Daybreak (10/19-10/25)

After the major setback I had last week, it was hard for me to continue working with the same passion that has driven me for so long. Apparently, I just needed some time to rest and recuperate, because I made significant breakthroughs in my stagnating research this week. Through my fourth interview and recommendations from family friends, I discovered the Federal Aviation Administration’s online coursework and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s OpenCourseWare which held a plethora of information regarding spacecraft design. Beyond the coursework that we are assigned in the Independent Study Mentorship program, I want to learn as much as possible about aerospace engineering in high school so that I will be a step ahead in my education. Time management was still a challenge this week, especially with college applications reaching a critical phase. While I did finish my research and interview assessments earlier than the due date, I still felt that if I had made time earlier in the week, I would not feel as worn out as I do now. In addition to completing all of my research interviews, I also gained access to a greater range of contacts, thanks to a graduate student I know. The list of contacts consist of professionals who are currently working at prominent companies such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, and others currently pursuing their PhD. Although my time is currently being spent between college applications and schoolwork, I feel that there is a pressing need to interview all of the individuals on the list. I feel that I can get further insight into whether spacecraft design is exactly what I wish to do in the future or some other component of aerospace engineering that I have never heard about. Since I still have time to ponder about my future prior to entering college, I plan on making the best use of my time. I still need to update my portfolio with my progress and ensure that it is well-designed. After clearing up the difficulties that affected me terribly last week, I feel that I can push myself even harder than before.