Okay, back to my major. I'm extremely interested in civil engineering. Civil engineering is man's way of engineering the natural world for human use. Whether it be engineering the water, engineering the earth, or minimizing weather impacts, civil engineers do it. I am most interested in how vibrations affect structures, which is surprisingly complex and involves differential equations, knowledge of materials' behaviors, and structural analysis. I hope to someday engineer bridges to be earthquake-resistant using the knowledge I have gained through school. Currently, I am lined up to start working with an engineering company I've interned with for the past two summers after graduation where I will obtain a master's degree while working, and I may return to school to obtain a Ph.D. if I decide that I am more interested in research than applied engineering.
Another hobby of mine is playing with my puppy, a 7-month-old labrador retriever named Niko. Niko is especially energetic and is known for doing anything he can to get your attention - including picking up shoes and staring at you as if he is threatening to shred them. Over the past summer, I would play with Niko for about 2 hours every night, and then he would still try to coerce me into playing more tug-of-war by holding a shoe and staring at me or any other means he found necessary (and he was always successful).
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| Niko as a puppy in early spring in Iowa. Shortly after this picture was taken, Niko attempted to eat the phone taking the picture. (Image taken by me) |
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| Niko chilling in the living room at 6 months old. (Image taken by me) |
Another hobby of mine is playing soccer. Since high school, I have continued to play in summer leagues, intramurals, and tournaments in Norman and Iowa. I play anywhere on defense as I am used to a more physical playstyle (accredited to wrestling for many years of my life).
I also love to adventure. Whether it is hiking, kayaking, or rock climbing, I enjoy it. I've gone whitewater kayaking many times and have successfully done up to Class III rapids. While I enjoy whitewater kayaking, I also enjoy a relaxing float down rivers or across lakes, especially on calm days with glassy water. My personal favorite place I have ever kayaked is Split Rock Creek State Park in southeastern South Dakota. Split Rock Creek is a creek that gently winds its way through agriculture lands in Minnesota and South Dakota before being channeled through tall cliffs of billion-year-old quartzite in southeastern South Dakota. While being funneled through these cliffs, the creek becomes very swift and contains many rapids.
