Ben Mahic, Staff Writer 

Throughout the course of a day, people will often encounter dozens of others without even realizing it. Each of these individuals has a unique story- even the people who call out food orders at Utica College.

Freshman Rob Daniels, whose major is undeclared, is unlike most first-year students who are just trying to find their way in school. Daniels, a Sauquoit Valley High School graduate, took a hiatus and didn’t necessarily know what he wanted to do following graduation.

“I went to Sauquoit Valley High School, and after that I pretty much just worked full-time,” Daniels said. “I was lost after high school. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I took a two year break to find myself and see what I really wanted to do.”

Daniels, a 24-year-old freshman, was looking for work after high school, so his godfather found him a job in the kitchen at UC. While Daniels has been working at the school for quite some time, he felt a sudden need for change after working at the school for three years.

“I definitely wanted to be a different person. I was still trying to find myself as a man,” Daniels said. “So, I decided to try new things and not stay comfortable. Staying comfortable makes you weak, lazy and you don’t want to be there for too long.”

Creativity can often be stunted in the kitchen and Daniels felt a need for change. After giving it some thought, Daniels eventually decided it was time to make a life-altering decision to become a college student.

“By my last couple of years, my friends started drifting away and I didn’t really have anybody to keep me active. I was always stuck in my house doing stuff by myself,” Daniels said. “I started just not caring and got lazy. It’s really difficult to get out of that slump. I watched a lot of motivational videos. But now I don’t even need that.”

Without school and much passion, Daniels recognized that being in a perpetual slump wouldn’t result in any production. Given his artistic background – Daniels’ mother is a graphic designer and he credits her for all of his creativity – he wanted to focus his energy on creating art that might eventually be seen on the big screen.

“I love film, I grew up on film and Quentin Tarantino movies. I want to be a screenwriter, or possibly write stories for screenwriters – a novelist,” Daniels said. “I figured out that’s what I wanted to do about five years ago. I was just sitting in my room one day looking at my collection of movies, and I was just like, ‘Man, I really love this stuff,’ so I might as well put my heart and passion into it.”

Daniels plans on completing several projects centered on his creativity while continuing to get an education at Utica College. When Daniels finally gets the chance to see his work displayed in front of a large audience, students will get to see his name on the credits and think, “I remember that guy from the cafeteria.”