My boring Structural Engineering/Architecture personal statement

I have always been awestruck by the works of many engineers - from glistening glass-and-steel skyscrapers to the amazing breakthroughs of nanotechnology, it all seem to hook me by some kind of spell. A devoted fan of Discovery Channel and aficionado of architecture, I often dream one day to be able to create things that will marvel the eyes and mind of anyone. When looking at any engineering feats, I often try to apply my knowledge of physics, mathematics and as well as history and architecture to understand the rationale of its design. The Taipei 101 tower in Taiwan is one of the great works of engineering that I truly admire; not only because it is the tallest building to date but also the fact that it is engineered to minimise vibrations during earthquakes using state-of-the-art suspension system and at the same time without having to compensate its aesthetics as a representation of Taipei's culture.

Being in a family of engineers, I tend to see things more than what meets the eye. Mechanics have always been my favourite and strongest subject in mathematics and through it, I see the beauty in the science of engineering design. In addition, I am a self-taught artist and painting has always been my mania since I was little. In my childhood, I used to draw pictures of Star Wars-inspired futuristic buildings in a busy metropolis that even had a gigantic power plant. My father, who is a civil engineer, told me then "big ities need big power plants". I always knew that I wanted to become an engineer.

I am an active student and took part in many activities during my secondary school days. A bronze-medallist in long jump and part of my school's handball team, my love for the outdoors and athletics is evident in my personality. In addition to that, I am also the vice-president of the Red sports house which during my tenure won a second place among other sports houses. Besides that, I represented my school in a district-level forum that discussed teenage issues and won 3rd place. Before that, I emerged as the champion in the city-level competition.

Apart from that, my other great passion is also on theatrical arts. I have participated in many plays and an avid lover of Broadway musical. Here in my college I even directed and choreographed a musical play entitled "Tanggang: The musical" which won second place in an inter-class drama competition and was invited to perform again for another college function.

I can multitask - at present, I am learning Mandarin as a third language (apart from my mother tongue Malay and English), participate regularly in public speaking events, and on top of that, I am the editor of the college magazine. As part of my college's programme, I wrote an academic paper that explores the possibility of using geodesic dome design as a new alternative for low-cost house design entitled "Geodesic Dome: An lternative to Low-cost Housing". Here in my college, I make regular visit to charity homes around Seremban town which includes homes for the elderly and disabled children's care centre. This has taught me a lot about life and has made me more reflective of my own existence, all of which have made it a profoundly emotional experience.

Currently, I am in the Excellent Students sponsorship programme in Kolej MARA Seremban, which is awarded to the best students in the country by the Malaysian government. I plan to continue my studies to post-graduate level and engage in research projects. In years to come, I see myself becoming part of many engineering feats that will be the talk of many people and immortalised in books. I can assure you that I am up to the challenge and set to excel in my future endeavours.

-=So what do you think?=-