My interest in building started long before I knew what engineering was.
I grew up with limited resources, so making things was often more realistic than buying them. I would constantly take apart my Lego models and rebuild them into something completely different using the same pieces. When I spent time with my grandparents on their farm, I made toys from wood and whatever other materials I could find. Learning to work with what was available became normal to me, and over time that naturally grew into an interest in engineering.
My path through education has not been a straight one. I started studying engineering in Poland and later emigrated, and moving between countries made continuing my education take longer than I originally expected. Even through those interruptions, I never really questioned whether I wanted to become an engineer. I am now completing the final year of my Mechanical Engineering degree at Queen’s University and considering graduate studies at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Curiosity is a big part of how I approach engineering. I tend to explore a wide range of subjects, even when they are not directly related to the problem I am working on, because useful ideas can come from unexpected places. Nature is also a source of inspiration for me. I enjoy looking at how natural systems and structures work and thinking about whether the same principles could be applied to engineering problems.
I rarely look at a problem from only one direction. I like having a clear objective, but I also like exploring different ideas and making connections between things that may not seem related at first. That process of figuring things out, trying different approaches, and eventually turning an idea into something real is one of the parts of engineering I enjoy most.
Outside of school and formal engineering work, I almost always have a personal project underway. Building things gives me a reason to learn unfamiliar skills, test ideas, and keep improving through practice. I also enjoy hiking, travelling, and spending time in quiet places. Having that space to think often helps me come back to a problem with a clearer perspective and a new idea.
