Junior

Experiences can be full of challenges and difficulties! But at the end, we grow tremendously!

I was at the edge of loosing faith but somehow the wind blew and held me strongly! I could see my Spring 2022 grades shattered like glass pieces. All I could see how hard I tried to study but the results do not show that. My family and friends tried to make me understand that it was not all my fault. Sometimes, the circumstances or situations play a big role. And when I accepted that I can't change the past, it was time to control the present!

"Change does not happen over night! It requires constant effort" - I have heard this phrase multiple times but now it was the time to live the phrase. I was completing my Summer semester and preparing for my upcoming Fall classes. I made the promise to myself that I will not skip classes this semester. I feel the transition from virtual classes back to in-person was very challenging. But once that transition was over, things went back to normal routine.

When Fall classes started, I realized I need to do some activities which are outside academics. So, every Thursday, I started going to "Salsa on the Square", Downtown, Cincinnati. It is an amazing event which teaches you Salsa, Bachata, Cha-Cha, and other cool dance forms. That too for free! More info here - https://salsaonthesquare.com/

Looks like I just advertised for the event. But seriously, this event is so amazing if you are looking for making new connections and learning new culture! This, yes this event, boosted my confidence from level 3 to level 10/10.

I collected my courage and used my networking skills in my class. Started studying in groups. UC has amazing study lounges which should not be missed! And the secret, you will find the place somewhere for sure. In that way, you can tour around the beautiful campus!

I was getting close to balance my life, and first semester exams hit. I was scared but very confident. What kind of combination is this? Well.... I was confident for what effort I am trying to put in but scared because thinking about results. Why results matter? If GPA drops down (less than 3.2), I would loose scholarship.

So, are we focusing on class 24/7? Sometimes yes, sometimes no! Hence, started going out with my friends. For the first time, I went to "Renaissance Festival" wearing Viking theme outfit. I was so amazed by the festival. Seeing everyone dressed for the day made my day! You can say, I was collecting back my smile which was lost during pre-junior year.

From exploring Findlay market with my IPALs family, water lantern festival with my brother, Halloween party with friends, to first time hiking; I knew I am doing something right this semester. I am outside my bubble and exploring. When I let my soul go free, it helped me so much with my studies! And yes, my marks started going back up!

2022 ended with mixed curves!

Spring semester started and my co-op semester started! The only women in my whole engineering department, that's me! I must say, getting out of campus life and living 8am-5pm job life taught me a lot of lessons! This time it was different. I started living with around 70 year old lady in her house. She lives all by herself and is so routine-oriented! She taught me lots of life lessons which I cannot put in words completely. Overall, I learnt to be patient and consistent because of her! My biggest flex, I submitted tax on time. That too, helped my brother with his taxes. UC international office is amazing. I really appreciate the amount of help they provide to international students. I have heard from my friends at other universities where they constantly struggle to connect with university. But UC makes sure that bearcats get full help whenever needed!

Since I was on co-op, I wanted to explore the city. So, I went ahead for my first solo hiking! And at the end of hike, I saw waterfall for the first time in my life! Yes, that was the first time for me! Don't be shocked, I haven't seen mountains yet. :)

And you know what time of the year it is? WAI conference time! That too in California. Oops, went at wrong time. The weather was so bad! There were days where Ohio's weather was better than California. But the important thing was to make connections and meet with past connections. My favorite conference because it motivates me as a women to keep going in aviation industry! #yesthefuturepilot

So, I can say I personally grew a lot in terms of patience, confidence, and list goes on! I am now at the edge where I know further steps are gonna be shaky again but based on my previous experiences, I am not gonna give up easily. Will move forward with confidence and face the challenges eye to eye! And when I will need help, I am sure my friends, family, and other connections will be there! I really appreciate their efforts! I am very grateful!

And in order to give back, I am continuing to volunteer wherever I can. I believe our skills are our biggest tools. Happy volunteering!

Just a recap of what I have doing so far -

I am glad that I got the opportunity to participate in different community services. All have been unique and taught different life lessons. In my first year, I got the chance to teach ACT classes at Hughes High School. It taught me that “tutoring is a way of enlightening students” and “knowledge has no language barriers.” Following second year, I volunteered in organizing “Cards for Compassion” event where we collected around 150 Christmas holiday greeting cards and 4 canvases made by 26 UC participants. Followed the same event another year with around 230 cards delivered. They were all delivered to “Smiles for Seniors (a Non-Profit organization serving low-income seniors).” It taught me that “with small effort, someone’s festival can be lightened and filled with hope.” Since my third year, I volunteer as a mentor for “Girls in Aviation Day” organized by Women in Aviation International. It inspires the next generation of aviators and aerospace professionals. Thousands of girls under 17 years of age participate to learn about aviation. It taught me that I can encourage the younger generation by helping them to break the fear behind, “It’s rocket science,” and come up with the mindset, “I know it’s rocket science. Guess what, I got this!” In my fourth year, I volunteered at “Red Riding Hood Rescue Project – a Wolfdog Rescue”. I helped make wooden houses for rescued wolves using my hands-on tools skills. I learned “It’s never too late to save a life and no skill is small.”

At the end, my grades are up! But more importantly, I got more confident! And I am living my life from completely new angle! Hope, you are taking care of yourself! Know that you are more important than any task!

Above article follows this year's UHP prompt:

In what way(s) did you personally grow this year? How did you demonstrate or rebuild the resilience needed to move forward? How will you utilize resources and your support network to hold yourself accountable in continuing this growth?