Yaay ! I did it !
I’m officially a beaver .. A curious beaver indeed.
It has been long time since the first and last time I wrote here. It was my first day in INTO OSU . And now this is my first week as an officially Engineering grad student … It was 8 months of the toughest , most enjoyable, and most grueling indeed !
For the past 8 months I went through a very exciting journey as a non-degree seeking student. I initially took some interesting English classes .. luckily my international colleagues helped to learn some Korean ! and my instructors gave me nice opportunities to learn more and to have a positive contribution to my colleagues .
The journey comprised group dynamics courses and other interesting Engineering , Statistics and Management grad courses.
These courses didn’t just help me to increase my GPA (which was really not that good one ). Regardless of the best academic performance I have ever achieved in a school, during the last couple terms I was able to know very great people. A network of wonderful instructors and colleagues.. one of which I will miss for good. I’m surely dedicating a post for her.
The journey wasn’t that easy ! going through very critical personal experiences and challenges it was almost going to drain me to my end .. Luckily it didn’t, and here I am .. survived with a smile !
Despite the few odds, I was completely surrounded by caring and encouraging people who really encouraged me to do my best and gave me vision to make what seemed unlikely possible a reality. This place is very resourceful for me, I started the experience of comparing what I used to have and what I can have now .. but I stopped ! , Now it is a matter of how I can really utilize these resources that this lovely campus could provide to me, and how I can measure my life by the good deeds and care that I could give to those who are around me !
I can say I’m a new person today, part of that is due to Clay Christensen who did not only inspire me through his talk : How Will You Measure Your Life? . Furthermore, he also inspired me to consider “Disruptive innovation theory” as my theme for research. ( Disruptive innovation is good .. actually very much needed… and could make our lives better and more productive ).
Sometimes, it might be a great thing to “list” what we believe is our achievements in a period of time…. this could go wrong .. sometimes our achievements is just to explore .. and keep looking and talking about what you want to do … so you maybe will figure it out. I don’t believe in total randomness and lack of planning , But being open to new experiences and different routes is really enriching .. and this is what I learned through the last 8 months :
– I was very focused on Engineering Management systems as the field to understand and advance innovation systems. I initially was not much interested to consider anything else in Industrial Engineering ! … here is what happened :
- By being open to the field of Human Factors and Human Systems Engineering showed me a great deal of potential in this area ! Now I’ve been tentatively being considered for research assistantship for an NIH funded research project in this area !
- Because of this flexibility , and indeed because of the great people who helped me to learn and practice Human-Machine-Interface design, I am now privileged to contribute in designing mock ups for healthcare related innovations … I never imagined that I could innovate something for the healthcare … well, I thought that I am an Engineer not a doctor ! .. Despite the fact that my contributions were and are still very minimal baby steps , but working toward saving lives and healthcare bills is very fulfilling.
- I have learned a very great tool to analyze systems of different levels of complexity. This is opening the doors to contribute as a ” Maestro” of technical innovative teams. which is already starting to happen …working with successful people and serving them to be as efficient and productive as they could be to get the best results … This is my passion !
This is how we try to understand the functions and processes of any kind of system. It’s fun ! …
- In the research for scientists and engineers class I was able to discover the “Disruptive Innovation Theory” through another professor I was refereed to by the class instructor. They both helped me to discover a new area that I knew nothing about . It was not random at all .. Eventually, it was important dot that was easily connectable to my interests.
- Apparently, What this course was about is to prepare me for the research world, the outcome of it is getting my research proposal paper ready. Such step usually gets done by grad students after couple of terms of their enrollment. I got my research proposal ready before even getting fully admitted ! Lovely !
- In each of the courses I got to meet great colleagues who helped me along the way, encouraged me, and some I partnered with to achieving useful stuff.
- I met a very wonderful group in the group dynamics class. They helped me to know my own strengths and to work in a very entertaining and fun environment. I’m still connecting the dots this course gave me, and it’s becoming a wonderful picture.
All the wonderful things that happened in the past 8 months couldn’t happen without the support of many individuals who I could not name and list here. My experience at this lovely town didn’t get exclusified (Yes I’m inventing this word !) by the classroom and GRE test preparation ( I don’t want to talk about it, it’s just past … just one thought : standardized tests SHOULD CHANGE … that is if we really want to have an innovative nation). Back to the thought , my life was not exclusively attached to the classroom:
- With no prior experience with the black and white keys I’m starting to improvise and compose what I believe is going to end up as the 21st century best Piano concerto ( You can taste a sample .. no laughs please … silently giggling is accepted )
- After contributing in a service project helping a cooperative family garden on campus I got invited to be in the advising committee of Interfaith Community Service on campus. It is helping me to better serve a very inclusive community with ideas and effort. The learning experience with this team is very fulfilling.
Conversation couch , a very nice idea by one of our teammates to facilitate fun and enriching interfaith conversations
- Speaking of gardening … uh … I used to be of the type who would not be really interested to work in a gardening .. I wasn’t that much of help to my dad when I was a teenager … Well, during this summer I had the chance to work a little bit in the SSI garden , a small but wonderful one, I helped in watering it and planting some corns,peas and other stuff.. there is some peppers I am eating right now that I planted earlier .. they are very nice.. The corns don’t seem to be promising , as the farmers say ” on the forth of July , they should be a knee high” .. so I believe we’re pretty much late … ehm I should get back to Engineering ,right ?
- I started biking ! The cheapest and best transportation tool I ever had , 2nd hand but a good one.
$60 second hand bicycle could get you to anywhere here .. almost !
When I was done with whatever challenges and disappointing experiences I was going through I thought looking back can not be right.
Having the chance to self reflect over what really matters for me right now and where I can go from it makes a difference. looking back should be selective to what really matter and to those who really deserve your dedication and who appreciate it. Self reflection over this makes your day fulfilling and your next one full with promising joyful experiences.
So, this is how I’m starting my grad school, full of passion and appreciation to where I am and whom I am with. Wish you too a joyful journey.
Love you all !
Sami