I took on tutoring. I wanted to feel effective and make contributions in the group, but other people were already doing the jobs that I would have liked to do. I contributed where I could, but learned how to be a good member, instead of just a good leader. I think in doing so I benefitted the group by being a dedicated member, and leading by example. I ended up taking on various responsibilities for the group as the semester progressed, and so when I ran for external co-president for next school year, I was elected. I am thrilled for the opportunities to come.
One big learning from this semester is not just time management, but compartmentalization of my focus. When I was working on something, I needed to be focused on just that to get it done on time, and still have the energy to work on the next thing after that. In the past, I’ve tired myself by worrying about various things, to the extent that I do not have the energy to do my best on the things I still need to do. By keeping an organized calendar, budgeting time appropriately, dedicating my focus, and letting go of unnecessary worries, I have increased my efficiency, effectiveness, and happiness. I did start to run around like a crazy person towards the end of the semester. It may be wise for me to do slightly less in the future, but I really don’t like the sounds of that! Like I said earlier, it’s nice to make time for the people in my life. I just don’t want to under-schedule myself and end up with downtime I don’t know how to fill. I love experiences that introduce me to new people, afford me time to connect and deepen friendships, and allow me to add value while myself benefitting from the knowledge and ability of others.
For the future, a few things for myself:
- Make time for others
- Really listen to people when their talking to you. Your attention is invaluable
- Stress less. You can only do your best, no better
- Have less anxiety. Don’t be afraid to plan in advance
- Be present
- Don’t take it personally
- If something is bothering you and you can change it, go change it. Don’t be lazy or just complain about it if you have the power to better it
- Be grateful. You have so many wonderful people in your life. Some are moving on to other places, but don’t lose them in your life or your heart. They have given you so much, and helped make you who you are today.
- Be grateful. You have had incredible opportunities to better yourself, and to help those around you with your talents. You know how much you like to contribute, so be grateful that you have been able to, to this extent
- Be grateful. The world has given you many opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. So far, the world has been more than forgiving for missteps, so be glad, and learn from them
- You have a lot to give: to individuals, to the world.
- You make your place by making friends and making progress, and being true to yourself and your word
- Keep up the good work.