"From the (admittedly short) list of “things high school taught me before college,” I knew that math and science would always be a part of my academic life. However, from the (worryingly long) list of “things high school didn’t teach me before college,” I never really knew how I’d be able to apply my interests in the STEM field to an engaging and rewarding career. As such, I entered my college experience mostly in dark. After some (high-school level) research into the field of engineering, I blindly chose the one that appealed the most to me - Aerospace, thought process being, “space is cool, math is cool, sounds like a perfect fit.” However, after spending almost a year in the program, I’ve come to realize that space is still cool and math is still cool, but unfortunately Aerospace Engineering just isn’t something I could devote my life’s work to. It was a painful realization that I may have wasted two whole semesters of school in a major I was uninterested in, but overall the experience was still useful. In fact, being in the wrong major lead me to take a Computer Science course that I otherwise never would have signed up for, and it was in this class where I found my true passion for coding, and this time I knew for sure. Homework doesn’t even feel like homework, and I actively enjoy working on assignments that aren’t due for another three weeks. I guess I can’t really blame high school or my lazy research for me choosing the wrong major - some things you just have to experience on your own. I’m thankful for the realization and can’t wait to see where Comp. Sci. takes me!"
The Why Axis Project is a manifestation of a larger concept I try to incorporate into my work. In my opinion, to truly understand someone, you must learn why they do what they do and not just what. The world of college gave me the opportunity to start this photo story by looking at why people chose their major versus just what people chose. This fundamental shift in thinking has allowed me deeper connections to those I met and photographed. Through this long-term photo story, I hope to share all the different answers to this question.
