My name is Nicole Lopez, and I am a Mechanical Engineering student at the New York City College of Technology (City Tech). After graduating, I plan to attend graduate school where I will earn a Master’s of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. As an aerospace engineer, one who will be working on and building airplanes for either NASA or the United States Air Force (USAF). This is the best career for me because I have been into building and working technology for a long time and feel like I am good at it. I love to build. I chose this major because, there will always be room for engineers in this industrial and technologically advanced world, and if I have a bachelor’s degree in a field as broad as Mechanical Engineering, I feel I would have an advantage to the changing needs of the industry when I move into Aerospace engineering, even though Aerospace focuses more on aircraft rather than machining. In this essay, I will provide information about my chosen major, show why this is the best career for me, and explain how City Tech’s preparation can help me with my chosen career path.

While my career choice is Aerospace engineering, my undergraduate major is Mechanical Engineering. In the Occupational Outlook handbook, Mechanical engineering is generally defined as engineering that will focus in machinery, mechanics and production tools. At City Tech specifically, a student who is majoring in mechanical engineering will learn a “broad-based engineering technology education required to solve applied engineering problems through design and analysis” (City Tech 291). This means that City Tech’s programs teach the basics of engineering and industry standard tools to provide better career flexibility in the work force. Aerospace engineering can be defined as working with and designing aircrafts, spacecraft, satellites, and missiles (occupational outlook handbook). I believe the preparation I get from City Tech and studying Mechanical Engineering will help me increase not only my knowledge of machining but also what I should expect to face as I enter Aerospace engineering.

The first reason I am in Aerospace engineering is because I enjoy building. Both Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering deal with designing and creating things. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Aerospace engineers “may develop new technologies for use in aviation…[and] can specialize in designing different types of aerospace products.” I have been interested in building since I was in middle school. I used to be in the robotics club throughout my middle and early high school career. For me, this is perfect because I enjoy being able to build and design new technologies. It gives me a sense of pride to be able to build something that will not only function properly, but will be put to use and will help take a step forward in the advanced technological world. Building is my passion and there is nothing I’d rather do.

The next reason I am in Mechanical Engineering as a major before I go into Aerospace engineering as a career is that Mechanical engineers are known to be flexible and have the advantage in the engineering work force. According to career cornerstone, “The key characteristics of the profession are its breadth, flexibility, and individuality.” The worldwide learning website states that some other careers that can be used from mechanical engineering are the following: Automotive engineer, Biomedical Engineer, Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineer, nuclear engineer, and robotics engineer. This means that mechanical engineer are able to flex into other careers and put their talents to use in different ways.

The last reason I aspire to become an Aerospace engineer is because there will always be room for engineers in the technologically advanced world we live in today. According to Career Cornerstone, and the U.S Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor statistics, “Mechanical engineers are expected to have employment growth of 6 percent between 2008 and 2018, slower than the average for all occupations.” However, they continue to say “Mechanical engineers hold about 238,700 jobs in the United States. Mechanical engineers are capable of working in a wide variety of industry sectors, and new technologies will create industries that don’t exist today.” Even though there has been a drop in the amount of engineering jobs expected to arise, mechanical engineers will always be able to expand and improve upon the technology we have and will have in the future. The future is technology, therefore the future is in engineering.

In order to prepare for a career in Aerospace engineering, there are many things I must do. According to Sullivan, “A bachelor’s degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level engineering jobs.” Basically, many places will be satisfied with a Bachelor’s degree, but I want to make the most of my education by going for a masters in Aerospace engineering, as proven where the worldwide learning center website states “Mechanical engineers often continue their education throughout their careers because technology changes rapidly.” If I want to survive, I have to know the ins and outs of the current technology. Engineers also need a “good understanding of science, mathematics and computers with a good knowledge of current technology” (Worldwide Learn). Basically, an engineer uses science, technology and math in their everyday work, so naturally an engineer must be well-rounded in these areas. Some other important qualities an engineer must have are “Analytical skills, Business skills, critical thinking skills, math skills, and writing skills” (Occupational Outlook Handbook). Engineers also encouraged to go for their Fundamentals of Engineering Exam senior year (FE) and Professional Engineers (PE) license after a few years of Engineering experience, as stated in careercornerstone. This means that my education does not stop after I graduate college. I must always be knowledgeable in my field of work in order to keep up with the advancements of technology.

