Project Manager, DePaul, Illinois and Germany

My time in high school

Attended high school in the
2000s

Overall high school experience
8/10. I moved to Palo Alto and I got to see and learn from very powerful people. I also met some of the most sheltered and snooty people I still to this day have ever met.

Grades in high school
A's and B's

 

Favorite subjects
English

Struggled with...
Math. The level of math you're expected to know in Palo Alto is higher than so many other places around the country.

Favorite extracurricular
Sports / Recreation


Life since high school

Don’t live the life your friends are living because of envy, the life your parents want you to live. You only have one life, and when you look back, don’t find yourself wishing you had went a different path.

Attended college / university at
DePaul University. 

Majored in
Journalism

Places lived in US
Illinois

Places lived outside the US
Germany

Current occupations / past occupations
Project manager

Industries I've worked in
Management of Companies and Enterprises
- Other: Sports journalism

Did your education prepare you for your career or occupation?
No. High school is still one of the most difficult things I've done.

Has your education or career/occupation trajectory ever changed? How?
After doing journalism internships in college, I happened into doing more project based work with data analytics and scouting.


A little introspection...

To me, being successful means...
Being happy with yourself and seeing as much as the world has to offer as possible.

My definition of success has changed over time. 
I used to think money and status was the most important thing. I realized rich and powerful people were still unhappy with themselves.

My greatest accomplishment to date and what I’ve learned from it
Starting a soccer supporters group. I always felt like people didn't like me, and you literally can't run something like that with that kind of mindset. I learned that I have no reason to hate myself.

My biggest mistake or regret so far and what I’ve learned from it
I will always regret not moving to Germany when I had the chance. Ironically enough, I learned that you can't beat yourself up over decisions from the past. 

An unexpected event that significantly changed my life and how it impacted me
My engagement ended after a long time of being together. I literally thought my world was ending. I found out she was also cheating on me, which made me feel worthless. However, with time, I realized how it can build me to be a better person to myself and those around me. It turned out to be the best thing that could happen to me.

Anything else you'd like to share?
Find what you want to do, not what you feel like you're supposed to do. I met so many people from Palo Alto who started start ups and became doctors, but they wanted something else out of life. Don't live the life your friends are living because of envy, the life your parents want you to live. You only have one life, and when you look back, don't find yourself wishing you had went a different path.


This alumni is open to your questions and follow-ups.
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My favorite spot in or around Palo Alto

Cheese House