Reflective Essay

Attending MMSTC has transformed my personality, sense of purpose, self-worth and

future outlook. Once a quiet student who was intimidated by high school and her peers, I have
grown into a confident and respectful person. I owe my transformation of thought to MMSTC
which pushed me to take steps outside my comfort zone and find purpose through taking risks.
I used to fear speaking to my teachers, whether that be during class discussions or to
ask questions, because I spent so much time working out what could go wrong in my head that I
could not bring myself to speak my mind. At first, the idea of presentations at MMSTC terrified
me; in the back of my mind I was under the impression that all my peers were intellectuals and
that I, a quiet person by nature, would make a fool of myself trying to communicate my thoughts.
The first couple of presentations as a freshman had less than ideal outcomes with my fearful
mind jumbling the words I intended to speak. There were times that I felt I would not be able to
improve my ability to give presentations because I was so shy speaking up. However, I kept
giving presentations, and suddenly the audience was no longer intimidating and I understood
that all my fellow classmates were experiencing the same anxieties as me and that none of
them wanted to see me fail. That support only grew as the years went by, and my confidence in
my ability to communicate my ideas blossomed. I was elected into a leadership position on the
robotics team I was on, and it felt more natural speaking to audiences or my mentors and
teachers. I recognized the importance of asking questions and that reaching out for help at
times is necessary.
Although the connections I made and experiences I had at MMSTC were transformative,
attending the program had its trials. The worst part of MMSTC was the toll it took on my mental
health, but I made adjustments through the years to improve this downside. I found myself burnt
out and dealing with a heavy amount of stress in my sophomore year in particular due to the
workload and difficulty of the classes in tandem with an increasing involvement in
extracurriculars. Handling this stress was challenging at first, but by the time I was in my junior
year, I had finally let go of my “perfectionist” mentality to prioritize getting sleep and living in the
moment. I now approach my work in a much more constructive way, realizing that even if my
best efforts do not pay off, I have to give myself credit for the time I put in. I make time to
regularly spend time with friends, and I no longer allow the workload of the program to consume
me. Now, as a senior, I have a better relationship with my work ethic and can appreciate the
rigor of MMSTC classes for prompting me to have this realization.
 Hands down the best part of attending MMSTC were the people I met and friendships I
established, which I truly believe will last a lifetime. Students at MMSTC all face the same
experiences and challenges, and growing through these experiences through the past four
years has helped me create bonds like no other. My closest friends at MMSTC have become
family to me. I feel supported by them now as our final year passes by, and know that they will
have my back in my future endeavors. Knowing that I will always have people who believe in my
ability and who will be there for me through thick and thin has strengthened my self-confidence
and sense of self-worth.
The aspect of MMSTC that should never be eliminated is the atmosphere that promotes
an enthusiasm for learning and STEM. Compared to the teacher and student attitudes toward
learning at my home school, which can be less than enthusiastic, I find MMSTC to be a place
where caring about performance in school is appreciated instead of shunned. It is this sense of
wonder that inspired me to tackle my senior research topic, which required a lot of engineering,
with excitement rather than dread. I felt encouraged to make the project as meaningful as
possible, and I felt encouraged to learn more about CAD and engineering a machine. Behavior
like this may be dismissed as “extra” or unnecessary elsewhere, but at MMSTC I have found a
place to explore my interests without negative judgement.