When I was a kid, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. Most people said they wanted to be like their dad or mom as a construction worker, firefighter, chef, or Minecraft YouTuber trillionaire. For years, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up until I started watching a YouTube channel called Kurzgesagt. I credit this YouTube channel for introducing me to the wonders of space, physics, and theoretical arguments. Since then, I’ve always been fascinated with space, especially with black holes, and I have had an obsession with these reality-breaking holes. Ever since then, I knew I wanted to be involved in research with space, so I set my sights on becoming an astrophysicist. I know the math, physics, and hard work I need. I won’t be the smartest person in the room. But I’ll be doing what I like. The pay is especially good. First timers get around $50,000-$80,000 annual salary. 

What even is astrophysics? Astrophysics is the study of space and a branch of astronomy. It uses the principles of physics to study the universe, including the physical and chemical structure of stars. It combines mathematics, physics, and astronomy. Astrophysics first started with astronomers such as Galileo, Copernicus, and Kepler. These famous astronomers thought up equations for the movement of celestial objects, jump-starting astrophysics. Galileo especially improved the quality of the telescope by significantly increasing the magnification and improving lens quality. It was the equivalent of the invention of the wheel for astrophysics as we use telescopes today as a crucial tool for researching, discovering new celestial bodies/objects, and helping in creating theories. 

What I hope to work with in astrophysics is black holes. These reality-breaking holes in space fascinate me. If this can bend reality to its will, what else can happen in space? What other supernatural-esque phenomena can happen? How can we use this knowledge to our advantage? It’s all so amazing, especially the variations of the black hole, such as the white hole, which is theorized to lead to another universe, or is a wormhole to the other side. Also, white holes aren’t the exact opposite of black holes; they don’t push you away, they also pull you in, but you’ll never reach the event horizon. Eventually, you’ll die of starvation, dehydration, or old age.

For those who don’t know what they want to be when they grow up. Don’t stress about it. When I got my inspiration for a career from a YouTube channel, I didn’t immediately know what I wanted to do. It was over the years that I studied and slept on it, then I figured out what I wanted to do. Progress isn’t always linear, it goes up and down like a heartbeat on a monitor. Don’t flatline and keep pushing, keep trying new things, and most importantly, don’t ever stop moving. Even if it’s just a crawl or sprint, always keep moving forward. I hope I helped you grasp some sort of idea you want to do. Keep going, my friend, don’t flatline.