The summer before senior year felt like part of me was still at Caltech, and the other was looking into what comes next. I spent my summer interning at GE Aerospace and learning what manufacturing and product engineering look like in practice. I also moved to a new city by myself for the first time, traveled as much as I could, and began the early stages of graduate school applications.

Internship 

At GE Aerospace, I worked across manufacturing engineering and product engineering, which meant my days were split between CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and hands‑on work. I spent time CADing parts, updating work instructions, and learning how supply chain constraints affect real engineering decisions. One of the most valuable parts of the internship was how often I was on the shop floor, organizing unit testing protocols and learning how to make processes more efficient. It reinforced why I chose mechanical engineering every day.

A New City

This summer was also full of firsts. I moved to a new city alone for the first time and rented my own apartment. Learning to create my own space from scratch was unexpectedly so much fun.  I also learned how to cook (somewhat). With more control over my schedule, I experimented with new recipes and built routines that stuck, like spending more consistent time at the gym and taking walks to explore my neighborhood.

Midwest Summer Highlights

Summer in the Midwest felt different. Fourth of July was bigger, louder, and seemingly endless compared to what I was used to back home. On weekends, I explored the area with fellow interns. We tried a new food spot every week, which turned into one of my favorite traditions. We also visited MANY beaches and lakes in the area! My favorite intern trip was Mackinac Island and it was my first time on a boat! No cars are allowed there and the views feel straight out of a postcard.

Travel

During my internship, I found time to visit New York and Chicago. New York was a girls trip with some of my Caltech friends, giving us a chance to meet up during the summer! After my internship wrapped up, I traveled abroad for the first time to Lisbon, Portugal. Without a doubt, it was my favorite place I have traveled to. The views and the food were great!