Questions by Perri McGillivray
P: I have to say, for your first blog post on our platform, you really blew it out of the park. When you volunteered to write a post this month, did you already know what you wanted to write for “Transition”? What comes to your mind when you hear the word “transition”?
L: First of all, I want to thank the blog team for entrusting me with my first blog post so quickly. It was a phenomenal experience! Surprisingly, I knew exactly what I wanted to do as soon as I heard about this month’s theme. Changing from a CS major to an English degree was a major shift for me. I know that many other people like me have been in this situation, so I knew how important it was to discuss. When I hear the word “transition”, I think about the unexpected changes that we have in life. Those changes can seem difficult, but often have a lot of promise for us.
P: You talk about jumping from club to club and trying lots of different activities. What are some of your favorite clubs/activities that you tried? Were any particularly memorable or interesting?
L: Yes, many of them were memorable. In college I attended a few writing clubs, and one for board games. Each of them were great in their own rights. Eventually, I ended up at the Beyond Thought Creative Arts Journal. It was the best fit for me. My favorite activity is working on our seasonal magazine because we get to showcase so many good pieces from students across the country.
P: What are your favorite video games to play? Currently and growing up?
L: Well, the game that specifically made me want to be a computer scientist was the 3DS remake Pokemon Alpha Sapphire. Something about it really got me motivated to follow that dream. Since then, I have had the pleasure of broadly expanding my gaming preferences. Some of my current favorites are NieR Automata, Titanfall 2, and Kingdom Hearts 2.
P: Going from computer science to English is a big jump. What prompted such a dramatic switch in career choices? Were there other options that you were considering other than English?
L: In high school, everyone always complimented how well I wrote. Eventually, writing became something that I felt very passionate about. Which motivated me to study English. I also considered going into business because I thought that it would be a good way to build on my technical experience. I actually plan to minor in business as I pursue my English degree.
P: What are some of your goals as a writer/creative? Do you have a specific career in mind now that you’ve switched to English as your major or are you still feeling out your options?
L: I still want to work in the game industry, so I hope I can work as a writer at a studio. However, because I am studying English, that gives me a lot of avenues. So far, I have gotten a lot of blog writing work. I hope to next move into game reviews and copy writing. My main goal with writing is to find a secure position, but I am really excited to see where I go next.
P: Is this the first time you’ve given up one dream to pursue another? What advice do you have for people transitioning between dreams/goals?
L: I believe so, especially for something that I felt so passionately for.
My advice is to ask yourself “What makes me happy?” If what you're doing makes you happy, then keep doing it. If not, then maybe start to consider a change. Then again, my word is not scripture. You have to be intelligent about your situation. Think about what's bothering you, how you would want it to change, and knowing where you can go from that choice.
P: And, as always, where can our audience find you?
L: For my other work, you can check out my posts on the Beyond Thought website and the Original Breath Builder website. And I can be found at my Instagram account, @lennyoninsta72.