• Question: If you were to go back in time (I know, I know, but for the sake of the question please go along) to meet yourself at the age of 18 and tell him what you do everyday at the current moment, what would his reaction be?

    Asked by underscoredash to Jack, David, Dave, Chris on 18 Jun 2013.
    • Photo: Jack Miller

      Jack Miller answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      I’d like to think he’d be quite pleased! I remember distinctly wanting to do a physics degree, and wanting to use it to do cool stuff, so hopefully I wouldn’t be too disappointed!

    • Photo: David Freeborn

      David Freeborn answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      Hi underscoredash,

      I think he’d be really pleased. The 18 year old David was only just beginning his physics-journey, but he already had high hopes. I think he’d be delighted to see me actually doing research on real physics, pushing the limits of knowledge, and helping us to get a better understanding of the Universe.

      I think he’d also be surprised- because it’s taken a lot of hard work to get here, and he’d be pleased I never gave up. I’d like to think he would be proud of me.

      That being said, if I could time-travel, visiting my 18-year old self might not be a priority. There would be so many other amazing things to see and do!

    • Photo: Chris Mansell

      Chris Mansell answered on 18 Jun 2013:

      I think my 18-year-old self would be impressed that I’m doing research on quantum computers. I would try to explain that it took a lot of hard work to get here and I think he would find that very plausible. He didn’t mind hard work.

      I would try to give some context by saying that the unemployment rate for young people in 2013 is quite high. I think he would think I must have had a degree of luck to be where I am now and he would definitely be right.

      I’m not too sure what else my 18-year-old self might think.

    • Photo: Dave Farmer

      Dave Farmer answered on 19 Jun 2013:

      18 year old Dave’s first reaction would probably be, “Woah, when did you put on all that weight?!”

      He’d probably be a little bit annoyed that his Mum was right about him ending up doing a PhD in Physics, but wouldn’t be surprised. I’d probably also be a little bit surprised about the area I’ve chosen to work in, I remember being big on cosmology at that age.

      Actually thinking about it, at this time of year, 18 year old me had probably just finished his A-Levels and was too busy running round shouting “FREEDOM!!” to pay attention to anybody!

Comments