From Nobody to GIS: How I Found My Path to Environmental Data Analytics

From Nobody to GIS: How I Found My Path to Environmental Data Analytics

The Early Years

I graduated from high school in 2013 with no idea what I wanted to do. At the time, I did not take anything seriously, and money did not matter to me. Over the next four years, I bounced between jobs in different fields. I worked at Criterion, Burger King, CiCi's, Subway, Xerox, Hamilton Relay, ResCare, Sycamore Run, 84 Lumber, Chat and Chew Restaurant, Rocky Gap Signatures Restaurant, American Woodmark, WebstaurantStore, and even a hot dog stand. I experienced many different industries at the ground level, seeing firsthand what some of the worst work positions are like.

I hated all of them. None of these industries mattered much at a grand scale. Each lacked a bigger picture that would matter to me long-term.

I enrolled in college twice. The first time, I officially withdrew from general studies. The second time, I was in business administration and just stopped going to class. I worked to pay for concerts, events, and travel. Nothing more.