I try to network wherever I go, even if it's 13 stories above the ground
backstory
I have always been a big fan of the Disney theme parks, but in 2019 I realized something about what my love for Disney meant for me.
I am a scientifically-inclined person; I love learning new things, trying out new technologies, and finding out what makes the world tick. This is why I chose to get my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering when I was first entering college. But along with the science side of me, there has always been another side that loves performance. I've been in stage plays, musicals, choirs, and music groups since I was in elementary school, and I haven't lost my interest in the arts since. As a freshman and sophomore at OSU, I was wrestling with the idea that I could either choose a career that offered technically-engaging work, or I could choose a career that offered creatively-challenging work, but not both. Then I discovered Imagineering. This term was coined by Walt Disney himself, and is a portmanteau of "imagination" and "engineering." I had no idea that someone could work as an engineer in a theme park; what a concept! It was at that moment that I stopped looking at engineering and performance as two separate parts of who I am, and started recognizing them as two forces that, more often than not, are working together in harmony.
So I knew I wanted to work with Disney someday, but how to get there? While finishing up my undergraduate degree, I decided I would create an Instagram account dedicated to learning more about theme park design and teaching it to whoever wanted to learn. So I did. During the summer of 2019 I created the account, and over the course of a year I accumulated my first 1,000 followers. I also tried my hand at making educational YouTube videos about design theory in the Disney parks, and realized I loved it. I have written, filmed, edited, and posted three Disney-related YouTube videos now. And while they haven't garnered millions of followers yet, I just love getting to make them and seeing something go from idea to real video.
If this sounds interesting and you want to learn more, check out some of my YouTube videos below! Or click on the social media links in the navigation bar to go directly to the source.