Q&A with Maral Mohagheghi Samarin

Maral is a student ambassador here to answer your questions. Click here to contact Maral.

What inspired you to choose engineering?

I wanted to pursue a career where I could use my creativity and problem-solving skills every day. Engineering was the perfect choice for me because it would allow me to combine my theoretical knowledge with my creativity to find solutions to real-world problems.

Why Western Engineering?

I was a part of a FIRST Robotics Team in Highschool that was mentored by Western Engineering students, through this team I got the opportunity to see the Western Engineering community. I really appreciated Western Engineering’s cooperative and friendly atmosphere. I really liked the fact that all the students seemed happy to help one another to ensure each other’s success.

I also really liked Western Engineering’s dual degree and concurrent degree programs, as getting a dual degree was something that I was very interested in. I knew that the school would support me if I wanted to pursue a second degree during my time there.

Can you talk about your extracurricular activities at Western?

I am currently one of the Vice Presidents of WE MARS which is an engineering club that builds a Mars rover and mentors FIRST Robotics High School Teams.

Engineering clubs are a great way to hone technical skills that are not focused on in the classroom. These clubs also provide the opportunity for students to not only learn new technical skills but to improve their interpersonal skills which are very important in the industry. Finally getting involved in different activities is a great way to de-stress and find new friends.

Study tips for current/future students?

My biggest advice is to go to all of your lectures. The first few days of each class seem simple but the basics learned in those early lectures are very important for the more complicated materials that follow. Going to the lectures will make your study time a lot shorter because you won’t need to learn everything on your own the night before an exam.

Make sure you understand the material. If you have any questions ask your profs, they are always more than happy to help.

Finally, find what method of studying works for you. For example, I find it helpful to go over my notes in detail before starting any review questions when studying for a test or an exam. I have noticed that I get frustrated if I have to keep going back and forth between my notes and the textbook to solve a question.

What is your favourite book, movie, TV show or quote?

My Favorite TV Shows of all time are Doctor Who and the Mentalist, and my favourite movie is The Dark Knight.

How do you manage school-related stress?

I found that eating healthy and having a good sleep schedule has a positive effect on not only my stress level but on my academic performance as well so I ensure that I am sleeping on time and that I have a healthy diet during the year. I also make sure to plan activities with my friends and family throughout the school year. Spending time with people I care about is a great way for me to deal with stress.