Name: Lana Rupp
Program: Mechanical Engineering with Co-op
Extra-curricular Activities:
- SUBC human powered submarine project,
- Engineering Undergraduate Society (EUS) council,
- Club Mech Co-President,
- Professional Activities Fund (PAF) Advisory Committee,
- Engineering Student Center Committee,
- Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (APEG-BC) Student Rep,
- GEERing Up! Board of Advisors,
- Intramural Soccer Captain, VUL Ultimate, Rock Climbing, Photography.
Who I Am
I can best be described as assertive, adventuresome and well… busy. I am often running from place to place, carrying a giant backpack so that I’m always prepared. I can be impulsive and I love to try new things which has lead me on some great adventures.
A Day in My Life
During school, an average day in my life starts around 6am with a shower and 20 minutes of looking through my email and schedule for tasks I might have during the day. I grab breakfast, grab a bus to school and attend class for something between 3 and 9 hours, depending on the day. During my breaks I play foosball, do homework, run errands, attend meetings and hang out with friends. On short days I run to the climbing gym in the afternoon. Evenings are spent doing homework most of the time, but I try to watch a little TV or go out with friends when I can.
Why I Chose Mech
I chose Mech for the challenge and the amazing things you can do. Building and designing a remote controlled, air pressure powered boat in second year was one of the highlights of my young life. I love the team environment as well and of course I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m also really excited about the job and earning potential provided by the program.
Life Beyond Classes
Outside of class and meetings I have a pretty active life. On the weekends I try to go on mini-roadtrips for rock climbing outdoors and photography subjects. Last winter, I planned and went on an amazing 7 day roadtrip to Nevada with a group of 8 friends to rock climb and camp and I’ll never forget it. I also play ultimate frisbee, hike, go out with friends, watch a little bit of TV and read.
Getting Here from High School
High school helped me get to where I am now most by providing me with the extra freedom to try things on my own while I still had my parents to fall back on for support (from getting a job and being independent to learning new sports and skills outside of school). This helped me to manage my time better, get some resume building items and to meet new people. Maintaining good grades is only one small fraction of what I needed to get into programs, on teams and to get new jobs.
The Best Part
The best part of being in Mech is probably the people. The professors (most of them anyways) really care about whether you’re learning and who you are as a person. The classmates are all in the same boat and share a lot of common ground with you and make some really amazing friends. Even the staff in the Mech Dept. office is amazing and willing to help you with anything. And of course, the stuff you’re learning rounds it all out as a great experience.
My Advice to Prospective Students
- Keep your grades up (those are important)
- Learn some good study skills (mech is harder than highschool)
- Keep your experiences broad (join a team, play sports)
- Give it a shot! (you never know what you can do until you try so don’t be intimidated)