We’ve all had difficult professors in engineering school. They arrive in class to terrify us with their cold icy looks and boring old clothes and give us surprise quizzes we barely had any idea how to solve.
Terrifying professors like them exist but in time, we’ve learned how to deal with them. But there are those professors who are worse than the ones who just like to give us a hard time in exams.Unlike those terrifying ones mentioned earlier, these professors come in quietly and silently observe how we perform in class. Until one day, they just point out to us the worst thing that a professor could tell us: we’ll never make it through engineering.
Despite our hard work to pass all our exams, our efforts to submit the homework and projects on time and our struggle to attend class without being absent, there will be that one professor who would look at us head to toe, look at our papers and tell us bluntly that we’ll never be good enough to be an engineer. We’d feel embarrassed to be told that. While the intention was to help us realize something constructive for ourselves, the damage is done. Being told we’ll never make it in engineering will haunt us for years and it will lead us to question ourselves: Will I never be good enough to be an engineer?
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All our lives, we’ve always wanted to change the world using our dreams, our visions and our hard hats. But suddenly, one remark – a cold heartless one – changes it. We’ll doubt ourselves even more. At the back of our minds, we’ll often wonder what if that professor was right all along.
But dear engineering student, if this happened to you, do not be discouraged. For one remark should not be enough to stop you from chasing your dreams of being an engineer. One heartless and careless remark from a professor shouldn’t lead you to doubt your capabilities especially when you know you have all the qualities of an engineer. If there’s anything you should do, you must prove to him/her that you are going to make it. Show that professor that one negative comment will not change your mind about being an engineer.
Work harder. Show up all the time in class. Study smarter and get better grades. Don’t let that negativity get to you. Choose to learn from that professor instead of hating him/her. Remember, not everyone’s going to believe in you but that’s okay. Not all of people you meet have to think that you’re going to be a badass engineer. The exciting part about being looked down on by them? Proving to them that you can make it after all. Most importantly, prove to yourself that you have what it takes to be an engineer.
Hopefully, one day, you’re going to get that diploma and tell that professor that you made it after. Good luck and have fun!
