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Submission information
Submission Number: 350
Submission ID: 1189
Submission UUID: c0234eb6-a584-4343-8e45-75cbe228a01e
Created: Fri, 04/14/2023 - 21:00
Completed: Fri, 04/14/2023 - 21:00
Changed: Wed, 05/07/2025 - 21:36
Remote IP address: 108.53.106.185
Submitted by:Anonymous
Language: English
Is draft: No
Flagged: Yes
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Steven
Manfreda
Manfreda
Berkeley heights
New jersey
United States
07922
Chemical engineering
English (5) Korean (1)
If you were offered the adventure of a lifetime - to camp and hike through 100 miles of untamed New Mexico wilderness - would you accept? The catch being that the trip was leaving with or without you in two weeks. This was the exact scenario I was put into when I heard that a local boy scout troop just had a member drop out of their infamous two week hiking trip, coequally known as Philmont.
Without hesitation I accepted this opportunity and in a flash, I went from buying hiking boots for the first time to boarding a plane to New Mexico with a 50 pound backpack. Even though I had zero experience camping, I strove to learn every single camping skill in the matter of 2 days in order to be a functional member of the crew and contribute to the efficient functioning of my crew before we entered the deep wilderness. I struggled at first, forgetting which knots to tie for the bear bags and taking triple the time as my peers to put away my sleeping bag. However this struggle was short lived as I wasn’t afraid to ask for help and team members guided me and offered advice from their prior experiences. Soon enough, setting up camp became second nature to me as if I hadn’t just become a Scout two weeks prior! Conquering this experience while being far from home, in a completely unfamiliar setting, surrounded by people I had not known two weeks ago has shown me that learning is not only possible in any setting but also sometimes, it takes pushing your comfort zones to grow. After the Philmont trip, I am not only ready to study abroad or do international research, I am excited for it.
The Philmont trip also taught me that teams not only function, but thrive when each individual responsibility is met and connected seamlessly. One week into the trip, three crew members got sick and it severely impacted our schedule and efficiency. I volunteered to complete extra work in order to keep our crew on track. Likewise, when I struggled with my own tasks because of my lack of experience, other members helped me, which in turn made setting up camp a much smoother experience. The collaboration and support I had between my crewmates to meet a common goal is also similar to working in a lab environment to finish a project. Other than being at the mercy of nature, the experience I gained from Philmont is conducive to the setting I would be in studying abroad at the Global Engineering RAP. By going through this experience I am aware of most of the challenges that come with learning in an unfamiliar environment and am prepared for that. I am also acclimated to working on teams and know how much of an effect offering additional support to my teammates means.
Without hesitation I accepted this opportunity and in a flash, I went from buying hiking boots for the first time to boarding a plane to New Mexico with a 50 pound backpack. Even though I had zero experience camping, I strove to learn every single camping skill in the matter of 2 days in order to be a functional member of the crew and contribute to the efficient functioning of my crew before we entered the deep wilderness. I struggled at first, forgetting which knots to tie for the bear bags and taking triple the time as my peers to put away my sleeping bag. However this struggle was short lived as I wasn’t afraid to ask for help and team members guided me and offered advice from their prior experiences. Soon enough, setting up camp became second nature to me as if I hadn’t just become a Scout two weeks prior! Conquering this experience while being far from home, in a completely unfamiliar setting, surrounded by people I had not known two weeks ago has shown me that learning is not only possible in any setting but also sometimes, it takes pushing your comfort zones to grow. After the Philmont trip, I am not only ready to study abroad or do international research, I am excited for it.
The Philmont trip also taught me that teams not only function, but thrive when each individual responsibility is met and connected seamlessly. One week into the trip, three crew members got sick and it severely impacted our schedule and efficiency. I volunteered to complete extra work in order to keep our crew on track. Likewise, when I struggled with my own tasks because of my lack of experience, other members helped me, which in turn made setting up camp a much smoother experience. The collaboration and support I had between my crewmates to meet a common goal is also similar to working in a lab environment to finish a project. Other than being at the mercy of nature, the experience I gained from Philmont is conducive to the setting I would be in studying abroad at the Global Engineering RAP. By going through this experience I am aware of most of the challenges that come with learning in an unfamiliar environment and am prepared for that. I am also acclimated to working on teams and know how much of an effect offering additional support to my teammates means.
The type of person I would want to live down the hall from would have the same work ethic as me. I would want them to be a studious classmate who is well prepared for classes everyday and does not procrastinate to get work done. This person would also be collaborative and helpful, willing to work on projects and think through problems together. They would be respectful, not causing a ruckus or interfering with others' work. Sympathy, kindness, open mindedness, and inclusiveness are also important characteristics that I try to uphold and want to be reflected in the people around me. When this person sees problems they would take action, not waiting for an opportunity to come to them, but instead seek it out. Further, they would be politically conscious, understanding the problems going on in the world and the injustices that exist. Most importantly however, I would want this person to be a dreamer. Someone who recognizes they are not bound to limits and that seeks to chase the highest of their dreams and make a difference in the world. Although I may not have all these traits this is the type of person I strive to be. Having a dorm-mate like this would not only be very cool but also inspiring. I believe you are the sum of the people you surround yourself with, as such, having someone who is like minded to me in this way would push me to be a better person inside and outside of the classroom.
However, I would not want my dorm-mate to be a duplicate of myself. I believe that being around people with different perspectives is just as important as being in a driven and studious environment. I would want this person to be multifaceted with many different interests and passions from me. They could be an artist, musician, swimmer, soccer player, rock climber, or skier in their spare time. Maybe they grew up in the city or the countryside. They could be an extrovert who likes spending time with others and is friendly. Becoming friends with someone who comes from a different culture or religion would allow me to learn about different cultural traditions and share my own. Having someone different from me in these ways would offer me a broader perspective. Academically, this could help me understand problems in new ways and personally, this could open me up to new experiences.
However, I would not want my dorm-mate to be a duplicate of myself. I believe that being around people with different perspectives is just as important as being in a driven and studious environment. I would want this person to be multifaceted with many different interests and passions from me. They could be an artist, musician, swimmer, soccer player, rock climber, or skier in their spare time. Maybe they grew up in the city or the countryside. They could be an extrovert who likes spending time with others and is friendly. Becoming friends with someone who comes from a different culture or religion would allow me to learn about different cultural traditions and share my own. Having someone different from me in these ways would offer me a broader perspective. Academically, this could help me understand problems in new ways and personally, this could open me up to new experiences.
I am applying to the Global Engineering RAP with aspirations of becoming an engineer that is not just intelligent but also socially conscious, who can make a difference in the world. By offering greater access to engineering courses as well as additional curriculum, the Global Engineering RAP will provide me with numerous opportunities to achieve my personal and academic goals. I would benefit from being in a community of like minded engineers who would motivate me and also offer different perspectives. I would give back by helping my classmates when they are confused on homework and seek to lead group events within the community. Moreover, I plan to continue learning Korean in college and hope to become fluent.The language learning resources offered by this community are very appealing to me as they will allow me to take my knowledge from the classroom into the real world and communicate in a meaningful way to those in need. Further, the connections to overseas companies would only make this more possible. From reducing poverty to mitigating pollution, Global Engineering will give me the opportunity to contribute to global change in my college experience and afterwards in my career.
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