A New Beginning

Five years ago I sat in a desk as a senior in high school, being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I never thought I would be where I am today back then or even fathom the thought of the experiences I have had through college. I knew I wanted to be an engineer or something along that line, but not this. In a few short weeks I'll be graduating college, a hurdle that has come with frustration and at one point a far fetched idea. For many the hardest challenge in school is maturing and getting your act together, this is one thing that I wish I figured out earlier on. It would have saved me a year, but that year really showed me what I am capable of. I never shined in academics, I was always average in the gpa department. The way my school's program is structured I breezed through my freshman and sophomore classes with out changing my study habits. I was able to scoot by and advance through the system. It was my Junior year that reality hit me, I had failed Calculus 2 and could not move on with my classes. Also I failed other classes that were crucial but could work around it. Calc however was the gate keeper.

My school:

I don't go to your average college.

Cal Maritime is part of the Cal State System and is one of the few Maritime Academies in the US. Located in Vallejo, CA it teaches young whippersnappers how to be maritime officers in the deck and engine department. Part of the curriculum includes 3 summer semesters at sea, kinda of like study abroad but with much more manual labor. Two of the those cruises are spent on the school ship The T.S. Golden Bear, which visits different parts of the world every summer. My major is Marine Engineering Technology, in April I will be getting my Bachelors of Science and Third Engineer Unlimited Coast Guard License to be an Officer.  

The summer of your Junior year you go on Senior Cruise. I was at a fork in the road, I had to choose to either cruise with my friends and risk adding two more years onto my college experience or go to summer school and only ad a year. Realizing that having fun with friends isn't worth a full years tuition, I hit the books over summer.

The Home Stretch

I got my act together and finally got on track to graduate in the Spring of 2015. However, senior year was not all parties and kicking back. In January 2015, I took my licensing exam for my Third Engineer Unlimited License. It consists of seven tests (Motor I, Motor II, Steam I, Steam II, Electrical, Generals, and Safety) which are supposed to test all of the knowledge gained at school. In reality you learn it from a program like lapware, which is just another resource for mariners to get test prep. I managed to pass all 7 tests on my first try, this was a feat I did not expect to happen but it showed what I am capable of.

Right now I am in my last semester, just 25 more days to go until graduation. I don't have a concrete plan on what will happen after but I have a path. I received job offers from different companies, each has its perks and draw backs. I know there are thousands of grads right now hoping for one job offer, and i'm here stuck because I don't know which one to choose. I am spoiled in a sense, but I do not look at it that way. I chose to pursue a challenging degree in engineering and obtaining a license, now the hard work is being rewarded.