Shoe Designs and Paper Computers

I was home over break and decided to dig through an old drawer where I keep some of my childhood stuff. Some drawings, random projects, things I made when I was like 10 years old.

I haven't looked at this stuff in years, but since I've been thinking a lot about wanting to do creative work in the future, I figured why not take a look at what I was creating back then?

And honestly, it was a flood of memories.

I played basketball growing up, and like any elementary school kid, I loved basketball shoes. So naturally, I thought "why not design my own shoe line?" I ended up drawing over 40 different shoe designs. Not just shoes either, hoodies, beanies, even my own basketball. I had seasonal editions too. Christmas shoes. Winter shoes. Special drops.

Looking back, it was basically my own version of Nike ID. Just having fun designing things I thought were cool.

I was also weirdly into making maps of imaginary towns and cities. How would buildings be laid out around roads? What's the best way to design a parking lot? How would my dream mansion be laid out?

I know it's a little crazy for an elementary school kid to be thinking about urban planning, but I just loved thinking about layouts and maps.

One thing I found that made me laugh was a paper computer I made. I drew a keyboard, a screen, and even taped a paper mouse onto it. At the time, I probably thought it was genius. (Still kind of proud of it, not gonna lie.)

So, I'm sitting here looking at all this stuff spread out on my desk, and it hit me. The creativity I had as a kid definitely influences the things I want to do now. Vibecoding feels similar, building things, designing layouts, figuring out how pieces fit together. It's the same creative outlet, just a bit different.

I don't think you need to get stuck in the past or try to recreate what you did as a kid. But I do think it's worth looking back to see what gave you energy. What you actually loved doing when there was no pressure, no grades, no responsibilities. Just pure creation.

Obviously, it doesn't mean you have to become a shoe designer just because you drew shoes. But it is telling to know what type of creativity you once loved.

So, if you're currently in a rut or struggling for inspiration, take a peek at your childhood. The things that lit you up back then might point you in the right direction now.

Alright, that's it for this one. It's a Saturday night as I'm writing this, and it's definitely past my bedtime.

Thanks for reading! 😆

Max Yang