[2] Shortly after graduating high school, Hilborn decided to leave Houston for Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he attended Macalester College.
[3] Hilborn graduated with honors and a degree in Creative Writing,[4] intending to pursue his Master of Fine Arts and become a professor.
[7] In 2012, he travelled the Midwest on The Good News Poetry Tour with fellow Button poets Dylan Garrity and Hieu Nguyen.
[1] Later in 2013, a video of Hilborn's poem "OCD" went viral,[9] garnering millions of views across social media platforms.
Arianna Miller is cited in her critical review as stating, "Hilborn wants readers to question his work, to use his pieces as a means of learning not only about oneself, but also about the world around him/her/them".
[12][13] In an interview with The Triangle, Hilborn cites Paul Guest, Sherman Alexie, and poets Patricia Smith and Michael Mlekoday as influencing his work.
[2] Hilborn's work has inspired readers to create their own versions, videos, and interpretations of his poetry, particularly of his poem "OCD".