Don’t Let Your Inner Child Die

As an engineering student, life can get pretty hectic. There are classes to attend, projects to complete, internships to land, and exams to prepare for. It feels like there’s always something demanding your time and attention. I know this because I’ve been there. But in the middle of all this, something hit me: I had stopped listening to my inner child.

When I was in my childhood, I was obsessed with building things. I remember spending hours on LEGO sets, constructing machines, and sketching wild ideas for inventions that didn’t exist yet. It was fun, it was free, and it made me feel alive. But somewhere along the way, as I started focusing on my engineering degree, I got caught up in the practicalities of life—assignments, deadlines, and the pressure to “succeed.” My inner child, the part of me that used to dream big, got pushed to the side.

The Realization 🌱

It happened during end of first year of engineering. I was sitting in my dorm room after pulling an all-nighter for a project that felt more like a chore than something I was excited about. I had always wanted to be an engineer because I loved creating things, but somewhere along the line, I had stopped enjoying the process.

That night, I remembered the joy I used to get from building things just for fun. I missed it. The child inside me, the one who loved to dream without limits, was still there—I just wasn’t listening anymore.

Taking Action 👍

The next day, I made a decision. I promised myself that I would find time to reconnect with the things that brought me joy. Despite my busy schedule, I carved out a little time each weekend to work on personal projects. No deadlines, no grades—just me and my imagination, like it used to be.

At first, it felt weird, like I was wasting time. But as I built my first small side project—a simple image enhancer ML model powered by Computer vision Techniques & Learned computational structures —I felt that familiar excitement. I wasn’t doing it for a grade or for a professor’s approval; I was doing it for me.

How It Changed Everything😊

What I didn’t expect was how much this small act of reconnecting with my inner child would transform the way I approached my studies. Suddenly, the subjects I once found dull felt more interesting because I could see how they connected to the things I loved doing. I started applying what I was learning in class to my personal projects, and it made everything more meaningful.

For example, I was studying control structures at the time. Initially, I found the theory overwhelming, but when I used it to improve the way my program runs, it all clicked. I was able to take what I learned and put it into something that felt real and exciting to me. This rekindled my passion for engineering and reminded me why I chose this field in the first place.

Lessons Learned 📒

Here’s what I learned from this experience:

Childhood Dreams Can Guide You: My childhood love for building things didn’t disappear; it just got buried under the weight of adult responsibilities. By making time for what I used to love, I reignited my passion for engineering. Those childhood dreams still had value—they just needed to be rediscovered.
Balance Is Key: Yes, engineering school is demanding. But it’s possible to find a balance between your academic responsibilities and your personal passions. It doesn’t have to be all about textbooks and grades. Give yourself permission to explore, create, and have fun—because that’s how you stay connected to the reasons you chose this path.
Play Fuels Innovation: Engineering is all about problem-solving and creativity, but it’s easy to lose sight of that when you’re bogged down by assignments. By playing around with personal projects, I was able to apply what I learned in a way that felt practical and engaging. This "play" isn’t a waste of time—it’s where some of the best ideas come from.
It’s Never Too Late to Listen: Even if you’ve gone years without thinking about your childhood dreams, it’s never too late to reconnect. Your inner child—the part of you that’s curious and full of wonder—is still there. Listening to that voice can give you the inspiration and motivation you need to push through the challenges of being an engineering student.

Keeping Your Inner Child Alive 🌻

Now, I make it a point to regularly check in with myself. Am I still connected to that sense of wonder I had as a kid? Am I enjoying the process, or just going through the motions? Whenever I feel disconnected, I go back to building, creating, and exploring.

As engineering students, we often get so focused on the future—graduating, getting a job, building a career—that we forget to enjoy the journey. But the truth is, the joy of engineering isn’t just in achieving something big. It’s in the process of discovery, the thrill of creating something new, and the excitement of solving problems in innovative ways.