The only concept or experience or core belief that I can attribute my other-ness to is that I just started out a weirdo and I stayed a weirdo. And it took me a long time to embrace my outsidership and see it as a strength rather than a weakness.
I think I finally chose the graduate degree in engineering primarily because it only took one year and law school took three years and I felt the pressure of being a little behind - although I was just 22.
