The Challenge: Question 2

This post was especially fun to work on. Everyone I asked was eager to share some old memories with me. I was pleased to see people so excited to talk about their five-year-old selves. My mailman, in particular, even thanked me at the end of our interview for what he called a "fun and refreshing experience".

Question 2:

What did you want to be when you were five years old?

Name: Janet W.
Description: Friend and high school senior

"A dolphin trainer. But when I started kindergarten, I learned that all my classmates wanted to train dolphins too. I wanted to be different from them, so I decided to switch my answer to doctor. "

Name: Larry

Description: My mailman

"I always wanted to be an army man. And that's who I got to be! *gesturing to his hat that read "US Marine Corps. The Few, The Proud"* I joined to the military as soon as I got of age. I was born a people person. I enjoy helping others and do it out of the kindness of my heart. Just a few minutes ago I took a break from my route to help the lady across the street hold up her garage door. And now I'm talking to you! I think the world would be a much better place if people started doing things to help others and not just to earn a profit."

Name: Stefan P.
Description: Friend and high school senior

"I used to want to be a physicist. Although I do love whiteboards, I later realized that I would prefer building the things pictured on whiteboards rather than just thinking about them. That is why I now want to become an electrical engineer."

Name: Tim

Description: One of my high school's campus security guards. He was standing alone along the border of the newly opened parking lot adjacent to the math/science building during lunch. I saw an unopened brown lunch sack by his feet and realized that he was probably waiting for our lunch period to be over to let his guard down and eat. It was nice to know that he takes his job seriously.

"Spiderman... I was five years old and that was all that I wanted."

Name: Erick C.

Description: Orchestra stand partner and son of the owner of China Grill, W's, and Chongs.

"When I was five I wanted to become a restaurant owner. However I changed my mind in 3rd grade when I started playing the cello. From then on, I have wanted to become a professional cellist."

Here's an awesome clip of Erick playing cello at an international competition. Go like the video!

Name: Mr. Zeoli

Description: My AP English Literature teacher

"A scientist. That was what my dad was. I wanted to become an engineer or a physicist."

Name: Natasha V.

Description: Friend and extreme outdoor explorer/camper

"A cowgirl. I wanted to ride across the plains on my horse. Now I want to become an elementary school teacher."

Name: Ricardo

Description: The crossing guard on the Peck side of Pennekamp Elementary

"A cowboy."

Name: Carson B.

Description: Physics & comp sci classmate.

"I think... an astronaut? Because I wanted to find a new planet. However now I realize I could have just very well have been an astronomer to achieve that. I currently want to become an engineer."

Name: Helena D.

Description: Friend and high school senior

"I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer and live in the woods. Now I want to become a writer."

Name: Mr. Geczi

Description: My economics teacher and owner of a double-digit number of nice cars.

"A bus driver. I was really into big vehicles. You know how little boys are. I remember having a green and white bus. I used to pretend that I was the bus driver of a life sized version of it."

Name: Emily L.

Description: English classmate

" I wanted to be a cashier so I could be around money all of the time. I loved my little red toy cash register that I had when I was five. Now I would like to be the editor-in-chief of a magazine like Cosmopolitan"

Carina drew this creative representation of herself.

Name: Carina C.

Description: Friend and talented artist

"I wanted to be an artist, and I still want to be one today. More specifically, I plan to study product design in college.

Name: Mr. Park

Description: My orchestra teacher-director

"A firefighter. I had a big fire truck toy that I loved playing with-- well, in retrospect it was probably not as big as I thought it to be then. I did not know that I wanted to pursue a career in music until I reached graduate school."

My mother with my younger sister.

Name: Margaret C.

Description: My mother and current space physicist

"I wanted to be a mailman because getting the mail always made me happy. I thought that if I was a mailman, I could bring happiness to people all of the time. I was not aware of bills back then."

Name: Anna D.

Description: Friend

" I wanted to be a rainbow. And now I want to be a computer engineer."

Name: Taylin K.

Description: Friend

"A veterinarian. At least until I realized that there was a lot more to the job than just petting and feeding the dogs. Now I think I would rather be a dog sitter lol."

Name: Susan M.

Description: Friend

"I believe I wanted to be a teacher. And I still want to be a teacher today. Perhaps a math teacher."

Name: Milo D.

Description: Classmate and filmmaker

"An inventor and scientist. Then there was a phase when I wanted to be a movie director. Now I want to become a computer programmer."

Name: Juan M.

Description: Physics classmate

Juan: "I wanted to be a chemist. This changed when I later found out I was allergic to cats."

Me: "Sorry, what? I think I missed the connection there."

Juan: "My mom told me that my allergy was genetic, and ever since then I've been obsessed with wanting to fix it. That was what made me want to become a geneticist."

Name: Annie M. and Marissa D.

Description: Both are my friends.

Annie & Marissa ( in perfect unison) : " A PRINCESS!"

Annie: "The idea of wearing pink everyday excited me."

Marissa: "Oh, I just wanted everyone to do what I said."

This is how I personally view a career
in math. 

Name: Matt W.

Description: Physics classmate & math whiz

"A mathematician."

Name: Kimi M.

Description: Friend

" I wanted to be a pop singer. Now I want to go into graphic design because I like making art."

Name: Leah L.

Description: Friend

" I wanted to be a cop. I thought they were cool. And now? .. Hm I have no idea what I want to do."

Name: Christine N.

Description: Friend and tennis teammate

" I've always wanted to be a pediatrician. And I still do to this day. Although when I was younger my mom said that I called my dream job a 'baby doctor'."

Name: Sarah M.

Description: Friend and musician

"A ballerina-pianist. Now I want to become a professor in computer science."

Name: Nikos S. 

Description: Physics and comp sci classmate

"I wanted to be a fighter pilot because I thought it would be fun. I changed my mind later because I realized that I didn't want to kill people. Instead, I want to help people by becoming an aerospace engineer."

Name: Kellie J.

Description: Friend

" A dancer. I'm currently undecided as to what I want to pursue in the future."

And finally!

Name: Michelle T.

Description: Me, myself, and I.

The modest harvests of first-grade me.

" I wanted to own a fruit and vegetable farm and write children's books. 

All throughout elementary school, I tried growing a wide variety of fruits and veggies in our small patio outside of our house including pumpkins, potatoes, zucchinis, parsley, wheat grass, egg plant and oranges. On multiple occasions I tried transplanting wild strawberry plants I found in my neighborhood in my garden. 

From ages 5-7 I worked on writing/illustrating a children's book series that I titled "The Adventures of Kite Man". There were several parts to this series -- there were stories of the original kite man, his kite children, his kite grandchildren, and his kite great-grandchildren. (If I find my old manuscripts later, I'll post them here for your entertainment haha.) 

Now I want to become a physician, biomedical researcher, and professor (but would still love to own a large garden and write a book if I could). "