Why I Chose Chemical Engineering — and What It’s Really Like

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 wasn’t always the class topper, but I had something rare: a natural understanding. I could draw and name complex chemical structures — even unknown ones — correctly, again and again. That encouragement meant the world to me.

In college, math and chemistry were my comfort zone. My best friend and I would race to solve problems before the teacher even finished writing them on the board. We’d solve the whole exercise before the lesson was over — not for grades, but because it was fun.

When the time came to choose a career path, I didn’t hesitate. Looking around at the energy crisis in Pakistan, the pollution, the waste, and the potential to make a difference — I knew I had to go for chemical engineering.

It was the perfect fit.
It wasn’t just about chemistry and maths anymore. It was about turning raw materials into energy, reducing waste, designing sustainable processes, and optimizing industries that keep the world running.

Let me tell you: chemical engineering is not a walk in the park. It’s pressure vessels and pressure from life. It’s simulation errors, late-night reports, and balancing complex thermodynamic equations while balancing your own mental health.

But it’s also deeply fulfilling.

You learn how to:

• Design entire plants on simulation tools like Aspen Plus

• Analyze complex systems using material and energy balances

• Build solutions for sustainable fuel and energy production

• Think in systems, and solve real-world problems step by step

Choosing chemical engineering has never been something I’ve regretted — not even for a second. Every time I look back at my journey — from a background where no one expected much from me to standing here, creating something of my own — I feel proud.

I feel like I was made for this.

Chemical engineering gave me a voice, a purpose, and a platform to contribute to something bigger than myself. It taught me resilience, discipline, and confidence. And it proved that your circumstances don’t define your future — your passion does.

So here I am, telling my story not just as an engineer, but as a girl who chose to believe in herself when it wasn’t easy.