“How did an engineer become a CG Artist?” Part 1 of like 6 or 8?

“After scoring an abysmal 28/100 on my 1st college physics test, I was All In!”

✏ Early on, I was passionate about drawing. I used to sketch many things, my favorite cartoon character Garfield and even golf courses. Strangely, around the 8th grade, I stopped drawing…it simply faded into the background as I became more engrossed in teenage life in the 80s. Can anyone say “Kajagoogoo!”

✈ Also I was always fascinated by airplanes. I think this came from watching movies like Star Wars and Top Gun. When asked me about my aspirations, I responded with a simple and uninspired, ‘uh….I like the way airplanes look.’ That’s when they informed me, ‘That’s engineering.’

⚙ I had no clue about what an engineer was and what they actually did. But I knew one thing – I wasn’t going to be an attorney. My dad was a self-employed attorney and that was waaay too much reading for me ?. I have always liked visuals.

? Fast forward to first year in college at the University of Louisville. Having no clue, I just picked a random major in business. I took Calculus 101 and killed it. It just came easy. But looking around the room, I noticed that most people in the class were struggling big time.

? Like a rocket-scientist, I contemplated, ‘Hmm, maybe I should major in math.’ Now – I’m not throwing shade on any of the math majors out there, but, this wasn’t the most inspired decision of my career. It was just a reaction based on my comparison with others. In reality, it points to not really knowing yourself and your strengths. And when something bubbled up, I just followed it.

The next semester, I made the “inspired” move to change my major to math. I ventured into Physics 298 covering mechanics, heat, and sound. But, my first physics test was a literal disaster – I got a 28/100 … WHAT THE?!?  (fortunately, it got curved to a ‘C’ ?).

Oddly, I totally loved that class. And realizing that maybe a math major wasn’t the best use of my skills, I wondered – ‘Who engages in this kind of work?’ The answer was clear: mechanical engineers. ? Boom! first part of the equation solved – The engineer.

My guess is that typical engineers don’t make career decisions like this…but…I am not a typical engineer and I did get to the profession of engineering, albeit on a plinko like path.

A pattern emerges here that I didn’t quite grasp until later on. I possess the ability to learn rapidly and dive into just about anything, which is my superpower. However, when you couple this with a touch of ADHD and a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out), things can get quite chaotic. This crazy blend would greatly shape the years to come.

As I look back, I don’t regret any of it. In fact, I take pride in it—heck, it’s who I am. But it can certainly lead one astray, causing a loss of focus and embarking on various “intriguing” tangents.