I never realized how filled to the brim Bucknell was with engineers until I stepped foot on campus. I glanced over that little detail; maybe it was hidden from me, but needless to say, telling the Environmental Engineer that I was nothing but an English major was enough to turn my face red. I barely skated by with a three on my AP Biology exam. Meanwhile, the budding scientists were conducting research fresh out of the womb. “Oh, well, I can’t write well at all!” they’d always say. Cool! That’s… that’s great. Just great.
Bucknell is full of try-hards. However, it’s not in the ego-centric try-hard manner of “I’m better than you” but more the “I need to be the best version of me.” It’s a highly admirable quality among students here, though it may not always feel as such. Suppose you’ve had a chance to glance at the “IAMRAY” Instagram page. In that case, you’ll stumble across a handful of posts from countless individuals who are student body leaders, presidents of their sorority, captains of their sport, and, yes of course, engineering majors of all shapes and sizes. Oh, and they always get eight hours of sleep every night, make time for their friends, and maintain a 4.0 GPA. How is the impossible possible? Truth is…It’s not. Life through the screen always seems easier said than done.
Not one person will ever brag about breaking down in the Library at 1 a.m. because fake Starbucks was closed, and they still had 400 pages of readings left to sulk through. Since I and many others I’ve spoken to have entered college, we’ve immediately felt left behind in the crowd of missed opportunities. I felt an extraordinary amount of guilt underloading courses during my first semester, constantly comparing myself to these upperclassmen who had already had two or three years of experience under their belt. While they were off running this club and playing that sport, I could barely figure out how to finish my rough draft research paper and do my laundry all in one day. Once I ran out of clean socks, I realised I needed to start finding my footing. Slowly but surely, I learned I could be the person I wanted to be at my own pace. It was possible.
Though I and many others stare at everyone in awe of what we cannot be, I simultaneously ask myself, “Why can’t I be that person?” Why can’t I make the time to take a break from my work and go to a recreational practice, grab dinner with my friends, or take a moment to myself? The students at Bucknell are the type that strive to be their best selves while passively inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. And, news flash—no one cares if you’re an art major or a biomedical engineering major! We all work towards our degrees with the same passion and struggle as the next guy. I may not know how to solve pages and pages of organic chemistry problems, similar to how many scientists can’t translate Latin poetry. This is a vigorous school filled with ambitious, inspiring individuals. No matter how busy, involved, or stressed, we all fall under the same umbrella of endless dedication and drive.
Except for the business majors. Seriously, what do you guys do?