A Fictional Universe Model
Written by Grady Gibson
Photography by Aida Ebrahimi
If you’re anything like me, you spend a lot of time thinking about the decisions you make and are going to make. And if you’re even more like me, you’re a complete fucking nerd. The key here is to use that to your advantage.Now, what exactly do I mean by that? What I’m proposing to you and the rest of the world is a sort of decision-making model. And I swear to God, if anybody Zuckerbergs me on this idea and doesn’t give me credit, I’ll…well, I don’t know. I’ll probably just be very upset with them. Regardless, here goes my introduction of The Fictional Universe Model. Fireworks and roaring applauseBefore I introduce this, you’re probably going to ask yourself at some point, “where does he get these ideas, and how does he manage to write in such detail about them?” Those are valid questions, and the answers, respectively, are:
My brain is all kinds of fucked up, and
I just drank some coffee, and the caffeine is hitting me like a train.
. . .
Let’s say you’re a college student like me who’s having a hard time picking a major or deciding what you want to do as a career. The common procedure would normally involve reaching out to an academic advisor, researching which jobs go well with your skills and interests, and taking no less than five Buzzfeed quizzes to see what career field you truly belong in.This system of decision making is boring, uncreative, and not always very fruitful.Here’s where The Fictional Universe Model comes into play. The way it works is really quite simple; imagine yourself in a fictional universe that you’re familiar with, and see what kinds of decisions you would make there.For instance, I’m a complete fucking dork when it comes to Harry Potter. I know what Hogwarts house I’d be in, I know what magical subjects I’d like to study, and I know damn well that I would tear through those holiday feasts in the Great Hall.So, as a 19-year-old college sophomore who isn’t exactly sure about what career he’s looking for, I simply imagine what decisions I’d be making in the Harry Potter universe. As of now, I’m currently majoring in psychology with a possible interest in doing research and perhaps being a professor one day. At the same time, though, there’s a part of me that really loves the idea of going into journalism and being a freedom of speech crusader, that type of thing. So what’s the wizarding equivalent to all of that?On the psychology front, it’s a subject with a lot of competition and plenty of opportunity for research and study. If I were going to do research one day, perhaps that wouldn’t be so different from studying, say, transfiguration or charms for several years at some wizard university and eventually becoming a professor at Hogwarts.On the flip side, the wizarding world is a journalism wonderland. From The Daily Prophet to The Quibbler, there are countless opportunities of potential for writers. This is probably due to the fact that people in the Harry Potter universe are never too busy checking their Instagram to pick up a fucking newspaper.Anyway, I’ve now established the parallels between the real world and the fictional universe of my choosing. All I need to do to know if I’m on the right track, now, is to put myself in that universe. Would I be cool with studying transfiguration or charms for years and doing advanced research in the field? Hell yeah, getting to work with complex things and using my expertise in a certain field to pioneer new concepts sounds fucking awesome. Do I like the idea of being a reporter for The Daily Prophet and attempting to restore the journalistic integrity that Rita Skeeter threw out the window? Another hell yeah, I love writing and doing it as a career would make me happier than a house elf being given a sock.I’m not 100% solid on what I’m going to do in real life. I know both going into psychology and going into journalism would be valid, fulfilling choices for me, though. That’s kind of what this model helps you figure out.Let me use a few different examples; say you’re an entrepreneurial spirit and like the idea of starting your own business, but are unsure if you’re cut out for it. Would you be able to handle owning a shop on Diagon Alley? Maybe you’re into sports and are thinking about being an athletic trainer. Does the idea of being at quidditch games and fixing up bludger-beaten players sound cool to you? Your only limit when using this model is your own creativity and inquisitiveness.I’ve been using Harry Potter because it’s familiar to a lot of people, but The Fictional Universe Model can essentially apply to anything: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Percy Jackson, you name it.My main message is this: thinking of things in unique ways can have a really big impact on how you handle your life. The Fictional Universe Model isn’t a be-all, end-all for making decisions or imagining scenarios, but rather, a tool to help you better understand yourself and the situations you find yourself in.If you’ve made it this far, I’d highly encourage you to subscribe to my blog, reach out to me, and brace yourself for more posts. I have a lot of thoughts.