Challenge yourself and persevere.
Hey there TechDiva!
Unlike you, I really wished I’d followed through with pursuing a STEM path. I spent six weeks in my teens in a science and math summer immersion program at the University of Illinois/Urbana. It was an opportunity to get exposure to campus life and get enticed into the field of Engineering.
The math was intense and the engineering classes were only slightly modified from actual college classes. After my high school graduation, I turned down a full-tuition engineering scholarship because I told myself I didn’t have what it took to survive an engineering curriculum.
Instead, I opted for something safe and what had actually been a lifelong dream, to become a lawyer. I love writing and history so I knew I’d have some fun in my studies and not have to have daily struggles until the end.
I wish I had someone to say to me, “challenge yourself and persevere”. I didn’t believe in myself because there was no one who seemed to believe in me. Had that been the case, perhaps I could have found a way to marry the law and engineering.
While I don’t regret my career, I do regret that I turned away an opportunity. I will never know if my life would be different or better than it is today in a STEM career. What I do know is that there will always be that question of “what if?”
If STEM is what you want; keep your eyes on the prize. If you get discouraged, reach out for a voice of encouragement instead of that voice in your own head. When it comes to STEM, the world is every female’s oyster. Be the pearl inside!
Charmaine
