Moments That Shaped My Time at CMU

Looking back on my time at Carnegie Mellon, the moments that shaped me the most were not just about results or achievements. They were turning points that shifted how I think, how I work, and how I understand myself. They were the quiet breakthroughs in late studios, the leaps of faith in starting something new, and the small wins that came after long stretches of uncertainty.

These moments did not happen all at once. They arrived gradually, each one adding a layer to the person I was becoming. They taught me how to create with purpose, how to keep moving when things felt uncertain, and how to build communities where ideas can grow.

Starting Something From Nothing

One of the most defining moments was founding the Carnegie Mellon Motorsport Club. It started as a simple thought: there are people here who love cars, racing, and performance design, but they are scattered, with no space to come together. I did not have a clear plan or structure when the idea first appeared. What I had was curiosity, and a belief that it could become something meaningful.

The first few weeks were full of uncertainty. I was reaching out to people who did not know me well, asking them to believe in something that did not exist yet. I spent evenings sketching out event ideas and researching how to start an official student organization, often unsure if anyone would actually show up. Then they did. The first meet drew far more students than I expected, from engineers to designers to simply curious enthusiasts.

Seeing people from different disciplines gather around a shared passion changed something in me. It showed me the power of building a space where people can bring their own energy and creativity. It taught me that leadership is not about having all the answers. It is about starting, even when things are unclear, and building trust as you go.

Learning to Push Through Creative Doubt

There were also moments shaped by doubt, especially in my individual projects. When I began developing my self-leveling tripod design, I believed in the concept but could not get it to work. Early prototypes failed to stay stable. The mechanics felt clumsy and unreliable. I started wondering if I had chosen the wrong idea entirely.

Those weeks taught me how to work through uncertainty without letting it stop me. I began approaching the project like an experiment rather than a test. Each failed version became a clue. Small refinements slowly added up until the system began to stabilize.

That experience showed me that creative progress rarely looks like a straight line. It often looks like wandering in circles until something clicks. It taught me that doubt is not a signal to stop — it is a sign that I am pushing into new ground.

Discovering the Power of Community

The Motorsport Club grew faster than I expected, and with it came another defining moment: realizing how much creativity expands when it is shared. Planning our first track day, I watched members bring ideas I would never have thought of — from designing event posters to building timing setups and organizing safety protocols.

What began as my idea quickly became our idea. That shift changed how I see collaboration. It showed me that creativity is not about control, but about building an environment where people feel trusted to take ownership. Watching people shape something together gave me a sense of purpose that no individual project had ever matched.

Learning to Slow Down and Reflect

The pace of life at CMU can be relentless. There were times when I filled every hour with projects, meetings, and deadlines, believing that progress meant constant motion. Eventually, I began to notice the cost — creativity fading, focus slipping, and energy draining away.

Realizing that I needed to pause was another turning point. I began setting aside time to step back and reflect on what I was building toward, not just what I was building. Those pauses gave me clarity, helped me reconnect with why the work mattered, and reminded me that growth requires space as much as effort.

How These Moments Changed Me

These moments reshaped how I see challenges. Starting something from nothing showed me how to move without certainty. Working through failure taught me how to stay patient with progress. Building the Motorsport Club showed me how much stronger ideas become when they belong to a community. And learning to pause reminded me that sustaining curiosity matters more than rushing forward.

They taught me that growth is not defined by milestones, but by the mindset that forms between them. That mindset — patient, collaborative, and willing to begin even when unsure — is the most valuable thing I will carry forward from my time at CMU.