Kra_gl_e

Am I... am I secretly Romanian? I'm always stressed when driving...

Forgive my ignorance on the issue, but what is a 'zebra' in this context?

Not OP, but here's my two cents.

Often, smart kids will hear something along the lines of: "You're so smart (or good at science/math). You should be an engineer/doctor/scientist." Now, when you're a teenager, you often don't know what you truly want to do. Add to that, if you're the straight A type, it's likely (though not always) that you lived to please others and not disappoint your parents, as opposed to thinking for yourself. Add to that, some cultures value certain professions above others, such as the aforementioned doctor/engineer/scientist list. Add to that, STEM professions have a reputation for being stable, in demand, and well paying. So with a combination of some or all of the above, a lot of kids just go with what everyone suggested, regardless of their actual personality, secondary skills, or desires.

I was in that situation, with all of the above factors. I probably should've clued in when my senior year math teacher, of all people, said, "You picked engineering? That seems really at odds with your creative talent." Not that I couldn't do engineering (and I did finish my degree), it just wasn't the right fit for me in the end. I wish I would've saved myself some student loan debt and thought for myself.

*mother

But your point still stands.

Possess a very particular set of skills.