The ChemEngineer’s Journal

An honest letter to the girl I was, and the engineer I’ve become When I first got accepted into the chemical engineering program, I was excited — thrilled, actually. I had taken a path no one in my family had ever imagined. Coming from a background where education was a luxury, where engineering wasn’t a legacy but a leap of faith, I knew I was stepping into something huge. But I was also naive. I thought passion alone would carry me through. I wish I had known the road ahead wasn’t just about equations and experiments — it was about resilience, discipline, and growing a spine of steel. So, here’s everything I wish someone had told me before I signed up to become a chemical engineer — the raw truth, from one student to another. It’s Not Just Chemistry — It’s a Whole World Let’s get this straight: chemical engineering isn’t just chemistry. It’s math. It’s physics. It’s logic. It’s a battlefield of balance between complex subjects like  thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat and mass t...

From silence to strength — my journey as a woman who refused to shrink in a space that wasn’t built for her. They said it’s not a field for women. They said I’d be too “delicate” to handle the pressure. They said I’d be surrounded by men all the time — that it wouldn’t be “appropriate.” They said too much. But I stayed quiet — and let my actions speak. When I chose chemical engineering, I wasn’t just stepping into a degree — I was stepping into a battlefield of perceptions. In a class of 40, there were only  four of us girls . And that number alone made everything harder. Being seen. Being heard. Being taken seriously. I wasn’t just a student — I was a  woman  in engineering. And that meant I had to work  twice as hard to be considered half as capable . There’s a common belief where I come from — that women are  physically weak , emotionally fragile, and not fit for such “tough” fields. But the truth is, engineering doesn’t demand biceps — it demands  brain...

The reality behind the lab coats, grades, and caffeine-fueled nights People see the gold medal. The grades. The title  “chemical engineer.” What they don’t always see is the grind behind it. My day as a chemical engineering student started not with the sun, but with  Fajr  — the early morning prayer that gave me a moment of calm before the storm. Breakfast was usually simple:  one boiled egg and a cup of tea , enough to carry me through the first stretch of the day. By  6:30 a.m. , I was on the university bus, headed for the long ride —  an hour and a half  of mentally preparing for the day ahead, often squeezing in last-minute prep for quizzes, skimming over assignments, or just trying to stay awake. I’d arrive at  University of Wah  by 8 a.m., already bracing for the full day ahead — one that often didn’t let up until the sun set again. Our days were packed.  Thermodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Instrumentation...

I  wasn’t expected to succeed — but curiosity, chemistry, and courage led me here. I didn’t grow up surrounded by engineers. In fact, no one in my family had even gone past high school. There was no legacy of education, no footsteps to follow — only challenges. Being adopted and growing up without my biological parents, I often felt like I was expected to stay small, to settle. People looked at me and assumed I’d never go far. But deep inside, I had something else — a spark.  Curiosity. Passion. The unshakable belief that I was created equal, that I could do something big. Even as a child, I couldn’t stop asking questions. I needed to understand the “why” and “how” behind everything. I didn’t just want to exist — I wanted to  challenge myself , constantly. I’ve never been able to live without challenging my brain. That’s just how I’m wired. During parent-teacher meetings, my teachers would tell my mother, “She belongs in science. Chemistry and math are her strengths.” I w...

From a small-town classroom to big-picture dreams — a chemical engineer crafting her own path. I’m a proud graduate of the   University of Wah , a small private university in Pakistan — but my ambitions were always global. I didn’t just want a degree; I wanted to   create change . That drive led me into a field where science meets innovation, where precision meets purpose —   chemical engineering. Why chemical engineering? Because I wanted to do something  different . I wasn’t interested in following the crowd — I wanted to solve problems that matter. I wanted to understand how things work on a molecular level and scale them up to change how industries — and lives — function. That curiosity and courage carried me through  four years of challenges, breakthroughs, late nights, and personal growth . My time at university was more than lectures and lab reports. It was an intense journey of  friendships and rivalries ,  healthy competition , and moments whe...