Students are a Community...

The student body at Everett Community College is a community.  It is a diverse group that encompasses all walks of life.  Each individual possesses qualities that make them unique to the community but we are all linked by one common goal.  We are all chasing that pretty little piece of paper that we imagine will make our lives that much more complete.  Within the community represented by the student body multiple communities exist that are made up of more like-minded people.  Those groups are easily separated by the area of study that they are pursuing, age, gender, ethnicity, club affiliation, social interests, religion, etc. Although those small communities have a common thread that binds their community, as college students we are bound together by our dream to conquer the world in our own unique fashion.

As an engineering major, I find myself being part of the community made up of those people with similar academic goals.  We are brought together first by our desire to become engineers and then become intertwined based on the sheer amount of time spent together in class and collaborating on coursework.  The workload for the engineering curriculum is quite rigorous and a bond is created amongst those who face the same challenges on a daily basis.  Similar interests in the design, integration, and functionality of products draws students to area of study and gives them a starting point to build relationships.  We all share the knowledge that success is predicated upon hard work and dedication to becoming an engineer.  Each class represents an obstacle within the gauntlet of courses required to complete a degree and move on to a University.  With each class completed it is like a mini right of passage along that long road to completion.  Many of us are still undecided about the area of study within the engineering field that we will ultimately pursue leading to many interactions debating the positives and negatives of various fields.  University destinations are also a topic of discussion as well as degree level intentions.  An engineering club exists on campus and creates even more interaction between students of varying ability levels.

With so many shared interests that bring these students together there are still elements that affect the cohesion of the community.  It is my experience that many of these students are quite brilliant academically but sometimes struggle socially to connect with others.  With so much emphasis placed on mathematics and science, social skills are not developed to the same extent as the core engineering curriculum.  Given the fact that many of us plan on being done with our degrees in a reasonable amount of time, the length of time that students have to develop and maintain relationships is limited.  As we pass from one phase of life to the next it is difficult to maintain contact with the past.  This is a community that serves students needs in the interim and propels them to the next phase of life.

As a first year engineering student, I feel a budding attachment to this community.  As each class is completed and I inch one step further towards completion of my degree, a stronger connection is built within this group.  More time is spent amongst fellow engineering majors and instructors that solidify my desires to pursue a Mechanical Engineering degree thus creating a stronger bond to the community.  As with most communities that we become part of in life I know that this one is a short term affiliation but it has potential to lead to long term success in the future.  I appreciate every day that I am a part of this group but look forward to the day that I get to spread my wings and fly off to bluer skies.