Mentors

So, we went to SWE conference, and I have not gotten around to posting about that yet. I will do so...sometime. I really want to do justice to it, and with mid-semesterwork piling up (especially after being gone half a week :X), I don't think I can do it justice right now.

I have, however, a nasty habit of doing more thinking when I'm busy than when I'm not. Or maybe that's everyone.

SWE wants to start a mentorship program; mentoring is basically a way to form a relationship with someone who has been through your experiences (or something close) and come out alive; for example, a mentor who is a working engineer to an engineering student. Or a college student to a high school student. Or a college senior to a freshman (because we do have a lot we can, and should, pass down!) A mentor offers encouragement, advice, and is one more person you are accountable to, but who also knows the mistakes you can make and can tell you that they are okay. They're human and not perfect, but they are someone to look up to, someone you aspire to be, who will also help you get there.

I realized recently that I am a sort of (unofficial) mentor to some people, most recently and notably a friend I met in my IPRO group. We are friends, I have no doubts on that, but I can tell he also sees me as someone who has accomplished what he wants to do in college; lining up the double major, doing research. I know how to start the "can I work in your lab" conversation and interact with professors, where the machine shop is, what classes to take when and what not to take together. It's the little things, but they matter a lot. He amazes me every time I see him with enthusiasm and excitement for things that I just want to get done; and reminds me how fun life can actually be, if you let it. I like to think I helped him start the research conversation (though from there on out I'm sure he did fine enough himself), got him involved in AIAA, introduced him to things he could do to develop useful skills (some that I never got a chance to learn), while doing something good for the school. I look forward to finding out where he goes from here and keeping in touch. Perhaps I'll soon lose my "lead" that allows me to be a mentor now, that doesn't matter; it is nice to help someone along the path of their life in the direction they want to go with experience I may have earned the hard way. It also makes me realize how much I do, actually know.

On that note, it also makes me realize how many mentors I have had. I suppose the first ones are my parents, but that's not really the same; although they are amazing people that I still go to for advice, help, and support. My professors have been mentors as well, some more than others, of course, as has every club advisor SWE has ever had. But I have also had classmate mentors: AG freshman year, who claimed to be "training a new AG," and helped me get my foot in the door of student activities by helping me and my friend organize a big dinner event. She was also a fantastic peer tutor (as I found out the next year when we worked alongside). And oh yea, she always looked put-together, a feat I have yet to get down. RW, whom I idolized sophomore year, as he seemed to do everything and then some, while maintaining a fantastic GPA (he was active in several student orgs, worked as a learning assistant, and worked in research). Finally these past two years I have greatly looked up to ST, who commits to his work and projects like there is no tomorrow and also amazes me every day with the depth and breadth of his relationships with people, from family to professors in the department.

I suppose the purpose of this point is to bring to attention that a mentor does not need to be an official post, although it can be. We are also not limited to one mentor in a lifetime or one mentor at a time. Mentors are people we learn from and go to for advice. They are people who inspire us and support our endeavors. Those who volunteer information, as well, when it is wanted, without being asked, because they know what we are going through.

Look at your friends, family, and teachers. Is there someone who stands out particularly as a mentor to you? If you're brave, thank them the next time you see them.

First Week

This first week is always so crazy, but I love it. All these new people to meet, new things to learn...new notebooks! There's few things more exciting than a brand-spanking-new notebook. All those blank pages.

I've decided that I pretty much love my classes.
Thermal Design has an awesome professor with an absolutely unreal memory (he knows like half the class although he's only ever seen them at info sessions or heard about them in department news and stuff...he remembered me from an open house I attended 3 years ago!)
CAD/CAM is kind of boring, but only because I've used the program we are using already, so until we get to something other than the basics of using it, there's not much for me to learn. I like CAD programs, though, because you get to create actual Things in 3D and you can look at them and everything. Think that thing Tony Stark from Ironman has in his garage, except without the holograms (although I'm fairly sure every mechanical engineer wants one of those with the holograms).
Stats is a class that people hate when they need to take it, but since I know why I want to take it, and I am rather pleased with it so far. We'll see how the workload and stuff goes. We have homework already, but since it's a 3hr class once a week, that's not too surprising.
Manufacturing seems much more interesting to me than materials class was. I have it for the second time in about 2 hours, we'll see how it is when it's not just an introduction.
IPRO. You'll hear a lot about IPRO's because they are fairly central to "the IIT experience." For those who haven't heard of them, IPRO stands for Inter-Professional Project, and it's a real-world project (often requested and/or sponsored by a company or a professor, sometimes by a student), that students of different majors get together to work on. My current IPRO is one on refuelable electric cars. My professor thinks we will change the world and take pictures with President Obama. And, really, if we get it to work, we could! The basic idea is using a different kind of battery that uses up its electrolyte as it runs. It's not rechargeable, but it is refuelable with more electrolyte! And this electrolyte is safe; at the very least much safer than the gasoline we use now. Overall, if this strategy works, it is possible to end dependence on foreign oil, save the environment...the whole shebang. And that is why our project can change the world. I'm super-excited.

SWE (Society of Women Engineers) is doing some great things, too. Some of our events are less attended than last year, but we have more of them. An event every day this week; it's pretty hard on the exec board, but we're pulling through. And last night's event turned into sitting around the table talking about internship and IIT experiences. I feel like that is the sort of thing our organization needs more of; sitting around a table and sharing what it's like to be a woman in steel-toed boots.

Anyway, first week is pretty hectic, but not too bad, all in all. And now I go to copy over my manufacturing notes before class.