MARIANA MESSIAS

Being a passionate lover of chemistry, science and technology, when I entered higher education, I chose to study chemical engineering. After choosing the course, there was no doubt: I wanted to study at FEUP. I wanted to have the best possible education combined with an incredible academic spirit, in one of the most dynamic cities in the country.

Two years later, I feel I couldn't have made a better choice. It is difficult and demanding, but we reach the end of each stage, whether it's a semester or a year, with the feeling of having achieved our goals and of immense personal growth. Growth that is encouraged not only by the quality of teaching and teachers, but also by the spirit of mutual help and search for success that is lived on the course.

And because academic life is not only about classes, studying and exams, I chose to get involved in other activities that would allow me to meet more students, broaden my horizons and allow me to acquire and develop my soft skills. I decided, in the first semester of the first year, to join the Chemical Engineering Students Group of FEUP. Here I developed my communication skills, time management, teamwork, organisation of activities/events and I met people from different courses through the activities between nuclei and existing partnerships. However, there is such a wide range of associations and extracurricular activities at FEUP that we always want to experience/participate in something else.

Allied to the excellent teaching and activities offered by the faculty, we are taught to work and to overcome the challenges that are proposed to us, with quality recognised by companies and employers. We leave as engineers "with the FEUP seal", which opens many doors and opportunities for us.

I don't know what the future holds for me, but I am sure that two years ago I made the right decision. I would not hesitate in choosing FEUP again. As a FEUP student, I advise any young person to join the Faculty of Engineering of the U.Porto and live the best years of your life!