The Journey of My Final Year Civil Engineering Project

 "The Journey of My Final Year Civil Engineering Project"

Caption: "From challenges to triumph: My path to distinction."

I still vividly remember the days of my undergraduate final-year project. Oh my goodness, it was anything but easy! As a civil engineering student, I led a team of four, but unfortunately, support from my team members was minimal. Excuses to skip work were more frequent than their contributions, leaving me with the responsibility to carry the project forward.

Our project involved casting cubes and cylinders for compressive strength tests, as well as split tensile and flexural strength tests. The casting process was no small feat. It required us to procure raw materials, sieve them, and manually tamp them. The sheer physical effort demanded a lot of energy. Yet, there were times when no one from my team turned up to help. With deadlines looming, I couldn’t afford to give up.

As the team lead, I took it upon myself to ensure our project was completed. College hours officially ended around 5 PM, but I often stayed back until 7 PM, working relentlessly. On several occasions, I came in on non-college days with special permission from my supervisor to continue the work. From casting specimens to testing, making calculations, and preparing the documentation and presentations—I did it all, often single-handedly.

At times, the workload felt overwhelming. However, there were moments of kindness that I’ll never forget. An M.Tech senior once lent me a hand during the casting process, and a close friend stepped in to assist when they saw how tough things were for me. Their support, though occasional, was invaluable.

The work was grueling. Sieving sand, sieving coarse aggregate—it was exhausting. But despite the challenges, I managed to push through. With sheer determination, I completed the project on time, presented it successfully, and finalized the documentation. My efforts were rewarded when I graduated with distinction, and I couldn’t have been happier knowing all my hard work paid off.

The experience taught me resilience, leadership, and the value of perseverance. It also showed me that even when the odds are against you, determination can turn challenges into achievements.

Pooja Mattapalli