As stated throughout this essay, my plan is to graduate college with a bachelor’s in Mechanical engineering before getting my masters in Aerospace engineering. However, I know it will take more in order for me to be successful. I plan on finding internships for mechanical engineering and learning as much as I can in school. I plan on getting help through the school in getting my first job, hopefully somewhere in the mechanical fields I work towards my masters in aerospace. Eventually I will move on to the aerospace engineering field. Even here, I cannot stop learning. I must stay knowledgeable about the current technologies and advancements. Technology never stops expanding, so my knowledge should have no limits. For others looking into this field, I recommend doing a lot of research to make sure this is the career your heart is set on. Engineering in general not only takes math and science, but it also takes curiosity and a love for learning and building. With this career, I can achieve many things. One of my many goals is being able to inhabit Mars, or building a machine that will give us details and recordings on what happens in black holes and worm holes. I also want to try and make a time machine. The possibilities with this major and career are endless and I plan on using that to my full advantage. The sky is the limit and I plan on reaching for the stars.

Works Cited

Bucak, Seyda and Kadirgan Neset. “European Journal of Engineering Education.” 2011. Academic Search Complete. 15 April 2015.

Evans, Brad. Mechanical Engineering – A Look into the Discipline and Profession. n.d. Web.30 March 2015.

Jones, Wilkins O. “Careers in Mechanical Engineering.” 1993. Academic Search Complete. Ed. Black Collegian. 15 April 2015.

New York City College of Technology. “Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering .” 01 April 2015.

States, United. “Bureau of Labor Statistics.” 2014-2015. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Mechanical Engineers” 19 April 2015.

Sullivan , M. “Mechanical Engineer.” Science Teacher, vol 78, no. 8. 2011. 74-75.

US Department of Labor. career cornerstone. 2014. 17 April 2015.

US Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-1 Edition. “Aerospace Engineers.” 19 April 2015

Worldwide Learning Center. What is Mechanical Engineering? n.d. 17 April 2015.

Introduction

In this project, I created a mind set on what I need to think about more in order to be where I want to be in five years. To do this, I recorded my thoughts for a day and summarized them, noting any patterns and frequent thoughts that I had. Based on this data, I selected pictures to represent a thought. Three pictures represent my frequent thoughts, and three represent what I need to be thinking of more. Afterwards, I created an essay, in the person of myself in five years, about what I need to do in order to know what I should be thinking about and the steps I should take in order to achieve it.

Thinking in Writing

My thoughts throughout the day were relatively different, but they all had a certain flow to it. One thought would be about a certain anime I like to watch, while another would be about something that has to do with school, while another would be about my family or friends, and then it would round back to anime. I noticed that, while my thoughts branch from one thing to the other, that they relatively revolve around things like worrying about school, music and anime (Japanese animation). This is shown when I wake up thinking of an anime theme, and when I think of nothing but anime as I watch a few episodes before bed that night. Although, in between my thoughts ranged from worrying about my school work to thinking I should learn how to cook. I also noticed that when I do think of something important, I always find something else to think about in order to avoid it. I realize I should be thinking about other things, like my family and future more. Though, I do not want to stress myself, it would still be better to have some kind of plan for the future instead of just “going with the flow”.

Thinking Visually

Thought: cooking https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1377016742615979&set=pb.100009229984521.-2207520000.1424670358.&type=3&theater

this photo represents what I should think about. I don’t know how to cook well and feel like its one of the skills I should learn but haven’t gotten around to yet.

Thought: studies https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1377016662615987&set=pb.100009229984521.-2207520000.1424670358.&type=3&theater

This photo represents what I think about a lot, which is my studies. Since I always stress about my grades, I’m often thinking about assignments and when they are due and how I’m going to do them.

Thought: hobbies https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1377016722615981&set=pb.100009229984521.-2207520000.1424670358.&type=3&theater

This photo represents what I usually think about, which are my hobbies. I am a big anime fan and listen to music almost all the time. it makes up a large part of who I am

Thought: family https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1377016699282650&set=pb.100009229984521.-2207520000.1424670358.&type=3&theater

This photo represents family, which is what I want to be thinking of more. I often call my niece “cupcake” and my brother “munchkin”. I want to be able to think about them more and communicate with them more. I also want to be successful to make them proud.

Thought: friends https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1377016975949289&set=pb.100009229984521.-2207520000.1424670358.&type=3&theater

this photo represents what I usually think about, which is my friends. Ive known most of them for years and I talk to most of them periodically.

Thought: future https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1377017555949231&set=pb.100009229984521.-2207520000.1424670358.&type=3&theater

This photo represents what I want to think about more, which is my future. I plan on being an engineer, and when people think of engineer they think of robots and technology. I used to be in robotics and this was the type of robot we used to use and program. It is a big reason why I want to be an engineer.

