I’m finding myself drawn closer to the long, thorny path of academia. I love studying, learning, and applying my knowledge to solve problems. I’m not sure what possessed me to choose Mechanical Engineering five years ago, but it seems very fitting now. Granted, there were many moments during my undergraduate education that I doubted my own resolve for this field of study. But after all was said and done, I have grown accustomed to the insufferable hours and head scratching that all academics must face. It might be that I am afraid to leave the comfort zone of college. I mean, who would want to give up the chance to meet wonderful people and experience new and exciting things? Not to mention all of the social aspects of college life, which I probably don’t need to explain. I’ve never been much of a partygoer, but I enjoy relaxing with good beer and friends. If three years of being able to go into the bars across the street from the Engineering building haven’t made me a beer-snob, then perhaps two years in Germany will.
Hobbies: Art has always been a huge part of my life. My parents collect antiques, and they have always had a vast library of books concerning crafts and art. Also, my brother has always been a source of inspiration for my own art. When we were little, we would draw cartoons and invent worlds around our drawings. Our parents only had to supply us with a constant stream of paper and pencils, and we would keep ourselves occupied for hours. At Oregon State University, I discovered that I needed an outlet beyond doodling in class. Thus, I started a minor in Applied Visual arts. Although the cumulative stress of studio art classes on top of an already full engineering schedule was harrowing, I think it paid off in the end. Now, I run a web comic with my brother Paul and my friend Chester. I work on the art, Paul composes music, and Chester does the writing. Unfortunately, I have been insanely busy lately with preparing for Germany and finishing up my undergraduate studies, so it’s been sitting idly for a while.
In addition to my love of art, I enjoy the outdoors. It has been a longstanding tradition for our family to climb mountains together. I love camping, rafting, and fishing as well. There is nothing more relaxing than watching the sunset reflected in the clear waters of a sub-alpine lake.
Life Goals & Aspirations: World Domination, raising an army of robots to do my bidding, etc… I don’t really know yet, and I’m not sure if I should know. Some people want to be remembered for doing great things. Others want fame and fortune. Sure, those would be nice, but they aren’t really goals in my mind, just symptoms of achieving your goal. I always wanted to be an inventor, which has probably contributed to my choices in education. However, what I enjoy the most is the act of creating something. Looking back on my old creations, I am never satisfied. There is always something to improve or fix. Perhaps my goal is to finish something, and to be able to look back on it and be completely satisfied with the results. Sounds pretty lame, I know. But that’s how I have always felt about any project I do, whether it is for engineering, art, or other exploits.
Personal Views: Liberal political views, with a few smatterings of conservative views. I’ve always found it more important to figure out your own beliefs through research and facts than to adhere to a status quo. Perhaps years of using the scientific method has rubbed off on my political and religious views… Speaking of religious views, I know that this is a touchy subject with a lot of people. The closest thing that describes my religious viewpoint is agnostic atheism. That is, I don’t believe in God, but I do not deny the existence of her/him/it because I can neither prove nor disprove their existence. I know that I will receive some complaints because of this (i.e.: angry/proselytizing emails, flaming crosses, rocks, etc…), but that is nothing new. However, I do believe that the moral guidelines that religion offers are useful.
