Michael – California « back to essays

Almost every person grows up wanting to succeed at something. You are encouraged by your family, friends, and peers to grow up to be a successful person. Some people know their aspirations from the beginning, but I had a different story. Since the third grade when my teacher stimulated everyone to think about his or her future, I've had trouble determining what I wanted to do. Almost every one of my classmates desired to become a doctor, firefighter, policeman, or nurse. As I sat in my chair that day, I remember not being interested in those jobs too much. Growing up I have toiled over my future because I knew as I began to get close to the end of high school, I was going to need a plan. To have a plan, I started with goals. After thinking about what I honestly wanted to do in life I came up with a simple little phrase that I have heard time and time again. I wanted to make a difference. Although I have heard this phrase so many times throughout the course of my life, it was these few words that truly had an impact on the way I thought. Whenever I did something I would think to myself how it would affect my surroundings or daily life. When I looked at the jobs many of my classmates were considering I thought to myself that in order for me to be satisfied in life, I would want to create change on a bigger scale. But this is where I was puzzled because with my main interests in school of math and science, I didn't have must preference over any job. After this past year though, I have literally experienced something that changed my life. It changed my life because I knew what I was going to become- a construction engineer.

This past year, I have been involved in the Construction Challenge, which incorporated ideas of spreading construction awareness. Through this program I researched construction jobs with my team. I was amazed at the possibilities. Before participating in construction, I honestly was apprehensive about participating. When I first thought of construction, I mainly thought of nailing wood together or painting walls. But after competing in the challenges with my team and after receiving the opportunity to go to one of the biggest construction conventions in the world, I had an entire new mindset. Becoming a construction engineer would fulfill my goals and essentially complete my dreams. Becoming a construction engineer would make a huge difference in today's society because I would be able to help plan and manage infrastructure-which our society relies on to survive. Through bridges, highways, railroads, dams, and reservoirs, I would be affecting millions of lives around my area. I would be able to utilize my skills of math and science along with my strong ambition to help the public. In becoming a construction engineer, I would be helping people with the foundations needed for life: food, water, and shelter. I would help bring necessities to the public through the highways, bridges, airports I design for trucks, cars, and airports. My next step was to take action.

I have already exploited my resources to help gain a better background as a construction engineer. Through the challenge I have participated in, I have simulated real world problems and learned to solve them. I have learned to become a good communicator, which I believe is needed in the field of construction because through communicating, people gain better ideas of how to accomplish something especially in construction. I have visited different construction infrastructure plants including local reservoirs and water development plants. Through my visits and research I believe that I have made myself a primary candidate for a job internship after I finish my education.

Now that I look back, I now know how to produce change through the world in people's every day life - through construction. This industry is similar to the heart, which provides oxygen and life to the body and can be similarly compared to providing for society. I know that without construction engineers society would not succeed because it is the basis for the large foundation of our world. I want to be able to make a difference in people's lives and this I believe this is the best way to do it. As a construction engineer, I hope to change lives. This is how I hope to make a difference in the future of our world.