Civil Engineer – My Choice Today To Make A Progress Tomorrow
The practicality to apply knowledge and make ideas of architects come to life is something I want to do. Accounting for both the people and Mother Nature, the responsibility for civil engineers to make the world a better place interests me to contribute to society in ways other professions could not offer. I grew fond of structures through Lego. The instruction menu was helpful but I preferred to challenge myself to mirror the picture shown on the box to replicate the structure. My interest in civil engineering grew when I first read the news of the collapse of a tunnel in Kuala Lumpur in 2014 due to the outburst of water pipes. It brought to my attention how structures of tunnels are designed and built. This made me appreciate all the structures, big or small because without the application of mechanics, geology, alignment restraints and environmental considerations, it will not be standing the way it is. The debut of the variable density tunnel boring machine in Malaysia became my source of encouragement to strive for greater things as they were able to find solutions to boring through the formation of karst limestone caverns connected to fissures and crevices.
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman brought me to realisation on the significance of good design in ensuring satisfaction for the community. It inspired me to look more into the designs of skyscrapers as well as the simple door. Having to shadow engineers in a Malaysian civil engineering company, I got to see the designing and construction stage of buildings. Not only that, I learnt that good communication and teamwork is essential as engineers would have to work alongside different disciplines like project managers, electrical and electronic engineers and also architects. It also gave me an insight that civil engineers can have a balance of working in the office and outfield which makes it more diverse and interesting. By building roads in rural areas, this helps ease the transportation of goods to villages in ensuring a better life for the villagers. This warmed my heart knowing that civil engineers help improve the lifestyle of the people.
Being engrossed with Maths and Physics, it led me to take on Further Maths in my A-levels program. I am fond of further mechanics. The topic “Equilibrium of Rigid Bodies” taught me that if I did not account for all the forces, the system would not stay put and all the calculations would be invalid. Through that, I realized the importance of careful planning and execution to tackle the questions as engineering failures would lead to dire consequences. Solving complex problems gives me gratification while failures motivate me to always try to improve myself. For Chemistry, I am amazed by the many wonders of different materials and their practicality in our daily lives. For instance, the manufacturing of recyclable stainless steel is greatly welcomed by today’s eco-concerned world.
As the vice president of Taekwondo club and subleader of St John Ambulance, I have been able to showcase my leadership capabilities, resilience and commitment. Leading the sales team in a large Christian event, I demonstrated my ability to guide and give instructions in ensuring there were no mishaps faced. Organising the A-levels July camp games allowed me to work with people of different backgrounds. Teamwork was crucial especially when I volunteered for soup kitchen events. Participating in many events demonstrated my strength in time management.
I believe that my achievements and determination will be of great help as I embark on the journey of becoming a Civil Engineer. Improving the quality of life of humans is the main focus which I wish to be granted the opportunity one day. Only by exploring the world inspired by civil engineering’s influence would I be able to creatively envision the progress of our tomorrows.
