My Moment of Truth

Before entering college, I always thought I would end up in some type of field dealing heavily with computers, as I have always been a computer nerd in some form or another. I was also emboldened by the fact that I had the highest grade in my PC repair and Cisco Networking academy classes that I took at the Eastern Monroe Career Center during high school. I got accepted into the Computer Engineering Technology program at RIT, my dream school, thinking that I was on the path to a prosperous career in technology. The first year was challenging, as expected, but I persisted. Then the first semester of my second year is when things took a turn for the worst. In addition to my already challenging computer classes, I was taking physics and calculus for the first time in my life. I ended up dropping physics so that I could focus on calculus, but even then, with all the late night tutoring and office hours, I only barely passed the class. I had realized that that was actually going to be the easiest math class that I would take at RIT, and that the hard part didn’t even start yet. I was also losing interest in my computer classes despite doing pretty well in them. I knew at this point that something had to change. If I stayed on my trajectory, I estimate that it would’ve taken another 2 years to graduate, and that I would’ve entered a field that I completely lost interest in.

After late nights of self reflection, I realized that I was never really interested in how computers worked, or the math and physics behind them. I realized that all of the cool things I have actually done with technology in general, comes from a creative place. From 6 years old when I taught myself how to use PowerPoint so that I could visualize my Lego battles with stick figures, shapes and sound FX, to learning how to create music with a digital audio workstation when I was 14, to teaching myself a video editing software when I was 16 so that I could create a compilation of clips from my favorite Twitch streamer, a compilation that ended up getting 2 million views on YouTube, I have always been a creatively minded person, who knows how to adapt to new technology, and use it to it’s fullest extent. Since I was 14 and despite thinking that I would end up in a career focused on technology, I always wanted to be a music producer, but never saw a way to study it at a tech school at RIT or even turning it into a financially viable career. That was until I realized that RIT has a program called the school of individualized studies where you can study pretty much whatever you want. With this knowledge, I saw only two options: tough it out, finish the CET program and have a financially stable career, or study music and risk not being able to find a job. It was a black and white decision that for me came down to following your brain, or following your heart. I chose to follow my heart when I chose this path, I try to live my life with no regrets, and there is nothing I am more passionate about than music.

With maturity, I’ve come to realize that the world isn’t black and white, that you can make decisions that are both logical, and support your personal goals. To have a financially viable career in music, I learned that not only do you need to be really damn good at your craft, you also have to know how to market your music. This is why in addition to music, I am also studying marketing. This way, I can have a financially stable career that utilizes skills I will need for a career in music.