Reflection

Between job experiences and the Capstone Project, I have had the privilege to experience unknown and uncomfortable situations and grow from them. I have come to learn being an engineer requires a very specific responsibility. In school, mistakes mean a poor grade or at the most, a failed class. In the real world, mistakes can mean serious consequences and potential harm to innocent consumers. As a result of this, an attitude of "good enough" cannot exist in an scenario. I think the most important attribute an engineer can have is remembering what is really is at stake and making every effort to put together a solution that is successful and most importantly, safe. Personally, I have learned I enjoy the managerial roles. Not being overly technical but being responsible for those that are. I would like to think I am a good leader but this course has also taught me that I have lots to work on in that aspect. My ability to make decisions can diminish when faced with lots of pressure and distractions. To work on this, continuing to push myself into roles that force me to make tough decisions is the only fix. I think part of that comes with experience but another part of that is to remember that pressure is illusive. Most of the time, the pressure I feel is not from the situation itself, but from the expectations that I place on myself. Understanding this in high pressure situations will reduce the fog in my head and allow for better decision making all around.