Reflection on Learning Experience Essay Example
When my seventh grade Algebra teacher suggested a career in engineering to me, I was staunchly opposed to the idea. I told her that I was not considering engineering as a realistic career choice because I did not believe that I was smart enough. I vividly remember stating that I would be a journalist because I love to read and that it would be easier for me. I had my college experience all mapped out, down to the dorm of the college I planned on attending and the precise freshman class statistics I would need to surpass in order to earn a scholarship. The problem, however, was that engineering had drawn my attention long before my teacher ever mentioned it as an option for me.
After I first took the ACT in the beginning of high school, I realized that based on my scores, being an engineer was not as far out of reach as I had previously thought. Right then and there, I began a new plan — a challenging plan — but one that would keep my mind engaged until I could no longer work in my chosen field. The new plan included much more than the original one, but for the first time, I was excited about my college experience and future career. I poured over math and science related subjects enthusiastically and started writing my papers in Chicago style instead of MLA format. I furiously studied for standardized exams and I read articles that I knew would help in college and college admissions. I filled my days with club activities, volunteering, and interest projects; I made my life into a progression of achieving goals and then setting new ones.
My senior year is the first year that I have seen and felt the positive reverberations of my efforts. My ACT increased significantly, I earned the distinction of being valedictorian, the Advanced Placement tests I passed gave me college credits, and the process of applying to college has gone as smoothly as is possible. I was shocked at the benefits of the plans I set when I was younger and have come to appreciate my inherent steadfastness. As past goals are achieved, I set fresh and more consequential goals for my future, and begin the necessary steps for success in those new goals. For example, I am now working on becoming more knowledgeable about college internship opportunities and volunteering programs in order to begin those processes as soon as I am eligible.
I will be successful in my future endeavors of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering, then moving onto a master’s degree and a doctorate, and working in research and development for medical technologies. I will be successful then because I am earning small successes towards that future now; every “A” I make on a test, every essay I write, I do it like it is for my doctorate and career. My goals structure my life, they function like railing on a mountainous path, keeping me from falling over the edge or taking a path diverging from my destination . This railing provides comfort, comfort to remind me that “smart enough” does not truly exist, but “work hard enough” does, and I have never been one to slack when my next goal is within reach.
