MANILA, Philippines – A common expectation about those taking Engineering is that they are excellent in Mathematics because it is almost always needed to pass the courses or subjects that must be studied in this field. However, it turns out that not all the time, engineers love or are good at Math.
Just like Sirven Carandang Garibay, who was a topnotcher in the November 2016 Civil Engineering Board Exam with a rating of 93.20 and graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Who would have thought that he did not like Math and even considered it his "waterloo?"
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| Photo courtesy: Sirven Carandang Garibay (Facebook) via PEP |
In an interview with the online magazine of the engineering community, GineersNow.com, in 2020, Sirven mentioned that when he was a child, his real dream was to become a doctor.
As he grew older, he realized that his passion was in engineering, especially as it was further inspired by the story of his close friend.
Sirven admitted that engineering subjects are difficult, but his favorite is structural design. He said he hates Math, but that doesn't mean he fails in it. He simply puts in double the effort in all their Math subjects because it is essential in engineering.
When it comes to study habits, Sirven admitted that he is not intensely focused. He only studies in the morning because he is not the type of student who is nocturnal or active in studying at night. This method is effective for him because he cannot study when his mind is already exhausted from a full day of learning at school.
Due to the difficulty of the board exam, Sirven never expected that he would become the topnotcher or even make it to the top 10, not to mention his study habits.
Currently, Sirven is connected with Makati Development Corporation as a Structural Design Engineer.
— Noel Ed Richards, The Summit Express