Thinking Reflectively

Five years from now, I do not think my life is going to be much different from how it is now. I hope I would manage to graduate college after four years and find a position doing something engineering related, even if it is a part-time job until I can move on to bigger and better things. My desired field of work is challenging, and I know I will have a lot of struggle, not only in these five past years but in the years to come. There are some things I think about a lot, and some that I need to be thinking about more in order to stay on the right path. While I think a lot about anime, music, studying, and my friends, my thoughts should revolve around learning to cook, my family, and thinking of my future and how to achieve it.

In order to ensure success five years from now, you should think of my family more. You and your family are not the closest, but that is something that must be changed. The picture you took to represent this thought is a cupcake, which symbolizes your niece. You always call her a cupcake and whenever you say the word, she is the one who comes to mind. Family can be stressful occasionally, but they are still an important factor of one’s life. You noticed how in your thought log, any thoughts concerning your family were short lived. This was shown where there are only thoughts about any responsibilities you have towards my family, like picking up your niece from school every Tuesday evening, or making something to eat for the little ones. If you were to think of my family more often, not only would you be closer to your family but you would feel like you have succeeded as a family member and would have a support system to succeed in all other aspects. As of right now, you put your friends before your family. This is shown how in your thought log, you are thinking of your friends every few minutes. This is usually because you are either talking to them on social media websites like Facebook, or you are texting them throughout the day. Although keeping a close relationship with your friends is a positive thing, you should think of your family just as much, if not more, than you think of your friends. As your mother used to always quote to your, friends come and go, but family is forever. Therefore, instead of thinking only of your friends, you need to think more of your family in order to help you achieve what you want in my life. Therefore, for your future self to achieve your goals, your current self has to focus more on spending time with her family rather than on Facebook or out with friends all the time.

The second thing you should think more about is your future. Since you do find yourself thinking and worrying about your grades and schoolwork, as shown in your thought log when you worry about this project, you know keeping up your grades for a brighter future important. However, this is the short-term, immediate issue. In order to be successful and finish school to start working on your career in five years, you must think along the lines of your future, where you want to be, your career, and most importantly how you are going to achieve all of this. Your future includes graduating with your bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, get a well-paying job or internship in the engineering field and becoming an Aerospace Engineer after you get your masters. This is proven in how you selected a picture of a robot to represent the thought “future.” The reason for this is because this is where you see yourself in five years, after you graduate college. At this moment in time, most of your thoughts revolve around school work. You often worry about passing and, as a result, often stress yourself out in order to try and do better so you do not end up failing and having to stay in college for an additional semester. And while this stress is not good, you feel like studying now is simply the first step to your goal of graduating within five years so you can get a good job and become successful. Therefore, in order to be where you want to be in five years, you have to think beyond school and think about your future and how to attain what you want in life as well.

According to your thought log, you spend a lot of time thinking about anime, and less time thinking of learning useful skills, like how to cook. In order for you to achieve success in five years, learning how to cook is a must. It is not only a key to your survival, but it is the one useful skill that can make you feel independent and accomplished. When you took the picture of the pots and food to represent the thought “learn to cook,” the one who was cooking was yourself. When you managed to finish the meal and serve myself, you felt a sense of accomplishment because it was an actual meal that you did not have to warm up and you did not burn it like the many other previous attempts at cooking. However, your thought log reflects that most of your attention is on Anime. And because you are thinking of it, a large portion of your time is spent watching anime or reading manga, or doing anything anime related in general. This is proven based on the fact most of your thought log had anime related thoughts because you were either reading or watching it. And while it is okay to relax every once in a while with an episode or two, it should not be so time consuming, to the point most of your thoughts revolve around this one thing. You will not be able to learn how to cook if you spend all of my time watching anime. Therefore, you must think of anime less in order to be where you want to be in five years.

Based on what my future self says, in order to be successful and where I want to be in the next five years, I must spend less time thinking about anime, my friends, and stressing over my studies in order to think more about my family, future, and survival, like learning how to cook. In order to put this into practice, I will start by limiting my time on my laptop and out with my friends. Instead, that time will be spent with my family. I will also spend some of the time I use stressing about school to look into helpful tips and internships in the engineering field, this way I can be a bit more secure in what I am doing and how successful I will be. In addition, I will put time spent watching anime into learning how to cook. With this plan set, in five years I will have graduated college and started a part-time job within the engineering field, where I will then move forward with myself and my career.