College student is man of many talents
Daniel Mahan hikes in Yosemite National Park. • Photos Submitted
By Tom Victoria
Daniel Mahan is a modern-day Renaissance man, well-versed in the Arts, Sciences and fitness. The YouTuber posts creative videos of his travels while attending college for a degree in astronautical engineering.
The 22-year-old explained what the more specialized degree entails.
“All things space whereas aeronautical engineering is all things in the air,” Daniel said.
The Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native always been fascinated with space, so his scholarly interests ended up directed toward the science and technology of spacecraft.
Daniel shows an arch in Arches National Park in Utah.
“What originally got me into space was probably the thought of creating habitats besides Earth,” Daniel said. “When I was little, I used to catch snakes and bring them home to be a pet for a while. I know that’s not right, but I was a little kid. I built them elaborate aquariums that had everything they needed to live. I think, in a way, that translates to colonizing space.”
To fund his education at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott in Arizona, he is enrolled in the United Sates Air Force ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps). Since Daniel will begin with a college degree under his belt, he will become a lieutenant.
“A bright future can only happen if you work toward it.”
During his college tenure, he has seen the number of students majoring in astronautical engineering dwindle as graduation approaches in December.
Along with heading for a career in the Sciences, Daniel focuses free time on the Arts. His YouTube channel boasts creative videos depicting a number of his trips across America and the globe. Daniel’s content evokes the more innovative music videos from the 1980s that aired on the newly debuted MTV to contemporary, including visual effects and the use of props.
Daniel floats on the water in Northern Wisconsin.
“I believe the Arts are important because they are a great avenue to express your ideas instead of just keeping them in your head,” he said. “The biggest influence in creating videos would have to be music videos. I always thought they were so cool. My artistic goal in creating each video is just the presentation of the fun and weird. The initial reason for posting videos is it’s a great place to store them and, hopefully, never lose them.”
Daniel decided a few years ago that he wanted to travel and see the sights the world has to offer.
“The main reason I like to travel is because every turn is something you’ve never seen before,” he said. “You are always taking in new information traveling. If the language is different or even just the culture, it is sort of like being reborn as an adult because you have to learn your way through it.”
Daniel sits in his hatchback during a camping trip in Northern Wisconsin, which is known as Up North to Wisconsites.
Daniel has been to such countries as Thailand, Costa Rica and Switzerland as well as such American highlights as Las Vegas, Chicago, the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park in Utah and Mount Rainier in Washington State.
“There are so many emotional moments,” he said about his travels.
In addition to having played volleyball and basketball, the athlete still works out and took up kickboxing.
“I was drawn to kickboxing to improve my speed and agility,” Daniel said. “I thought it might make my body look nice, too. My sister and I took some kickboxing classes at an underground gym and learned from the real guys, so it felt special. It also gave me some confidence in being able to defend myself if it ever came down to that.”
Before Daniel looked to the stars, he was fascinated by the past. As with many boys, dinosaurs captured his imagination.
Daniel enjoys traveling and works out to stay fit.
“I like dinosaurs mainly because the enormous power they seemed to carry,” Daniel said. “They are so unlike things we have around today. I see parallels of course in modern reptiles and birds. But just imagine when it was only them on this planet. I was extremely hooked on the book “Cryptid Hunters” by Roland Smith.”
The 2005 science fiction novel follows 13-year-old twins as they embark on an unforgettable adventure involving animals long thought extinct.
In all of Daniel’s pursuits, intellectual and physical, he remains positive.
“The importance of optimism is it’s a mindset, but also a remedy for so much,” he said. “Going through hard times, optimism can help. Looking toward the future, optimism can foresee a bright future. A bright future can only happen if you work toward it. That cannot be done if you are a pessimist or absurdly realistic. Events in life should, even if negative, be viewed as part of the roller coaster and to just let your hands go off the safety bar, put them above your head, scream, laugh and enjoy the ride.”
The link to Daniel's YouTube channel is: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheFrontYardGang/featured
The link to Daniel's Instagram account is: https://www.instagram.com/danielmahan20/