Sole Education Week 3: Things You Wish You Knew

Hindsight is always 20/20, and we all have situations and events that we would have handled differently if given the chance to do it again. We asked Mikayla to discuss what things she would change if given the option about how she pursued her education. Read on to learn more about Mikayla's experience!

Things I Wish I Knew (Before I Started)

[caption id="attachment_360" align=alignright width=397 ] Mikayla displaying trophies won for 3D Drafting Design and Manufacturing Prototype. She was involved with a club called the Technology Students Association as a senior in high school.[/caption]When I was in high school, I took my first computer-aided drafting course as a freshman. Immediately, I knew I could see myself as a drafter, designer, technician, or in something that involved the advancement of technology.I did not understand at the time how much it would take to get to the position I am at today. In high school, I was not as study-driven as I am now; I took the basic classes to get by and had low self-confidence in most subjects.As Senior year rolled by, I realized that I wasnt ready to transition to a university. Because of this, I decided to live at home and get my Associates degree first, allowing for a much smoother transition into my bachelors.Thanks to the 3 years I spent getting my associates, I feel like I have matured enough mentally to take the next step into a university.During the summers I worked as an intern, allowing me to gain real-world experience in the engineering field. If I could start over, I would have followed the path with my career and education; community college allowed me to mature and become more career-driven.Despite this, I wish I knew how to better prepare myself for the real-world. I wish I knew that having a good GPA and work ethic would only get me so far. Along with these characteristics, making contacts with people already in the field is incredibly important for getting a job interview, a recommendation, or when you need helpful advice.I did not take advantage of the amount of one-on-one time I had with my teachers at GTCC, so I did not get to talk to them about available internships or ask for advice I may have needed to hear.

Words of Advice:

In engineering, the most important thing you must remember is that you are never the smartest person in the room; there is always someone willing to give you helpful advice or answer a question you may have. Follow along with our students progress here.Learn more about the Generation T movement here.

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