Applicant #7: Tyler Kasper

Tyler Kasper is a 19-year-old from Collinsville.

Tyler's video application:

Tyler's current situation:

Hey everyone, Tyler here. A little bit of background, I'm 19 years old and currently enrolled at Lindenwood University majoring in Criminal Justice. I live in Collinsville, IL. and currently work at Office Depot where I fix and sell computers for happy customers. I'm a very friendly and outgoing person and I hope you'll find me very easy to get along with. I'm open to meeting new people at every turn and look forward to meeting everyone else involved with the contest.

Best wishes everyone, good luck!

-Tyler Kasper

Tyler's blog post:

The world is an interesting place for a teenager out of high school. There are so many choices that it can be quite difficult choosing one to stick with. Myself, I'm a big advocate of furthering ones education through college or some other form of institution. It's important to remember that you don't know anything about the real world coming out of high school. Personally, I think it's crucial to humble yourself and admit you know nothing, because only then will you truly open up and be willing to learn anything and everything. And what's more satisfying in life than knowing as much as possible? For me, absolutely nothing is. If college is not an expense you can take under your belt, you should try to make an effort to enter a trade school or something of the sort. Learn a trade, become an expert in a field of your choice and then if you still want to learn more, go back to school. Some fear that they are too old to further their education, a mistake that no one should ever make. No matter what a person's age, they are never too old to learn. Whether it be for personal merit or for a change in career, college is always a great option for those looking to change their lives. Another mistake that teenagers often make when leaving high school for the first time is to move out on their own. This can either be a very good or a very bad idea. What most young adults do (such as myself) is continue their education whilst milking their parents while they still can. The mistake that some make is to leave home and get an apartment or something of the sort. Combining a rent payment with all the other utilities necessary to live, a student would have to work full time in a relatively well paying job just to make ends meet. This cuts into valuable schooling time, forcing them to go from full time student to full time worker. This shift in focus can ruin their education goals entirely, as it is very hard to go back to school a fter settling into the workforce. The main thing for us young adults to remember is that we have the rest of our lives to work and live on our own. Why rush the inevitable? Have some fun in college and learn something while you're at it. Trust me, you'll be paying for all of your own things in no time, enjoy mom and dad's generosity while you can.

Tyler