Engineering is a hard major. From CS to Biomedical to Civil, engineering is a pursuit that takes up a LOT of your time. But with that, it’s important to find time for the things you love to do: you have to feed the other part of you that isn’t satisfied by differential equations, Python, and fluid mechanics. For a lot of people, working out is both a physical and emotional release from daily life. I don’t have the willpower to drag myself to the gym everyday, but I know many engineers who do in order to help relieve the stress of being an engineering student. I know others that like to go on walks or go hiking. Maybe you like crocheting or knitting and want to make a sweater. The list goes on; but the point is that we need to make time to be able to do these things. 

For me, my greatest joy is art. I love to draw and paint and sew and collage and basically everything creative. It’s my favorite thing in the whole entire world. Since I was little, I would always, always be drawing or coloring something. I think for a lot of us, the things we do for ourselves are major coping mechanisms as well; I know that drawing or creating art is for me. Whether I’m stressed about work or school or family, I always know that I can just just scroll through Pinterest until I find a picture I like, think “Oh, I want to draw that!”, and pull out my sketchbook to get to work. 

Vidya Iyer

Vidya Iyer

MAJOR: Environmental Engineering YEAR: Class of 2025 HOMETOWN: Des Moines, Iowa PRONOUNS: they/them/theirs INSTA: @vidya.i.yer Outside of VSA, I am a co-Lead Organizer for Student Coalition for Asian Pacific Empowerment, volunteer at the LGBTQ+ student center, and I participate in activism across USC and LA! I'm looking to get into research this year as well, hopefully in water quality or CO2 recycling.

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