Science Fair: The Real Work Begins

Nothing good lasts forever. This is quite literally the truth. One day we feel like we can climb to the top of Mount Everest without a problem, and the next we feel like if being run over by a truck. There is no way to prevent or predict it, and nothing hits stronger than a good, old Monday morning. 

Welcome again to another... intense blog entry. Last time, I wrote about the struggles I went through to find a good idea for a project. But just thinking of an idea wasn’t going to get me too far. So, right when I started to relax a bit, my brain conjured another tsunami in my head. How can I build a voltage detector that is easy to put together and understand which works underwater and on dry land?  

For the next few weeks, my face was permanently bathed in the ghoulish blue haze from a phone or laptop screen. I tried to read up as much as I could on voltage detectors, breadboard circuits, indirect and direct electrical contact, and even proper insulation. This went on for so long that I ended up rereading articles twice, convinced that I might’ve missed something that was etched between the lines. Even now, I still think I can recite a few quotes from some of the articles.  

Two months passed, and still not a single breakthrough. Every one of my designs either collapsed during testing, was too complicated for me to even draw, or the design sparked briefly and my mom went out of her way to put it out. During the many different trials I’ve held, there was one lesson I learned altogether: never solder parts together while inside the house, and especially do not work on the kitchen counter (unless you want to lose your freedom the next morning and be put on house arrest. I dodged a bullet with that trick).  

After reaching this very low point (I know it’s very low since I thought of using ChatGPT several times), I found the website that answered my prayers. It was an educationally sponsored website that had instructions on how to create a simple LED sensor that lights up when a high voltage is detected. There were links to videos and even diagrams for beginners on how to build it! 

This was it. If this works, I can finally create the best possible prototype for my project (at least to my ability). All I needed to do was check if I, a paranoid and burnt-out teenager, could pull it off. It wasn’t surprising that it took me a few tries, but I managed to figure it out! 

To bring my own twist into the game, I added an extra extension circuit to the original with a fancy buzzer piece and more LED lights to add a few extra details (to indicate when the device has been turned on, etc.) just to give it extra points.  

After months of work, sweat, and loss of self-esteem, I finally managed to scrap together a fully functioning prototype of the Electrical Danger Detector (that's the name I gave to my project) that alerts when a high voltage is detected and shines a bright light to give further warning. Finally, I could take the first real, heartfelt breather in the history of breathers.  

A week later, the day of the Science Fair arrived. I was feeling good about my presentation until I saw everyone else’s project. My heart sank to my stomach again. Everyone’s project was so elaborate and put together that I almost didn’t want to stand next to my trifold anymore. A friend of mine created a recyclable menstruation pad that cost half the price of normal ones that are used today. A junior theorized a way to end cancer! The guy in front of me invented a holder for phones to be locked away in cars, so the car can’t be started without locking the phones in to prevent crashes. 

There was no way the judges would have a good opinion of my Electrical Danger Detector with all these amazing projects around me. There was no way I would make out of this alive. But the show must go on.  

Fake it ‘till you make it. Fake it ‘till you make it. At that point, this was my mantra, and I was running on three cups of coffee.  

After painstaking silence and nerve-wracking recitations of the same presentation repeatedly, it was time for judging and awards. The judges didn't show any disappointment or dislike, but I knew for a fact that I wouldn’t get an award. Honestly, I just wanted a passing grade and another cup of coffee. So, I patiently waited at the very back of the cafeteria for the ceremony to end.  

About halfway through the presentation, the awards for civil engineering began. That was my category. Out of curiosity, I couldn’t help but mildly turn my attention to the screen. My heart was beating so loud that I had to rely on my sense of sight to read the names off the smart board since my hearing was compromised.  

“And finally, from the Office of Naval Research and Science,” the presenter dragged out. I was so intrigued by each syllable that I slowly inched up the room to hear the names as if possessed.  After what seemed like an hour, two names were called. One of which was my name! I looked around to make sure that it wasn’t a mistake or a terrible prank before I went forward to collect my medal. My teachers huddled around me, whispering congratulations into my ears as roaring applause rang through the room. The looks on my dad’s, my brother’s, and my mom’s faces were glowing with pride, excitement, and joy. My mom pushed through the crowd to get a decent picture of me in the commotion. And in that one moment, I closed my eyes and stood with my teachers, my family, and my friends, just staying in the moment. 

Looking back at the pictures of myself onstage, my lips curved into a wide smile with my eyes still huge with shock. I remember shaking so hard as I made my way across the room, I almost didn’t trust myself to walk in a straight line without tripping. This memory of the science fair proved to me once more that if you try your hardest and prove to yourself that you are giving it your all, then that’s all that matters. The awards, the grade, and even the competition itself are all bonuses. There isn’t a greater reward than self-satisfaction and contentment. Truly, isn’t that what we desire beneath all the expectations and wants? It is important to let go of the results when you’ve put in your best effort. Honestly, it’s too much of a burden to carry all those desires and expectations with you when you can only do so much to influence them. When you put it that way, things don’t seem as difficult anymore. Anyway... I can't wait for next year!

What do You Think? 

Well, that was a lot of words and emotions. I’m getting mini doses of stress just thinking about everything that happened. Now that my mind is reminiscing over everything, it’s your turn to think about something similar! 

• Can you think of a time when you were surprised by an outcome?

• If you have an important event coming up, whether it be school related or something else, what can you do now that can impact the result?

• Have you ever had any sleepless nights when you know that you have something to do but just can't do it?