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What I Learned in Idol Week

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What I learned in Idol Week is.. BLANKITY BLANKITY BLANK. That was my brain Friday night, but in a rewarding way. After making my brain switch to maximum overdrive for 5 days straight (another SpongeBob reference), I took the weekend off to rest and reflect on the past week. I flew back to Indianapolis Saturday morning and forgot my headphones in my luggage. I had nothing else to hear, besides my thoughts. This is what I learned from Idol week.

Dream Job
This company is the perfect fit for me. There are so many resources, connections, and free will to create and say anything you want. You can even call someone the R-word! Thanks, Francis Elliis. This is also the first job I have worked where I am not judged by the way I work, but how I work. I used to work at a grocery store with a kid who was also named Austin. He had autism, so customers thought I was the special needs Austin. I didn’t complain, as I got great tips for carrying groceries to old lady’s cars. Barstool is growing by the day, and I got to be a part of the growth for one week. If I can write blogs, make a viral video, and outshine 15 other talented contestants, I know there will always be room for improvement.

Regret

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My only regret of participating in Barstool Idol was forgetting my nail clippers. You may not believe me, but I drink a lot of milk, and it is said to be that this causes your nails to grow faster. These things turned into fangs in a week. My heart dropped every time I shook Dave’s hand, as I feared I would puncture his skin. Why didn’t’ you just buy clippers at a store? I was damn near broke all week. I spent all my money on Uber rides, meals, and Shake Shack. I only went to Shake Shack once, but a meal there is like an appetizer at a steakhouse. I also didn’t cut them as they were my only self-defense weapons I had.

Adult decision
The final lesson I learned is I’m going to have to decide on my future, very soon. I’ve received texts, calls, and mentions saying, “Bro, drop out! This is an opportunity of a lifetime!” Which is true, but there’s so many directions running through my mind. Living, financial costs, personal life, it’s all clustered. If I stay at IUPUI for one more semester, I can still produce content around Indiana and write for Barstool! I just won’t be on a salary. If I switch to school in New York or go online, I’ll leave my friends, Mom, and honor of being a Jaguar. I can live without the Jaguar part.

I also have a meeting with my advisor today to see if I can switch to a general studies degree and finish online. “Fulfilling the Promise” is the slogan that IUPUI uses. If they don’t allow me to finish online or give me leverage with this amazing opportunity, I promise to publicly demoralize this school. I’ve done it twice; I’ll do it again. Working full time is the best opportunity for me. If I don’t take this job, at least I’ll have a sports management degree that will get me a door greeter job at Walmart. Knowing me, I won’t need a degree for that.

@YoungMantis2

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