My Proudest Accomplishment

Blood, sweat and tears.  Maybe not so much the latter but getting an Engineering degree required so much out of my body.   After 5 and half years the degree is finally drawing to a close.

I’ll never forget the first day where I showed up to my first UNB Engineering orientation.  It was all dudes.  Surprise!   I mean I knew it was going to be bad but wow.

The first year was a nightmare.  I went from knowing all the answers to not being able to answer any.  Lots of assignments and late nights finishing lab reports.  There didn’t seem to be any end to the work.  It got so bad that I took a workterm in my third year.  It was the first time since I started school as a 5 year old that I didn’t go a full 8 months of school.

That term off turned out to be my saving grace.  I discovered running and multi-sports.  Also, my work term taught me that there wasn’t alway a right answer.  If there was one, it was typically the guy who had been doing it the longest. 

I returned to school with a new outlook.  Work piled up the same, and I hated it at times,  but I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel.  Each semester  that passed it got a little brighter….

Last night I attended my Iron Ring Ceremony.  To those of you who don’t know what it is (Doesn’t everyone? ;-)), it is where an Engineer recieves his iron ring.  "To be placed on the finger of the writing hand".  Personally I’m not one for jewllery but I think it looks good on me!  Besides finishing my exams, this is the last step before becoming an Engineer in training.  After a couple of years as an EIT, you can then become a Professional Engineer. 

So to everyone out there, if you don’t think you can do it and if it seems all the odds are stacked against you, tough it out.  There is always a down hill after a mountain climb.  Nothing lasts forever…  except a Ford Tempo.

So I am gearing up to begin serious training.  I’ve done a few swims, runs and bikes.  I’ll keep everyone posted on my trip as well for next month. 

Happppsy traininnn!

Cliff