My second year at Aalto in numbers

I have now finished my second year of studying Chemical Engineering at Aalto University. Or well, technically my first, as I changed my major at the start of last fall. This year I amassed a grand total of 82 ECTS with a GPA of 4.94. There are two reasons I managed this with little trouble: the first is my drive to see good results and statistics, and the second is my system of studying, which I will go through in a later post.

As said, I am strongly motivated by visible results and statistics (among many other things). In my studies this shows up as an interest in improving my academic performance solely to fill up the metrics on the university's grading platform. Seeing the number go up fills me with joy and determination.

Why it matters

I think this is a useful trait to have in the current job market. Experienced workers are now competing for the same jobs as graduates, so standing out matters, and one way to stand out is to have results to show. Employers want people who look for better ways of working instead of only doing things the way they have always been done, and the most convincing proof of that is the results those new ways of working have produced.

This is why I try to actively improve my own ways of working, both in my studies and at work. Seeing those changes pay off motivates me to keep developing them further.