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Darin Straub

Dreamers Dream, Believers Believe, but Strivers….Strive!!

Updated: Feb 19

Being someone who was born in '91 before the internet had started and all the new technology came about, a world that didn’t have TikTok or Youtube, our posting platforms for promotion was the newspaper and commercials on TV. I was getting introduced to the Playstation and Gamecube and my first video game console was the Sega Genesis and the Nintendo playing Sonic and Duck Hunt. Growing up in a new world of technology and entertainment, my passion was starting to developing.  

 

My brother and I made home movies with the camera that we got for Christmas, which got my brother interested in film making. I would find some interest as well in some form or another, but he would continue his passion in film by even making films for the school film festival. He eventually graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a degree in film and becoming a freelance cinematographer.  

 

I on the other hand always admired my brother and wanted to follow the same passion of the industry, but in a different way. I tried to take a stab at the film festival, even writing a script for it. It never saw the light of day but got me more interested in writing. I tried to write songs and develop ideas for video games. But after all that I had no idea what I really wanted to do as I was moving through High School. Bouncing around from one interest to another I would get into doing radio in college and then emcee for a couple of organizational events.  

 

After graduating with a degree in Communication Studies in 2014 I would go on to work a few jobs here and there. I wouldn’t necessarily be following a passion but more of a enjoyment. But I knew one thing, I had creativity rolling around inside me somewhere as I did when I was younger. Nothing really gave me the joy I had when being introduced to the new world of entertainment, which got me interested in the first place. I knew that my heart would bring me to where I needed to give me the happiness I craved. 

 

I have big dreams like so many other people have in this world of ours. I would love to chase after them but none of the motivation to strive. Where do I even begin? What do I really want to do with my life? That passion is inside me somewhere just need to find that push.  Sometimes it takes that one certainty that gets your gears turning and gets you the push you needed to get you where you want to go. That push came in the form of entertainment, a movie, “The Greatest Showman”. My head was spinning with excitement in ways that it made me remember the passion that I truly discovered as a child. Now I still had little motivation but I knew what I wanted to strive for and what I would want to move away from. I had this dream building inside my head, realizing what I was meant for. I always thought I had lost my creativity growing up, wasn’t that same child that could create an entire skate park on Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. I was rediscovering what made me want to be in entertainment and bringing that passion out once again. I had a big dream to make into a reality. I had no idea what I was doing, so the best call for me was to point myself in the direction that helped me learn what I needed to make it. 

 

I never liked the idea of going after a job just for the paycheck. I want to be able to wake up in the morning with a smile on my face and say to myself “I get to go to work today”. I'm not saying that it is a bad thing to care only about money, find what works for you. I'll go after a job that pays less just because I love doing it and it makes me happy before sitting in a cubicle from 9-5 every day. Too many people attend school for the money or the degree. That is why I ask the question, “What do you want to do for the rest of your life?” I knew what I wanted to do and I procrastinated long enough that I didn’t care what it cost to achieve my dream. I (re)attend school because I have a dream I want to finally follow, a passion I want to fulfill. I don't want to get stuck in a rut pushing pins and making sure there is a cover sheet on my “TPS” reports. 

 

Follow your passion, follow your goals and dreams. I wanted to get back on the path towards what I enjoyed as a kid, and that is entertainment. The thing about paths is that they have bumps, but as long as you don't stray off that path you could reach what you want. There are so many opportunities, so many rings while in school to grasp onto that can help you capture goals that bring you one step further. I joined the EIT (Entertainment Industry and Technology) major in hopes that it will help me the most, with the addition of marketing and entrepreneurial classes. Who knows you might even discover what your strengths are when you least expect it. I know I have a joy putting on events and working in the event planning aspect of the entertainment industry. I have other passions within the industry whether it were writing or performing. But even though I am a man who loves the spotlight, it made me realize that I really just enjoy being behind the scenes of the industry. 

 

I eventually met certain people that have lended their hands in my career goals. For instance meeting Professor Siwei and his Entrepreneurship Minor and Professor Kay Beckermann’s Flypaper. Not to forget Professor Ryan Jackson's leadership in the EIT degree. They all have helped me discover and reach new found goals that pushed me farther along the path to my future career. I've learned in the past that it is not who you know, it's who knows you. You make enough connections on your path eventually that phrase will be big in your book.  

 

You should always do what you love, because down the line you'll love what you do. 




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