My Background

I’m a first generation Nigerian-American and, fun fact, I’m a member of the Yoruba tribe. In my culture, names have powerful meanings, and my first name means “I should give praise.” If you’re unsure how to pronounce it, no worries, I’ll teach you! This is how my name is pronounced:

Opeyemi (ah-peh-yeh-mee) Odejimi (ah-deh-jih-mee)

Outside of my culture, I’m currently in my final year of undergrad at the University of Oklahoma in mechanical engineering. I started Bloc.io/Thinkful’s UI/UX design bootcamp in September of 2020 and completed it in September 2021.

When I’m not designing or solving thermodynamics problems, I love painting, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family!

My Story

I’ve been an engineer and a designer my entire life.

I remember that, as early as kindergarten, I used to draw and paint any chance I got. I know that most kids really like to color just for fun, but for me, I always imagined myself as an artist, constantly working on her next masterpiece. 

Unfortunately, I never became the next Picasso, but my love for art did develop into hobbies that revolved around building and designing things as I grew up. I drew a huge schematic for a rocket I built in elementary school that I kept for years. When I learned how to sew, I made pajamas, blankets, pillows, and skirts for me and my sister. I even tried building the Eiffel Tower out of popsicle sticks once (it didn’t look quite right, but it was still pretty impressive if you ask me).

These hobbies molded me into a teenager that wanted to share my creations with the world, and with a knack for problem-solving, I decided I could achieve that as a mechanical engineer. Over the course of my college career, I’ve sought out opportunities and experiences that have allowed me to grow as an engineer and as a person. But I’ve always been a visually creative person, and I couldn’t help but feel that I wasn’t fulfilling that natural talent solely as an engineer. I wondered how I could utilize my skills and passions in a way that would make me feel like the Picasso I used to imagine I was.

Not long after, I discovered UI/UX design, and it felt like a door to a whole new world of possibilities had opened up. To me, being a designer means that I can still solve problems like an engineer while finally getting to feel like an artist again. I enrolled in Bloc, now Thinkful’s, UI/UX boot camp soon after and in a year, I developed a well-rounded understanding of UI/UX and completed three real-world projects. And I’ll happily admit that I’m obsessed with my work. Every detail, every element, and every solution has to be just right because my designs speak to my passion, character, and skill. When you look at my designs, you see me, and this motivates me to be the best designer I can be.

Today, I feel like I’ve finally found my niche as a UI/UX designer, and I’m excited to keep exploring and growing. I’ll be honest, though - what I do isn’t always easy or simple, and this is challenging. But I don’t mind because when I’m working on a design, I feel like Picasso, working on her next masterpiece.