Find a Good Balance

By Ginina Vitucci, University of Florida MUST Student

When I was younger I enjoyed math classes and building with Legos.  As I got older I wanted to understand how things worked.  These interests and the want to challenge myself caused me to pursue a degree and career in mechanical engineering.  It has not been an easy journey though.  There have been numerous late nights when I doubted my abilities. Having a great support system of friends and family, however, make all the difference, and the day I graduate with my mechanical engineering degree all the struggles will have been worth it. 

I chose to attend the University of Florida because I wanted a good education from a well-respected school with tuition rates that wouldn’t force me to take out student loans.  There were extra perks like its perfect (two and a half hour) distance from my hometown, which kept my parents happy, and the awesome school spirit and pride.

College has not been a very “fun” experience for me in the way most people use the word.  My weekends and week nights consist of me studying or working on engineering projects, not partying like most students.  The awesome projects and new people I have met have made my college experience enjoyable though.  I have worked on a “Mars Rover”, an autonomous waste sorter, and currently, an autonomous ATV!  The long days in the labs are fun because of the opportunity to share my passion for engineering with others and together reach the common goal of producing a successful project.  Thankfully my experience with engineering projects at my university has earned me multiple summer internships in industry.  I have interned with Lockheed Martin, Siemens Energy, and NASA. Each of my internships has been different from one another, but I think my favorite was when I was working on basic robotics at Lockheed Martin.  Internships are great and I encourage younger students to apply as early as freshman year.  Once you earn your first internship you open the door to thousands more.  It is a great experience to apply the theory and knowledge learned in the classroom to real life.  Internships allow you to understand why what you are learning is important and sometimes provide that extra motivation to study hard and do well in your classes. 

Being a well-balanced student is more important than ever before.  As a 4.0 student in high school it took me some time to adjust to the idea that I couldn’t get all “A’s”  anymore,  but I soon recognized that working hard and doing my best was what truly mattered.  Organization, club, and/or sports team involvement are great ways to practice and prove the people and leadership skills companies are looking for now.  It’s not enough to be intelligent anymore.  Companies want intelligent students with leadership skills who can communicate ideas well.  The more involved you are in high school the more practice for future college involvement you gain.  Just remember to find a good balance and not overload yourself.