Jacob Knott, a MODG student, has been doing “magic” tricks since he was 13 years old. With such an interesting and unique talent, we were curious to know more about this hobby.
Starting to do tricks about a year and a half ago, Jacob said, “I began doing magic after I saw a magician at a restaurant our family liked to go to. He was extremely entertaining as well as humorous… It was amazing seeing how quickly his hands moved. I recognized a few classic magic tricks, and realized that with a lot of practice, simple tricks when performed well can become extraordinary.” That was the moment he took an interest in the world of tricks.

 
“I would watch YouTube videos that would show you how to do simple magic tricks.  After several months, I was eventually able to figure out how a magician did his trick. Simply watching it over and over again, watching it in slow motion, and knowing a few simple sleight-of-hand tricks, I was able to discover the truth behind multiple tricks.” Jacob says the road to mastering and even being able to properly do these tricks was difficult, and took constant practice. After he became confident in his talent, he began to perform for his family. “If can fool them, then I can fool almost anyone else.”

 
He said his favorite part about doing these tricks is seeing people’s reactions. “I’ve had people laugh, scream, and stand in shocked silence. One kid thought I was dabbling in black magic! He always freaked out even after I assured him I was not in league with the devil.”

 
He told us that he mostly does sleight-of-hand magic. He typically carries a deck of cards for his tricks. Wherever he goes he tries to use what’s around him to get amazing reactions out of people.  “If I’m ever at a restaurant with friends, I try to use the stuff I see around me such as straws, sweetener packets, or even salt shaker.”

 
When we asked him what one of the biggest challenges he faced, he said it was definitely gaining control of his hands. He said when he did the tricks for his family, he was calm and steady, “but if I did it for complete strangers or people I had just met, my hand would visibly start shaking. Occasionally that still happens, but after awhile, you can get control of your hands.”

 
He told us that as of right now, “magic” tricks are just his hobby, and occasionally he does small tricks for friends at parties. “Mostly though, I just do magic for friends. I am hopefully going to start doing magic at a children’s hospital for the sick kids there.” As for right now, he spends his time practicing, perfecting, and enjoying his talent for this incredible hobby.