Redominatelife

How I Wanted to Be an Engineer When I Grew Up

When I was young, I was fascinated by how things worked. I wasn’t the type to take apart radios or build elaborate contraptions, but I was always drawn to the mechanics of the world around me. That curiosity only deepened when I had my first great science teacher, Mr. Osei. His experiments in class weren’t just about learning; they were about discovery. The way he made science feel alive planted a seed in me—I wanted to be an engineer.

The Influence of Mr. Osei

Mr. Osei was more than just a teacher; he was an inspiration. He had a way of making complex ideas simple, turning ordinary classroom lessons into exciting experiments. I remember watching chemical reactions fizz and pop, circuits light up, and theories come to life right in front of me. He wasn’t just teaching science; he was showing us its magic.

Beyond the lessons, I admired him personally. He had attended a prestigious college, and I was so influenced by him that I decided to follow in his footsteps and go to the same school. At the time, I imagined myself designing machines, solving big problems, and using engineering to create something meaningful.

The Shift Away from Engineering

Despite my passion for science and my dreams of engineering, life had other plans. As I grew older, I realized that while I loved the ideas behind engineering, I wasn’t as drawn to the rigid structure of the field. My curiosity was broad—I wanted to explore, to write, to think freely. I found myself shifting toward a different path, one where creativity played a bigger role.

That’s not to say the engineer in me disappeared. The mindset of an engineer—problem-solving, logical thinking, and hands-on learning—stayed with me. It showed up in unexpected ways, like the time I tackled my most ambitious DIY project: changing the radiator of my Ford van. That moment was a small taste of what could have been, but it also reinforced that my true path wasn’t in engineering—it was in something else entirely.

What I Took from That Dream

Even though I didn’t become an engineer, the ambition I had as a kid still shapes me. The drive to understand, to figure things out, and to push myself toward something bigger remains. In a way, writing has become my engineering—piecing together words instead of circuits, constructing ideas instead of machines.

Looking back, I don’t regret the shift. Dreams evolve, and that’s part of growing up. But I’ll always appreciate the spark that engineering once gave me and the lessons it taught me along the way.

Until next time…