Options Showcase Reaction Paper

The Options Showcase was a good experience, especially for those who have not yet decided on their major. Each of the booths at the showcase had something different to look at, something to grab your attention, and I think the most interesting exhibit I saw was the petroleum engineering sections miniature oil pump which was moving just like a full-sized one. The least interesting (yet most informative, of course) were the cardboard information backboards which each department boasted. If I were not bound to certain majors my AFROTC, the miniature pump alone would have caused me to seriously consider petroleum engineering!

Each of the option showcases presented information that I had not previously associated with that option. The students at every option showcase agreed on one thing: they had chosen their major based on interests rather than money or "wise career moves." Each student genuinely enjoyed what they were learning. Likewise, the options showcase led me to believe that a more appropriate major for me than mechanical engineering is electrical engineering. It matches my interests much more than the former. (Now all I need to do is convince ROTC to have my major changed…)

Upon graduation, it seems, much of the youthful idealism is lost and career decisions are based increasingly less on personal interests. According to the alumni, soon concerns such as family, finances, and personal accomplishment become major players in career decisions. Despite their criteria for career decisions, the alumni still urged the students to base their major choice on personal interest.

As stated above, the options showcase allowed me to explore other options (not all of which were available to me due to ROTC) and ultimately decide that I was in the wrong major.