The Electronics unit was by far my favorite activity we did. Going in I thought I was not really going to enjoy it or learn much because as an Automation Engineering major I have already begun to take electronics classes, and I even took some in high school. But this activity had an interesting spin on electronics. As seen in the photo we had to use everyday items to build our circuits instead of the usual components I have used before. This forced me to think creatively about something that is usually pretty regimented. I believe this activity gave me a better understanding of electronics due to it taking something complicated like a 3 way switch and breaking it down to something as simple as a pair of scissors and a paperclip.

I have been working with 3D printers for a long time. However, this has not stopped me from enjoying it. In our 3D printing unit, we first had to understand how a 3D printer actually works. To do this we “3D printed by hand” a Lego brick. By cutting and layering the cardboard it clearly showed how simple the basic concept of 3d printing is. It’s nothing more than layering materials in a desired way to create the shape needed. Then we used a CAD program to design a 2×4 Lego brick and printed it out using a 3D printer. While I did not learn anything that I did not know this unit, it was still good to gain more experience with 3D printing.

 

The Materials processing unit was another one I found extremely interesting. We learned the basics of Vector and Raster designing and how each one translates to the Laser engraver. We then created a graphic for a keychain in Adobe Illustrator. Then we sent the graphic to be printed on the laser engraver. While I have used laser engravers before, it is always a new and fun challenge every time I have to use one.

The construction unit was one of my personal favorites during the semester. At the beginning of the unit, we were tasked with suspending a 2-liter soda bottle off the side of a desk using the least amount of material possible. My team created a curved support made out of paper. We punched holes in key positions to ensure it could securely attach to the wooden support. To finish the unit we researched building information modelling or BIM. I learned how BIM is useful for keeping designing and construction organized and streamlined. I learned that BIM is used in almost all of the Engineering field, so it was a great experience to get a head start on understanding what it is and its capabilities.

In our typography unit we learned about the origins of type and font, and we learned how to implement different fonts for different uses. We did this by experimenting with different fonts in the form of nametags. As the first unit of the year, it was meant to be a simple and quick project. But this did not stop it from being engaging and interesting. It taught me more about something I thought was extremely simple and it helped me gain experience in a design program that I was not familiar with.

My College Goal

My overall college-career goal is to graduate in 2028 with a job already lined up. I will know I have completed my goal when I have 120 credits by spring 2028, and a job lined up could be I am already hired and ready to start when I graduate or I have an internship I could turn into a full time job. To reach these goals I will need to pass all classes every semester or possibly take extra classes to receive credits at an accelerated pace. I will meet with my advisor regularly to keep track of my progress and discuss the best course of action for continuing with my goal. There are some obstacles that I could face while trying to complete this goal. I could struggle with classes or time management, need to take time off of school, or have trouble finding meaningful internships. But with the help of my advisor, tutoring, and other campus resources, I could easily overcome these. 

Typography || Construction || Materials Processing

3D Printing || Electronics