The Importance of Writing

*Image provide from educationcreations.com

"Why do I need to take this writing class!? I'm an engineer! I don't need to write!"  WRONG!


Okay, I'll admit, I've said this too. But you shouldn't! Writing is such a wonderful skill. Writing is the ability to express your thoughts and ideas on paper!

Don't be surprised, but your engineering job in industry will probably consist about 80% of writing (emails, memos, technical writeups, recommendations, the list goes on and on). The clearer you can explain yourself, people are more likely to recommend you for higher positions.  However, if you boss has to change numerous grammatical errors in your work or rework your memo to make sense, she might as well do it herself. Somebody isn't getting a promotion anytime soon (because it appears they don't care!)....


Moral of the story: Start to truly work on your writing. Start a blog (my writing's already better), write in a diary, fill out scholarship applications, pay attention to your lab reports (do they make sense?).  Trust me, it'll be critical later. 

Keep your eyes open.

Story Time!

In Spring of 2010, I received an email from the College of Engineering saying, "Dear High Achieving Student, You should apply for this opportunity."  To be honest, there was really no explanation of the program, but it looked cool.  All it required was a maximum two-page essay to talk about my "dreams and aspirations."  Then, the college was going to sort through the essays.

Well, two weeks later, I came down with a cold.  But I said, "No! I'm going to write that two pages about myself." (Tells you how obsessed with myself I am...hahaha)  So on my death bed, I wrote an essay about my aspirations in engineering, and sent in the essay in the morning after proofreading it.  Twenty-four hours later, I get a letter from the College of Engineering saying, "You're our nomination!" Cool!  I don't even know what this program is, but cool!


Two weeks later, I receive an email from the head people for the National Math and Science Initiative.  It basically said the following things:

• You're the nomination for UC Davis. Cool!
• You get a mentor...and she's the Vice President of Trading Product Development at Ebay. What?! Totally cool!
• Oh, did we mention that you get to visit your mentor's work? Um no! But I'm going to Ebay!!!!
• Finally, you get an all-expense paid trip to New York City for our Capstone Event. Wait, I'm going to New York?! For free???!!! Best two pages ever...

So, I got to do exactly what I mentioned above.  My mentor was an awesome woman.  She was very young, and basically mentored others to move up in the company and develop marketing and consumer tools for Ebay.  Another cool thing about Ebay: free soda from the vending machines...you just hit the button, and it comes out!

New York was also cool.  We got to visit Columbia University, Fortune Head Quarters, meet the CSO (Chief Scientific Officer) for Mary Kay, and eat lots of awesome food :-) 

I'm in this presentation, center stage (teal shirt) on page 16.

So moral of the story: Never say you aren't qualified for something.  Just give it a shot, and you never know.  You may be the lucky one :-)